Communication Archives - Learning India

Neil Miller November 16, 2015 Filed Under: Book Reviews, Communication, On the Job

Book Review: Doing Business in 21st Century India

Gunjan Bagla’s Doing Business in 21^st Century India is the best book out there for the person heading a business unit in India, overseeing an expansion process, or wanting to start a new venture. Expatriates on work assignment and casual travellers can gain some good insights from, but the biggest value comes for the person who has to keep the full business picture in mind.

Bagla covers an overwhelming scope of information in only 200+ pages. He is a consultant who works with companies who want to expand and improve their India operations, and you can see him demonstrate his expertise. In each section of the book, he delivers the most poignant advice and keeps the applications relevant.

(Listen to my podcast with Gunjan Bagla here.)

The book covers the following topics:

Introduction to Indian Business
Cross Cultural Communication
Human Resources
Marketing
Finance
Legal and Accounting
Travelling and Living Tips

[Read more…]

Neil Miller February 2, 2015 Filed Under: #PowerPlays, #ThinSkinned, Communication, On the Job, Podcast, Team Management

Episode 5: Robert Stephens

I’m constantly amazed at the paths people take to India.

Some people get called into an office one day and find themselves in an Indian airport the next week. Others come here trying to start their own business and capitalize on the Indian market. Others come to live out a sense of adventure.

Then there’s Robert. [Read more…]

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Neil Miller November 19, 2014 Filed Under: #GreyIsWhite, Communication

Getting a Straight Answer in India

Why won’t they just give me a straight answer?!

Many westerners feel that Indians are always beating around the bush. They never seem to get to the point, and it’s hard to determine if their yes may mean no.

You need an honest opinion about your new marketing plan, and all you get back are smiles and niceties. You are evaluating a team member that you think may be causing problems, but no one will say a bad word about him. You need advice on handling a special high-needs client, but you feel like no one is actually contributing any insights.

How do you get an Indian to give a direct answer?

Ask better questions. [Read more…]

Neil Miller November 11, 2014 Filed Under: Communication, Team Management

Do you hear what your Indian team is saying?

If nobody has told you yet, Westerners tend to be bad listeners. We complain when someone is just ‘telling us what we want to hear’, but we don’t realize that we might be causing the problem in the first place.

Take an example adapted from Craig Storti’s classic, Cross-Cultural Dialogues:

Leonard: Ramya, how are things going?

Ramya: They are going fine. We have a lot of good work coming up.

Leonard: Great to hear. Listen, we need to roll out this new product by next Friday. Will that be ok?

Ramya: I think so, sir. We have two extra accounts that have developed recently.

Leonard: Ok great, this product is really high priority and we have to have it, ok?

Ramya: Ok, we will surely do our best to do it.

Leonard: Wonderful, that’s great. Thanks a lot, Ramya. [Read more…]

Neil Miller November 7, 2014 Filed Under: Communication

Why you might be missing the story in Indian communication

Imagine sitting in on a teleconference with Jennifer who is questioning two of her sales managers on their lower-than-expected sales quarters. She asks them both to explain.

First is Dharmesh in India:

Second is Philipp who looks after the northern Europe region:

Do you find yourself starting to get annoyed at Dharmesh’s answer? Does it feel like he’s ‘beating around the bush’? Giving excuses?

What about Philipp? Is it easier to sympathize and accept his reasons?

That is the case for most western listeners. Yet, if you listen back to what they actually said, they both gave essentially the same answer, with one very important difference. This is a great example of different cross-cultural communication styles. [Read more…]

Neil Miller September 11, 2014 Filed Under: Communication, Cultural Adaptation, On the Job, Podcast, Team Management

Episode 1: Andrew Mogendorff

Don’t do India alone.

I think that’s the best advice anyone could give on how to survive here. Whether you are signing up for a three-year assignment with a multi-national, or just trying to establish a life in India, nothing is more helpful than a circle of friends.

One of the best things about a circle of friends is hearing their stories. Stories from people who have been exactly where you are now, and figured out a thing or two along the way.

To help with this, I’m happy to announce the Working with India Podcast – conversations with people who have worked with India for a long time and have insights to share. We’ll discuss how to transition to an Indian style of working, develop leaders, implement processes, prepare for repatriation, and much more.

The first episode features Andrew Mogendorff, who recently completed a three-year assignment with Target in Bangalore. Andrew came to India with his wife and two young children.

Here’s what you can expect from the first podcast: [Read more…]

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Neil Miller June 2, 2014 Filed Under: #ChaosBeatsLogic, #PowerPlays, #ThinSkinned, Communication

The Golden Rule for Choosing the Best Forms of Business Communication in India

You know that feeling you get when your inbox gets to zero?

You feel like you really accomplished something. Like you are on top of your game. Like you really earned your money today.

In India, that feeling can be deceptive.

You can have an empty inbox, but never do any actual business. You can reply to all your messages and SMSs, but never reach any of your targets. You can send a hundred emails a day, but never be any closer to your goal.

Why?

The problem might lie in choosing the wrong forms of business communication in India.

When it comes to communicating with India, there is one Golden Rule you must always remember: [Read more…]

Neil Miller May 29, 2014 Filed Under: Communication

Is your communication understandable in India?

“I can’t understand your accent.”

It’s easy to imagine someone from Detroit, Berkshire, or Melbourne saying that when talking to an Indian counterpart. But could you imagine this coming from an Indian talking about you?

Probably not in that direct of a sentence (it would sound too offensive), but they would tell their friends as they are walking out of the teleconference, “I can’t understand anything he says – it’s impossible!”

Communication is a two-way street, and it is important that you are pulling your weight when it comes to being understandable.