Understanding how culture shapes our communication is crucial. It influences how much we share information and whether specific topics are considered sensitive or beyond our boundaries. For example, in the West, many use “low content” communications.
Conversations are direct and can be confrontational. We require background information or an update—little is assumed as known, including why an issue may need to be deemed sensitive. Transparency means fewer boundaries, too. We may, although, use “Let’s keep this between us” or “ Keep this private.”
Within Korean organizations, the very nature of the Asian “high content” culture means less is shared in explicit verbal and open communication. Since teams foster long-lasting relationships, much is shared informally within their circle of close, trusted colleagues, and much is also accumulated knowledge, so issues require little background explanation or even “catch-up” discussion.
Yes and No…
Koreans often acknowledge what they hear by saying “Yes” or nodding, but this does not necessarily signal agreement. They tend to avoid open disagreement and confrontation.
In Korean culture, it is uncommon for people to respond to a question or request with a direct “No.” In negotiation and decisions, Koreans rely on nonverbal signs such as tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language.
They look for meaning and understanding in what is not said and even in the greater content beyond the conversation, such as business events that could impact decisions.
These non-explicit communications can indicate a firm “no” or rejection of an idea or plan. Most Westerners miss this, waiting for a verbal or written “No” or “Yes.”
In many situations, especially during negotiations, there is often a nonverbal response or a response such as “if possible” or “that is difficult.” Understanding the Korean and Western perspectives is vital for global organizations. No culture is right or wrong; it is just different.
My work centers on providing support, mentoring, and solutions. I aim to foster a deeper understanding of the Korean communication style and its implications for global business.
I’m looking forward to hearing your comments, feedback, and business questions.
A client recently shared the content and deep understanding I had shared on Korea, specifically on working with Hyundai.
The term “Hyundai Whisperer” has been used to describe my consultancy both for working with teams and in the media.
This continues, and more recently, in my work and interviews with Korea Times, CNBC, and Branding in Asia, where I have focused on the “big picture” of transforming the Hyundai Motor Group from a fast follower to a game changer.
I see my role as supporting those new to Hyundai and those engaged but with little insight into “working with culture,” its processes, expectations, and ever-changing norms.
I will continue to provide “knowledge of the tribe, ”insights, and client support worthy of the title — the “Hyundai Whisperer.”
Would you be interested in learning more? Let’s chat.
Heading into a new week the term first surfaced as I was introduced by a Hyundai creative agency SVP to a team of media executives new to the Brand…. Don is our Hyundai Whisperer.
Soon after it went ‘viral,’ a week later in NYC, I was surprised to be introduced as the “Hyundai Whisper” while onboarding a new digital AOR for Kia.
The term “Hyundai Whisperer” has been used to describe my consultancy. On one level, it illustrates the importance of one’s reputation. On another level, it underscores the significance of dedicating one’s work to a niche.
This continues and more recently my work and interviews with Korea Times and CNBC have focused “big picture” of transforming the Hyundai Motor Group from a fast follower to a game changer.
Frankly, I see my role as less on details of Hyundai and other Korean brands’ operations — and more on providing support to those new to Hyundai, “working with culture,” its processes, expectations, and ever-changing norms.
I will continue to provide “knowledge of the tribe”, insights, and client support worthy of the title — the “Hyundai Whisperer.”
You’re training and follow-up insights have saved my career (and a few others) as we could not have survived the culture clash.
Don was our secret weapon.
The expertise and wisdom that Don brings to the discussion is insightful and practical. Cross-cultural business differences can be very challenging to overcome, and it takes both a knowledge of business practices and how complex cultural uniqueness interweaves into those practices to be successful.
No one knows more about how the global business community needs to understand Korea than Don.
Don is the guru; the guy CEOs want to have their voice heard with… Don is truly “The Hyundai Whisperer” a trusted mentor to many in our industry.
I have a long history as a trusted advisor offering Korean business strategy and consulting services to firms across the globe. This includes major Korean groups, international brands, and government agencies.
Many see me as the “go-to” expert on all Korean business matters.
Have a Korea-facing question, issue, or project. Let’s talk.
It’s common in Western meetings to first discuss issues as part of the work-through. As well as any potential repercussions and downsides. Then, after discussions sometimes at length, the team will discuss options and countermeasures.
In contrast, Korean teams, knowing of the issue, prefer to focus talks on the solution and immediate steps to mitigate—then report these plans and actions to leadership.
My recommendation when tackling an issue is for teams to clearly state the challenge and recognize potential downsides, but quickly move on and devote the meeting to actionable steps and solution-oriented discussion.
This can be streamlined by a PPT which clearly and concisely states: Point 1—the Issue and Point 2—any Downsides, versus rehashing the issue and downsides-repercussions.
More so limit or sidebar any deep discussions on either point… dedicating the meeting to Point 3—actionable and solution-oriented steps.
The final steps should be a tentative timeline for executing the steps and the outcome. This gives the Korean team key points they need for reporting to leadership.
Questions, comments, ask. I, too, am always open to new projects and opportunities.
It is no small effort to stay current on key issues with the many moving parts within a Korean Group and with Korea in general.
Knowing there are gaps in communications, I do my best to keep teams and leadership updated. I’d like to share some thoughts ….
From time to time, there are concerns in the overseas workplace over communications.
This can range from a perception of disconnect and being the last to know as global announcements are made or finding out important news second-hand.
This information gap can include working teams but is also felt by local leadership.
Team members may even feel that information was being deliberately withheld.
While there may be some truth in the disconnection, the feeling that Koreans are withholding information deliberately is most often not reality. What may be a surprise for Western overseas teams is that Korean staff in their home offices must make quite an effort to stay informed.
As one entry-level employee of a major Korean group lamented,
“If I did not spend an hour daily networking with fellow workers, I would be in the dark on issues major and minor that could have a significant impact on my work assignment and projects.”
For my work with Korea-based companies, nightly chats, frequent emails, and Kakao texts are required, or I too, would be “in the dark.” Still, I often find breaking news issues when checking my Kakao or running an early AM Google search. It is common when I ask a Korean colleague and even leadership on the news, their response is one of surprise—not in me asking, but this may be the first they had heard about, too.
This implies that silos within the company limit the sharing of information. More so, those not well connected are out of the loop or rarely given an advance heads up.
I find it interesting that colleagues within a company often remark and see me as well-connected—a very positive trait. As a caveat, teams try to keep their trusted friends, colleagues, and management well informed—even on sensitive and confidential issues. Savvy management continually seeks news on issues, projects, and forthcoming announcements from their colleagues and networks. This is not only to stay informed but to avoid being caught off guard or blindsided.
This network can play a critical role in one’s career and advancement. That said, for most Koreans facing international operations, the communication channel—informal and formal—between the Korean HQ and local subsidiaries is through expatriates.(The same goes for Western companies located in Korea, as Westerners there serve as expats.)
Roles vary within each company, but most frequently with Korean global business an expat’s primary role is to be the liaison between Korea and the local subsidiary.
Frankly, some expats are more open to sharing information than others.
Regardless, I feel this is less a deliberate withholding of news than a “filtering”—that is, a review of communications from the mother company and then a doling out of appropriate information. Filtering becomes an issue when information is withheld until the last moment, whether for clarity, to avoid confrontation, or to decide to best address a delicate situation.
Delaying communication often forces local operations to drop everything and deal with an issue that would have been less demanding and disruptive for the teams if conveyed promptly. In other situations, I found that information is often held back until a 100% certainty is reached on an outcome or upcoming event.
What appears to be silence on important news is often an attempt based on their years of experience working with the mother company to spare local teams from concerns that could and probably would change over time.
So instead of constantly having to return to the local team with a shift in plans, an expat may stay quiet until the last moment and have a firm confirmation.
This can mean little advance notification, as it is common for announcements first to need legal, PR, and then leadership’s “final” approval.
Workarounds
There are workarounds, and one needs to recognize that much is strongly rooted in a company’s culture. Culture matters.
For starters, my best practices include: 1) Building a strong professional network—including colleagues local and overseas. Have set times to chat even nightly with Korea… I suggest by Kakao.
2) Maintain a reputation as one who can share and be shared information—with a high degree of trust and confidentiality when appropriate
All said, outside issues deemed as private, sensitive, and confidential, few will dispute the need for strong internal communications and updates—shared across the organization. Here as always.
If you have a question or inquiry on this topic or another, let’s set a time to chat.
I’m also available by Kakao at 310-866-3777 and Don Southerton, so join me…
(Kakaotalk is free, and best to download the app on your phone and access it).
I enjoy sharing Korean business insights. This insight is one of my most popular.
I often say “Similar brings us together…”
Global business requires colleagues of different cultures to work together daily.
How we perceive each other culturally is often based on differences, such as language, and similarities, like shared values such as family. I prefer to concentrate on the similarities, as differences can create distance while similarities unite us.
It is crucial for Western teams collaborating with Korean operations to gain a deep understanding of the workplace culture in Korea, including the 2024 norms, practices, and daily life. The workplace is under constant change, and we can easily fixate on things that may have been distorted by hearsay or a lack of understanding.
The same principle applies to Korean global teams assigned to support overseas operations. We all need to become learners, adept in local and overseas practices. Expecting global teams to conform to Korean business norms rarely works; it often leads to delays and stalled projects.
As I noted above, recognizing similarities is one of the most powerful cross-cultural bridges. In other words, how can you relate to the nuances in communications and day-to-day life? This requires identifying the local beliefs, values, expectations, traditions, and culture
The information provided helps us gain a deeper understanding of how our teams think and what they expect.
Outcomes
Although there is bound to be friction between home and host country cultural values, a successful model accomplishes…
1. Awareness and appreciation of the home and host country with the ability to gain insight into one’s personal traits, strengths, weaknesses, attitudes, and interests.
2. Realization of shared cross-cultural values, along with an awareness of and respect for cultural differences.
Call to Action
Are you dealing with Korea-facing issues, challenges, or impasses? I provide workarounds and solutions.
As a trusted friend constantly reminds me, “Don, no one does what you do.”
I strive to ensure success and sustainability in dealing with Korea-facing business partnerships through well-communicated expectations and cross-cultural understanding.
It also requires a unique skill set—groomed over decades of working with an ever-changing Korea.
I like the story that shortly after an engineer retires, a machine at his former factory stops working. They try everything they can do to fix it, to no avail. Finally, the boss calls up the engineer and asks him to come in and fix it.
The engineer agrees to do so as a paid consultant. He comes in, walks around the machine, looks at a few things, takes out a hammer, and whacks the machine. It whirrs into life.
The engineer presents his former boss with a bill for $5,000. The boss says, “This is ridiculous! What did you even do? I need an itemized bill.”
The engineer provides a new invoice that states:
· Hitting machine with a hammer: $5.00
· Knowing where to hit the machine: $4,995
Nuff said…
My work is knowing when and where to use the ‘hammer’, catching issues early, and then as needed providing work-throughs as projects can so easily get sidetracked. Many assume when initial talks and progress seem smooth things will continue to move forward—which is rarely the case.
It’s one thing, too, for those well-experienced in global business who are now engaged in Korean projects to expect experience in the West will be enough to work through what can be escalating challenges—but in fact, what many will find out is that they are poorly suited to adapting and being flexible (a very Korea business approach and norm).
At the very least, working through issues can become a lengthy learning process. Both ways are time-consuming and costly.
My long-time approach when providing work-throughs is to step back and look for underlying concerns and nuances that are easily missed. Then knowing the Korean processes and mindset work for a resolution. Again, this is more art than science.
To summarize, impasses are common in all business—but what may work in the West to overcome issues will take a different approach in Korea.
The best model is to be constantly aware and sensitive to what may unfold. Use less direct and non-confrontational ways to gain deeper insights into any challenges and be open to alternative approaches at work-throughs.
As always, I look forward to discussing any challenges, and any questions you may have.
I’ll have my hammer ready, too. And here, ready for your call or email.
I recently posted a photo of the Hyangwon Pavillion and a number have asked to share on its origin and location. What I noted in the caption was its significance as the 1st building electrified in Korea and possibly Asia.
Early in my ground-breaking 2000s post-graduate academic research, I examined the long-standing technology exchanges between the United States and Korea. Much of this development began in the late 1800s when Korea looked to bring rail, trolley, electrification, telephone, waterworks, and hard-rock gold mining to the country. Some of these infrastructure projects were “a first” for Asia. Specifically, the 1st building electrified! It was fascinating reading the correspondence between Korea and Thomas Edison.
In 1884, King Gojong reached out and contracted the Edison Light Company to electrify Gyeongbok Palace starting with showcasing the Hyangwon Pavilion. The monarch intended to adopt and welcome new technologies from the West.
The 2-story Hyangwon Pavilion had been constructed on an artificial island in the center of the palace lake.
Technicians dispatched from Thomas Edison’s laboratory and installed a small DC water-powered generator on the stream that fed the lake. {The stream is long gone, curious I looked a few years ago].
To King Gojang and the court’s amazement, the building was illuminated.
Several years later, in 1893, a second electric plant was built for the Changdok Palace, and thereafter for the Sundok palace. Reports by Western diplomats of the time told that the incandescent lights were most often used for court meetings held during the evening hours.
It should come as no surprise that 140 years later a robust technological trend continues– today both the U.S. and South Korea’s equal tech partners.
