One of the most common sources of intercultural friction in a multinational workplace in Indonesia is a misunderstanding between expatriate professionals and Indonesian colleagues. In many cases, neither party is actually at fault. The problem lies in the different meanings that people from different cultures attach to the same words, behaviours, and expectations.
Terms such as respect, politeness, professionalism, urgency, initiative, or even yes may seem straightforward. In reality, these concepts are interpreted differently depending on a person’s cultural background.
For example, Indonesian managers often emphasize respect and politeness in workplace interactions. While most foreign professionals also value these qualities, they may express them differently. A communication style that seems appropriately direct and efficient to someone from North America, Australia, or Northern Europe may unintentionally appear abrupt or discourteous to an Indonesian colleague. Likewise, an Indonesian employee’s careful, indirect communication may be viewed by an expatriate manager as vague or lacking confidence, when it is actually intended to preserve harmony and respect.
These differing interpretations are a common source of unnecessary workplace friction.
The Challenge of “Closing the Loop”
One of the most common areas where these differences emerge is in providing feedback and keeping others informed of progress—what many organizations refer to as “Closing the Loop.”
What one manager considers adequate communication during an ongoing assignment may be viewed by another as insufficient. Because both parties believe they are communicating appropriately, the misunderstanding often goes unnoticed until problems arise.
Today, this issue extends beyond face-to-face conversations. Teams communicate through email, WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, and project management platforms. The tools have changed, but the cultural expectations often have not.
Building a Shared Corporate Culture
One of the greatest benefits of cross-cultural training is giving multicultural teams the opportunity to discuss what commonly used workplace terms actually mean within their own organization.
The objective is not for Indonesians to become Westerners, nor for expatriates to become Indonesians.
Instead, successful organizations develop a shared corporate culture that combines the strengths of both approaches while supporting the company’s business objectives in Indonesia.
This often includes agreeing on practical expectations for communication, reporting, decision-making, deadlines, and accountability.
Four Steps to Closing the Loop
Effective communication generally involves four distinct steps:
- Giving clear information
- Confirming that the information has been received and understood
- Taking appropriate action
- Reporting progress and outcomes
Each of these stages offers opportunities for misunderstanding if expectations are not clearly discussed.
One common difference involves reporting progress.
Some Indonesian managers feel it is sufficient to update a supervisor once meaningful progress has been made or when the task has been completed. If delays are outside their control, they may feel there is little value in reporting them until additional information becomes available.
Many expatriate managers, however, expect regular updates throughout the process. They often believe that reporting delays early—even when no solution yet exists—is an important part of effective management because it allows plans to be adjusted before problems become larger.
Neither approach is inherently right or wrong. They simply reflect different cultural assumptions about communication and responsibility.
Agree on Expectations
These differences should be openly discussed within each team.
Complaining that someone “doesn’t communicate properly” or assuming another person is incompetent rarely improves teamwork. In most cases, both parties believe they are behaving professionally according to the standards they have always known.
During one cross-cultural workshop I facilitated for a multinational financial services company, both the Indonesian and expatriate participants initially believed they clearly understood each other’s expectations.
After several hours of discussion, however, it became apparent that their definitions of effective communication differed considerably.
The group eventually agreed on the following shared definition:
Closing the Loop
means taking responsibility for communicating clearly, confirming that information has been received and understood, acting appropriately, and providing timely updates—not only when the task is complete, but whenever important developments occur.
Once everyone shared the same understanding, many of the team’s previous frustrations began to disappear.
Never Assume Shared Meanings
Some expatriate managers believe these expectations “go without saying.” They assume anyone working in an international business environment naturally understands them.
In cross-cultural workplaces, this assumption is often incorrect.
Culture influences how people interpret words, behaviour, authority, responsibility, deadlines, and even silence. These perceptions are shaped through upbringing, education, workplace experience, and social expectations.
Assuming that someone else interprets a situation exactly as you do is one of the most common causes of cross-cultural misunderstanding.
Create Your Team’s Communication Rules
The most successful multicultural teams invest time in establishing shared expectations early.
Rather than assuming everyone defines words like urgent, soon, finished, approved, responsibility, or feedback in the same way, they discuss these terms openly and agree on what they will mean within their own organization.
Clear expectations reduce misunderstandings, strengthen trust, and improve collaboration.
Just as denial or avoidance is sometimes criticized as an Indonesian conflict-resolution style, expatriates can also fall into the trap of assuming that their own interpretation is the only reasonable one.
Successful cross-cultural communication begins with mutual understanding, not mutual assumptions.
This article was generously contributed by George B. Whitfield III during his time as a Technical Advisor with Executive Orientation Services. It has been updated for clarity and to reflect today’s multicultural and increasingly digital workplace while preserving the original concepts and intent.
