Culture is Fascinating! Did you know that a culture's communication style can be linked to its history? Traditionally U.S. Americans have been a group who "tell it like it is" and "get to the point" because we needed to be plain talkers as we welcomed immigrants from all over the world to our "melting pot". The Japanese, on the other hand were, at one point, totally isolated for hundreds of years. As a homogenous culture, they were able to perfect their social system, customs, protocol, and language. Therefore, silence, nonverbal behavior and nuances in Japanese communication often say much more than an "outsider" can understand. Being able to read between the lines and observe body language is critical when dealing not only with the Japanese, but other Asian cultures too. How do we encourage feedback, elicit clear response, and increase effective communication with our Asian counterparts? Global LT's Cultural Training Programs - Communication Style: U.S./Japan