20
THE NEW RULES OF COMMUNICATION
Crooked Finger
A Japanese-owned corporation in the United States hires American
office workers, including Helen Olson. All the top management exec-
utives are Japanese males with very limited English language skills.
On her second day at work, Helen needs to communicate with
one of the big bosses about some paperwork on her desk. Because
of the language barrier, she uses gestures to indicate that she would
like her boss to come over to her desk to look at the problem.
After she catches his eye, she crooks her index finger and
moves it in a "come here" motion.
The boss looks horrified.
Totally unaware of Japanese body language, Helen had made
an obscene gesture. She felt humiliated when she found out what
the boss thought she meant. Of course, Helen had no intention of
insulting him, but as a result of this misunderstanding, she became
so uncomfortable working in this office that she decided to quit.
However, when she gave notice, the boss would not accept it. In
Japan, employees usually don't quit. If Helen left the company,
would cause the boss to lose face. Because of this, Helen remained
working there for a short time and then, in spite of her employer's
protests, she quit.
it
Japan is not the only country where this gesture has negative
connotations. In Yugoslavia and Malaysia, it is used to call animals;
in Indonesia and Australia, the gesture beckons prostitutes; in Viet-
nam, this gesture is used to call animals or to beckon an inferior.
Frequently, when used between persons of equal status, it becomes
an act of hostility. Among other Southeast Asians, it is a threaten-
ing gesture to children and an insolent one to adults.
Don't use the crooked-index-finger "come here" gesture with
Japanese or other Asian people.
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