Mixed Messages

One nonverbal display that means different things in different cultures is the “thumbs up”.  In the United States and other Western culture it signifies a job well done, in Latin America and West Africa and other regions it is equivalent to giving someone the middle finger.  Another display would be putting your hand on your hips.  In most cultures this is a sign of boredom or not knowing where to put one’s hands.  In Mexico it is a sign of hostility and could lead to a fight.  At my current job, 99% of our employees are Indian.  While I have only been there for a few months and am not aware of any nonverbal communication that has different meaning than ours, I have come across an expression that is used often.  When exchanging emails, sometimes I get an email with the closing line “Please do the needful”.  I had never heard this expression before and was not sure if I should be offended or if this was typical of the culture.  I soon found out it was just a way of summarizing the email and requesting me to take action on items that needed to be addressed.