What’s the Communication Style in The UAE?

Understanding Communication in UAE Business

Miscommunication is one of the principal reasons for cultural misunderstandings when working in the UAE. Learning a bit about the country and culture with some UAE cultural awareness training can make a huge difference.

In this article, we’re going to explore the Emirati communication style.

If you’re travelling to the UAE for business or communicating with Emiratis virtually, then it’s important you understand the communication style and minimise problems.

Below, we’ve listed some practical tips to help you communicate positively and credibly with your Emirati clients and colleagues.

These will help answer questions such as:

• What are the main features of communication in the UAE?
• What would be considered polite and impolite by Emiratis?
• How can I make a good impression in the UAE?

Top 3 Common Communication Mistakes When Doing Business in the UAE

1. Taking “yes” at face value
2. Being too direct in feedback
3. Ignoring hierarchy and relationships

Let’s explore these further.

Indirect Communication in the UAE

In very basic terms, people in the world tend to be either direct or indirect communicators.  Direct communicators are likely to say what they think. They emphasise clarity, rather than relationships and feelings.

Indirect communicators, on the other hand, place greater emphasis on face, feeling,s and relationships, which, as a result, means they may well avoid saying what they think if they believe it could make someone feel bad or harm someone’s dignity.

Unlike direct communicators, they use a subtle and multi-layered means of communicating by choosing their words carefully and using body language and other non-verbal cues.

Although most people fall somewhere in between the two styles, you’ll find that Emiratis communicate indirectly.

UAE Communication Tip: Consider the relationship when communicating and use your words sensitively to avoid causing upset. Be prepared to communicate with diplomacy, tact, and grace.

If you work with Gulf Arabs, you need to understand Face (dignity/reputation/standing/position) and its impact on communication. 

Photo by Patriot on Unsplash

The Importance of Face, Reputation, and Honor in Emirati Communication

As we mentioned above, honour and face are an important part of UAE business culture and the communication style.  People are very sensitive to their own personal reputation and to that of their peers. They take the concept of ‘face’ seriously and make a great effort to protect their own face and that of their peers.

To ‘take’ someone’s face is perceived very badly. Instead, Emiratis use their language and actions to ‘give’ face. As such, you will find that Emiratis avoid saying or doing anything that could cast themselves, or others, in a bad light.

They may well use their language to ‘give face’ by praising others or carrying out nice acts, such as taking people for lunch.

UAE Communication Tip: Ensure you are sensitive to reputation and that you don’t say anything that can be perceived as critical about others in public. Causing someone to lose face by not considering your words may well cause you to lose face as well.

When “Yes” Doesn’t Mean Agreement When Working in the UAE

As a consequence of the value placed on face, Emiratis may well say ‘yes’ when in fact they mean ‘no’. Take the following as an example:

Lost while driving, you stop a passerby and ask them if they know the way. The chances are that even if the person doesn’t know, they will still say ‘yes’ and do their best to send you in the general direction.

What’s important for them is not whether you get to your destination on time and by the simplest route possible; instead, it’s to not disappoint you by saying ‘no’ and also to not make themselves look bad by appearing ignorant of local geography.

In a similar vein, you may well find that Emiratis struggle to give a straight answer when they don’t want to commit to something verbally.

To save feelings and face, they may instead use ambiguous language such as ‘I’ll have to see’, or ‘It might be difficult’. They may even say ‘yes’ when they don’t mean yes.

It’s very important you recognise that this behaviour isn’t intended to be underhanded or deceitful. Instead, it is rooted in face and harmony and intended to protect relationships and keep the peace.

UAE Communication Tip: It’s up to you to decode what you are being told. For example, if you feel an answer isn’t heartfelt or that it’s tempered in some way through body language, tone of voice, or use of words, then the chances are that something is not quite right. As such, you need to try to work out what the person is really trying to say. Listen out for ambiguous language such as ‘Let’s see’, ‘That might work’, ‘I’m not sure as yet’, as these will typically indicate a ‘no’.

Although highly modernised, UAE business practices, culture, and etiquette very much reflect the country’s traditional past.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

When Emirati Communication Becomes More Direct

As we’ve already discussed, Emiratis place great value on relationships, which is the reason for their indirect communication style and tendency to infer a ‘yes’ in place of a ‘no’.

Where there is no relationship, however, and where there’s a gap in hierarchy, then you may see Emiratis behave a little differently.

For example, you may see an Emirati business owner speak very bluntly to their employees, or a homeowner speak bluntly to someone servicing the home. One aspect of the Emirati management style is that bosses are expected to sometimes be very direct in expressing their expectations.

UAE Communication Tip: Although you may see bluntness in some interpersonal dynamics, it’s important that you never replicate this. Always err on the side of indirectness and face.

Key Tips for Communicating in the UAE

To summarise:

• Emiratis tend to be indirect in the way they communicate. This is largely down to factors such as the need to maintain face and to protect harmony in relationships.
• As a result, people may not always say what they mean; instead, they use a multi-layered, non-verbal approach to communicate meaning.
• You should be careful with your words, be mindful of protecting reputations and dignity, and be prepared to ‘read between the lines’ to decode what you’re being told.
• Although this communication style may differ greatly from your own communication style, over time and with careful observation, you’ll come to understand it and adapt to it.