“I´ll give it a try!” – How to deal with uncertainty in Indonesian business world

In one of my recent cross-cultural training classes as we were discussing working styles in Indonesia an European participant stated, “I don´t know how to deal with my Indonesian subordinates when I give them a task. Instead of saying ‘Yes, I´ll do it!’ they say, ‘Ok, I’ll give it a try.’ This never fails to puzzle and stress me out. Left with that kind of answer, I question: Will I get the expected result or not?”

The answer to this question is simple yet complicated. If we were to ask the subordinates, they would most likely answer, “I don´t know!” This is not very satisfying, of course. So, let´s peek behind the cultural curtains of both persons; the European manager and the Indonesian staff members. Try to make an honest attempt to understand both of their perspectives for this case.

The European way of dealing with future

Assuming that the European manager is the Department Head of an area that produces technical products, it is likely that he is demanded to work on a detailed plan with tight deadlines. He knows exactly what date he and his team will have to meet various deadlines. Socialized in a culture where planning future activities is something absolutely normal, even essential, he has developed a deeper need for certainty when it comes to deal with upcoming events. In other words, he is accustomed to know “for sure” what will happen in the near future or – in this case – after having delegated a job. Interculturalists call this behavior “uncertainty avoidance” as these two words are quite self-explanatory.

Many people from cultures where planning and punctuality plays a big role in their everyday (business) life often try to minimize uncertainty as much as possible. Studies have shown that most European cultures belong into this mindset. The motivation to avoid uncertainty while delegating jobs is the very reason why our manager cannot accept the answer “I’ll give it a try.” He thinks that if somebody just “tries” to do the job, in other words he is telling you that he is not sure if he is capable enough to complete the task. He hands over responsibility and this is something a well-educated technical expert should not do while on the workplace.

Uncertainty and a relaxed state of mind

Calling the Indonesian subordinates incapable, however, is a) not fair and b) definitely not true. To understand their motivation for the I´ll-try-answer, let´s have a look at the situation from their perspective. In contrast to their manager, the Indonesians have been socialized in a culture where planning works quite differently compared to Europe. Instead of spending much energy on anticipating things in the future, people live more in the “here” and “now”. Besides that, Indonesians have often experienced – and possibly every single day – that plans or projects don’t always work out as expected. Be it the unpredictable traffic, the extreme tropical weather or just the unavailability of certain key personnel; there are many reasons that make Indonesians hesitate to confirm something future as “for sure”.

Because there are so many different conditions and circumstances that suddenly can determine their planning while working on a task, one just cannot guarantee certainty for the near future. If they would do so and, given the case the job fails for some reason, they might even lose face. Since keeping up a competent and positive image is something very essential in Indonesian society, face loss is a disaster that has to by avoided by all means.

We understand, that Indonesia is a culture that scores very low on the uncertainty-avoidance-scale. People have been raised with the preconception that the future simply cannot be predicted. “I’ll give it a try” or the spiritual linked “Insya Allah” (if God wills) are examples of answers we often hear that mean: “I´ll do my best to fulfill the job, but you have to understand that it does not only lie in my hands.” So, if the subordinates in our example answer, “I´ll give it a try”, they actually mean that they will put forth their best attempt to fulfill the job, BUT you never know… Alongside that, being able to bear so much uncertainty have placed so many of the inhabitants of this island into a very relaxed state of mind, an attitude which often becomes the object of envy for many Europeans.

What did I suggest to my European training participant? The answer is what I always suggest to those who are caught in a cross-cultural conflict situation: Try to see the situation from the eyes of the opposite culture. If we understand the cultural reason behind foreign behavior, it enables us to deal with it better, even when it may still not make much sense from our point of view.

As I write the last sentences of this article, my friend contacts me asking, “Hey, can we move up our meeting today? Will you be able to come over one hour earlier?” I raise my eyes and gaze over my Indonesian work environment. Then, I text her back, “Yeah, I´ll give it a try!”