How to Give Orders Like a Man

In this essay, Tanen talks about direct and incorrect communication. In my opinion direct and indirect communication can both be equally effective. The catch is that communicators must learn to interpret both of them correctly. This is sometimes a problem because if one of them doesn't interpret things right, things don't get done, and some things can go horribly wrong. If I had to choose, I would say that direct communication is more effective because although it can be thought of as rude, or harsh, the message is still the same. For example, if you tell someone "type this letter and send it out by 1:00 p.m." the person will think that was a rude way of saying it, but they will not misunderstand the meaning. Indirect communication however could be by accident or on purpose because it has room for interpretation. If you ask "is there a phone?" someone could tell you "yes" instead of giving it to you. Therefore I think that direct communication is more effective.