The concept of “ask culture” and “guess culture” describes two types of people in the world: guessers and askers. Guessers proactively address needs before being asked, while askers wait for requests. This concept has implications in interpersonal relationships, especially in the workplace. Signs of being an asker include comfort in asking for raises and promotions, direct communication, and being less sensitive to vague feedback. Guessers, on the other hand, tend to perceive changes before they happen, become resentful about additional work, and have difficulty giving direct feedback. To improve communication, guessers should communicate more directly, while askers should develop their powers of inference. Striking a balance between the two communication styles can lead to more effective navigation of interpersonal conflict in the workplace.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concept of “ask culture” and “guess culture” | Shift in communication style | More understanding and adaptation between askers and guessers, improved communication and reduced interpersonal tension | Desire for better communication and understanding |
| Signs of an Asker at work | Personal behavior | More ease in asking for personal needs, less defensive towards critique, more direct communication | Confidence in expressing personal needs |
| Signs of a Guesser at work | Personal behavior | Development of better perception and communication skills, improved ability to give direct feedback, decreased sensitivity to feedback | Focus on meeting the needs of others |
| Advice for Guessers working with Askers | Communication strategy | More direct communication, stating preferences plainly, less reliance on subtlety | Increase in self-advocacy |
| Advice for Askers working with Guessers | Communication strategy | Improved interpretation of subtle cues, active listening, creating safe spaces for guessers to verbalize their thoughts | Focus on understanding and empathy |
| Making peace with communication compromise | Shift in mindset | Moving toward a happy medium, understanding and adaptation between askers and guessers | Effort to find common ground |
| Understanding the dynamics of ask/guess differences | Personal awareness | Increased awareness and recognition of communication styles and their impact on interpersonal conflict | Desire for effective communication |