Finding the Balance: When to Be Precise and When to Be Vague
- Dr. Elke Framson
- Mar 16
- 4 min read
Precise communication is a key feature of U.S. business culture - but in some situations, intentional vagueness is more effective. Knowing when to be clear and when to leave room for interpretation is essential to develop strong relationships and communicate with impact in the U.S. Learn more about it in this blog post.
Like Wading Through Mud
Precise communication is explicit, focused, and exact. It leaves no room for interpretation. Combined with brevity, it ensures that your emails are on point, your presentations compelling, and your messages easy to understand.
In my work with international professionals, I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it can be to express your ideas precisely in English.
You may struggle to find the right words because you don’t have the same vocabulary range in English as you do in your native language. Uncertainty about word choice or grammar can slow you down. As one of my clients once described it, “It’s a little bit like wading through mud – you can’t walk that fast, and you’re not quite sure where to step. You could slip and fall anytime.”
Why Is Precision a Powerful Skill?
Imagine this: You send an email to your team, but a lack of precision leaves them unsure of your intention. Some team members misinterpret your message. Others feel frustrated and are uncertain about their next step: Should they ask for clarification or move forward blindly, hoping they are on the right track? One thing is certain – without precision, your email will not achieve its goal and lead to unnecessary mistakes, confusion, and delays.
Whether you give instructions, describe results, or talk about achievements, precision avoids confusion and supports productivity. Look at this example:
Vague: We need this report ASAP. When is ASAP? Others are forced to ask for clarification or make assumptions.
Precise: We need the report by 3 pm PT. The expectations are clear.
Five Strategies for More Precise Communication
Use these five strategies to make your written and verbal communication clearer.
Choose Specific Words:
Avoid vague terms, such as thing, stuff, kind of, nice, good, big, etc. Replace them with more precise language that clearly conveys your meaning. Tip: AI tools can help you find stronger alternatives.
Use Visuals:
When writing, use visual elements, such as sub-headlines or bullet points, to make your emails, reports, etc. easier to read. What’s more, this approach forces you to structure your thoughts for more clarity.
Shorten Your Sentences:
Long sentences are more likely to cause confusion. The more ideas you pack into a single sentence, the harder it is to identify what matters the most.
Repeat with Purpose:
In American English, there’s a saying: “Tell them what you’re going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them.” Structured repetition reinforces your message. But be careful: purposeful repetition is not the same as being repetitive. Repetitiveness means repeating unimportant details, which can be boring for your audience.
Summarize Often:
A summary of key points isn’t just useful at the end of a presentation or document. It can add clarity at strategic moments in your speaking or writing.
So, When Should You Be Vague?
American communication style can be confusing. It's often described as direct, straightforward, and low-context – you explicitly say what you mean. But that’s only partially true. Simple advice like “Just be straightforward” or “You don’t need to read between the lines” are misleading. These oversimplified suggestions can harm professional relationships and limit your effectiveness as a leader or negotiator in the U.S.
Even though U.S. business communication generally values precision and conciseness, there are situations where intentional vagueness is the better strategy. Here are five examples.
Disagreement:
In American English, disagreement is often indirect and nuanced. Blunt disagreement, such as “You’re wrong” is considered rude. It's important to acknowledge your counterpart's views and invite an open dialog about the problem discussed.
Feedback:
Negative feedback is combined with positive comments to create a better balance. In U.S. business culture, explicit criticism is often seen as too harsh. It's important to make broader observations, use softer language, and maintain a constructive tone.
Tension:
When there is tension in the room, an indirect approach can help de-escalate the situation. For example, you would say, “There seems to be a misunderstanding” vs. “You didn’t read my email properly”.
Expectation Management:
In business, vagueness can help you manage your counterparts’ expectations and keep options open. That's important when you cannot control all the variables or when you need to buy time.
Saying No:
People in the U.S. don’t always say “no” directly. Rather than a direct “no”, you may hear “Let’s circle back to that” or “Great point. Let’s revisit it later.”
If you want to learn more about softening your message – also called hedging – click here.
Finding the Balance is Essential
Great communicators know when to be precise and when to leave things open-ended.
Precision boosts clarity and credibility. However, overusing it can make you seem too direct, rigid, or rude.
Ambiguity helps you navigate sensitive situations smoothly. However, overusing vagueness can make you sound uncertain and hesitant.
The same level of precision or vagueness may not work across all industries, regions, or relationships.
A precise, technical field (engineering, finance) might require clear statements, while a relationship-driven industry (sales, consulting) may rely more on diplomatic vagueness.
In my extensive travels across the U.S., I have personally experienced differences between states and regions. For example, people in the Northeast, especially the New York area, tend to be more direct than people in the South.
Your relationship with the reader or listener influences how precise you need to be to make your message clear. It also determines the level of directness appropriate in the situation.
For native-speakers, finding the right balance between precision and vagueness is largely intuitive. For non-native speakers, it can be challenging.
If you need help mastering this skill, reach out to me. I work with international professionals and help them overcome the challenges of U.S. business communication.
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