Kuuki o yomu…

Many years ago, I taught English in southern Japan.

It was rare for a student to raise their hand when I asked a question.

So, I had to look for other clues or methods to encourage interaction. Team-based quizzes or competitions always went down very well.

I was reminded of that period when I came across communication expert Erin Meyer's story about the Japanese concept ‘kuuki o yomu’, or ‘reading the air’.

She recounts how, after a first-time presentation to a Japanese audience, she asked if there were any questions.

When no one raised a hand, she assumed there weren’t any and went to sit down.

Her Japanese colleague politely stepped in. He stood up and asked the same question. When no hands went up, he scanned the room and gestured toward one of the participants.

"Do you have a question?" he said. The woman nodded, thanked him, and asked a valuable question.

He repeated this process, identifying questions thanks to a subtle cue: the brightness in the eyes of someone looking directly at him.

This experience taught Erin that communication isn’t just about words.

It’s about reading the atmosphere and understanding what people *aren’t* saying.

💡 Why does this matter?

In a machine-led world, our ability to use our very human soft skills - such as intuition and empathy - is increasingly important.

Plus, many of us work across language and cultural barriers, and need to be attuned to look for those unspoken cues.

It’s about knowing when to speak, when to listen - and how to include the quieter members of our team, or audience. Those who don't raise their hand.

In any language, this ability goes beyond technique. It’s about a desire to truly connect with the people in front of us.

I’m curious… How good are you at ‘reading the air’?

Photo by Letizia Bordoni on Unsplash