[MustPass1988]

I have a coworker who I work jointly with on several projects who happens to be in another location, so all of our communication is done via email or phone calls. He also has a thick accent that is hard to understand a lot of times. He’s been at the company longer than I have so sometimes he’s explaining things to me or giving me projects, even though he’s not my manager in any way. We’ve had miscommunications frequently because I truly don’t know what’s saying to me a lot of the time, so I’ve tried to ask him to email me things rather than calling me so that I know exactly what he’s saying. I don’t think he understands that I want him to email me because I don’t understand him well on the phone and I dont want to seem rude by telling him that his accent is hard to understand…I always email him whenever I have questions but instead of emailing me back, he calls me. Also, the miscommunications have resulted in him complaining to my manager about me as well as him being pretty rude to me about it.

Has anyone experienced this type of situation before? And if so, do you have any advice about how to deal with it?

AUD: PASSED [81]; Expired, retaking August 23rd
BEC: PASSED [83]; Expired, retaking July 11th
REG: PASSED [83]
FAR: FAILED [64]; Retaking May 23rd

[Anonymous]

I've heard people suggest emailing a follow up to any phone call – “Thanks for calling me. Per our conversation, I will eat fruit loops and sing Disney songs for the next hour.” Puts in writing what you were told to do, and then if you'd misunderstood, the blame is somewhat shifted since he should've emailed back and said that you were supposed to twirl hula-hoops, not eat fruit loops. 😛

My only other thought would be to perhaps discuss it with your boss…or to “miss” your phone calls. It annoys me when people reply to an email with a phone call. 😐 I actually have a salesperson whose calls I have started ignoring because I want her to email me, but of course the dynamics of a coworker relationship are a bit different, so I'm not sure if missing the calls is an option. However, if your boss is his boss as well, you might be able to mention the problem and get some outside support, or at least have him/her understand why this guy complains about you.

I have a client who has a strong accent, and we've had some of the same issues, so I do sympathize! He's a great guy, glad to have him as a client, love working with him…but things definitely work better when written! He was trying to have me look up a vendor the other day, and I could not for the life of me find the person – the name I was hearing was not a name I was seeing anywhere! So I finally suggested that he write it down and bring it by when he was at our office later (he doesn't email…), but I felt bad asking that. So, anyway, I know it's a delicate situation!

[Anonymous]

Would your manager be receptive to you telling her honestly that your issue is one of simply not understaning him due to the accent?

Also, is it possible to say (email) to him that in order to avoid any misunderstanding in the future you would like him to email you rather than call so you can reference the item late and be sure you're on track? I'm just trying to think if a way to avoid saying that you can't understand him because of his accent. Or, maybe after you have a conversation that leaves you with something to do, email HIM and say, just to be clear on this thing… yadda yadda yadda. And that way you have a record. Hopefully though if what you got out of the conversation was not correc the will email you back and not call!

Last resort, maybe when you talk with him be very persistent about saying, “I'm sorry, can you say that again? I didn't understand you.” He'll give up and just start emailing you. Annoying (for both of you) but may get the job done.

ETA: Lilla and I must have been typing at the same time. Great minds think alike!

[mla1169]

If he is insistent on telephone contact, then go with that but repeat back to him exactly what he's said to be sure you've understood him. That is the only professional way to handle the situation.

Peer : “xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxx”

You : “ok, you want me to do a side by side analysis of the expense accounts for the last 3 years?”

Peer: “no, xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx”

You: “I think I've got it. You want me to show the trends of the last 3 years of depreciation expense?”

It is monotonous and time consuming but the most professional and diplomatic way to handle it.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[MustPass1988]

Thanks everyone! It's even more challenging because he's a total micro-“manager” (even though he isn't a manager) and wants things done a very particular way and thats hard when I don't understand what he wants. I have asked him in the past to email me any specific requests that he has so that we're both on the same page and he will do that sometimes but not often. I have started to “miss” his calls, especially when I've emailed him and he follows up my email with a phone call (big pet peeve). I know it's bad but its so frustrating sometimes to email him and then have him call me and not understand what he's saying.

AUD: PASSED [81]; Expired, retaking August 23rd
BEC: PASSED [83]; Expired, retaking July 11th
REG: PASSED [83]
FAR: FAILED [64]; Retaking May 23rd

[smp73]

I have actually been in a similar situation. We have two offices separated by 3-400 miles. So working together is not actually possible. One of my coworkers insists on the phone call and the following up to an email with a phone call when it is not warranted and she can be a bit difficult to understand. Drives me bonkers.

I did intentionally miss calls. I started doing the follow up email just to here to make sure I understood where she stood/her status. When she wouldn't get the message my boss actually had me cc her in on the email so everyone knew where everyone stood. If a call was necessary I did the “ok so you said XXX or you will do XXX am I correct” method. It was frustrating but it worked but you are not alone! I would suggest saying something to your boss, I did, so they know where you stand and where you are coming from. That alone relieved a lot of stress/frustration with the situation for me!

Good Luck!

NYS CPA License # 113563
CIA: Done as of 2/15/14

Training for a half marathon post studying!

[Author]

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