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- When “Yes” Means “Not Yet”
When “Yes” Means “Not Yet”
They said “In Sha Allah.” The timeline said “Be Patient.”
The Story
A Dubai team presented an aggressive rollout. The sponsor smiled: “In Sha Allah, next month.” No pushback, no red ink, just a gracious signal.
The project manager learned later: approvals needed alignment across two families and a stakeholder. The “yes” honored intent; the pace honored reality.
Cultural Principle
Polite assent preserves dignity. Time is used to protect relationships while creating room for consensus.
Takeaway
Translate soft assent: confirm steps, people, and dates diplomatically. Patience and thoughtful, respectful presence are the way to secure the buy-in.
To your cultural intelligence,
Taqua