Chinese and Western Learning Approach

taken from CHINA DAILY-Hongkong Edition, written by Tomas Gustafsson -- CONCHIUS Limited

(Published on February 16-17, 2008, page 4 - Career Section)

Western managers working in China experience some big differences from running a business at home. One really big difference that most Western managers perceive is the lack of assertiveness and accountability in the workplace. Learning speed is perceived to be high in China but employees sometimes fail to see the full picture, which is required for making appropriate corrections and improvements. From our research, the traditional Western management style proves ineffective in China and often results in managers being misunderstood in their efforts to rectify behavioral differences.

When asked what creates a professional attitude at work, Western managers mainly describe behaviors and values related to assertiveness and accountability. These behaviors and how they are expressed in Western cultures differ strongly from how they are expressed in Chinese culture. The main Chinese values that conflict with the Western perception of a professional attitude are harmony, hierarchy and power distance. This conflict in values and the expression of behaviors related to them make the communication of Western managers with their employees in China a delicate matter. The likelihood of misunderstandings and friction is immense and almost impossible to avoid.

In addition, these values reflect upon the way Western and Chinese employees learn and gather necessary information in the work place. Western employees gather information by asking questions: Why: Define context What: Define outcome When: Define timeline Who: Define resources/responsibility How: Define methodology

 Chinese employees (especially new or inexperienced ones) learn and gather information by: Listening: Wait for instruction and direction Looking: Model successful behavior Learning: Humble approach to new tasks

This difference necessitates area change in the approach to managing Chinese staff at the beginning of their career in a western company. We suggest two steps for Western managers to approach this dilemma. First, as a Western manager, try to acquire cross-cultural understanding to be able to level with Chinese staff. Second, we suggest using the well known, but seldom used, Situational Leadership model, to be able to communicate effectively and develop the required corporate culture that will lead to desired results.

The Situational Leadership model effectively describes people management and group development. The first of the four stages suggest that at the beginning of a relationship with a new employee or formation of a team, the manager shall, or is even expected to, be direct and instructive in his management style, see picture. The model then suggests that the managers adopt a judging management style and then move toward becoming more of a coach when the employee or team matures. Finally, the employee or team reaches a stage of innovation when entering its cohesive phase and will thus need very little input from the manager to function or even develop the workplace.

Most Western managers try to start coaching and supporting their employees too early, since most managers consider telling and judging management styles to be reflective of micro-managing, and inefficient. We believe that the ambition to coach and support staff is correct. However, it is crucial to consider the conflicting values within the Western and Chinese cultures in order to speed up the development process and use coaching effectively. When the conflicting cultural values are considered with insight and consideration, Western managers will not only speed up the process of getting themselves, their teams and employees to work more efficiently together, they will, in addition, be able to incorporate the strengths and values within Chinese culture into their western corporate culture. (to be continued...)