We are often led to believe that non-verbal forms of communication that are so culturally bound that they are permanent and always stay with you even after long periods living in a second culture.
This is far from the truth. The culturally bound, non-verbal habits of your own culture can often be over-ridden, in spite of the inherent natural predilection for cultural blueprints.
In most cases, North American and European companies, which will expand in ChinaSend through its local "experts launch new market" to contact with local authorities and industry. Equipped with not recognize the socially appropriate forms of introduction, the acceptable format for the exchange of business cards, the appropriate amount of the gift with the best wishes and encouraging advice of "Go get'um cowboy!" The ill-prepared candidate, the vast task before him or her.
In rare cases, the company will jump for joy when they realize that theyhave given birth to a native mainland Chinese employees to staff and he or she is the job of opening up new territory in the expectation that the return of the seconded staff to do the work gives the home business a great advantage.
Certainly, the ability of the host country shall speak a clear language and valuable asset. But it is not the key to success from a distance.
For example, I was recently in a series of meetings, which occurred just this sort of unhappy scenario. TheMarketing company was a software package to a Beijing Company, China for the booming real estate market. Two employees of the Canadian company were native born Chinese who had immigrated to Canada about 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. years, respectively. It was an important point Beijing-based man, all the connections needed to the Canadian company had to introduce the government in Beijing. There should be a relatively easy project, since all the necessary components for successful communicationwere present.
But something was not right.
The first meeting went as expected. The point man was kind enough to get us started by the hosts and the meetings with an acceptable low level representatives. Apologies were given for the absence of higher officials. The reasons for her absence was because these introductory sessions in all cases necessarily acceptable.
After two such meetings, there was a higher level of decision-makers to meet. Further apologiesand not excuses were forthcoming, and the time went on. These circumstances are to be expected and are often as a negotiating tactic when dealing with foreigners, who consider the Chinese as well as eagerly used to make arrangements. The strategy aims to thwart the aliens and to move their natural impatience, during the final negotiations in order to extort concessions. The two local Chinese staff were aware of this tactic, but not influenced by the circumstances. Like their Canadian counterparts, includinglived in the foreign influence for 8 to 12 years, despite their cultural blueprint, they became increasingly impatient.
A further meeting was finally low-and middle-level representatives of Beijing, but still the lack of decision-makers of which were arranged excuses offered again.
During the meeting, I had the opportunity to observe all the body language. Here it was helpful to understand which movements were universal and have beenculturally bound. The universal gestures, such as facial tics and eye contact should obvious to anyone, including the two Chinese Canadians. But they were ignored, because it depends on the new cultural standards, which they had lived obsolete after a decade.
Finally, quite uncharacteristically, "screamed one of the Chinese Canadians uncontained his frustration and anger about the slow progress. The point man, a native of China who would have to be able to read body languageof his own countrymen, also called atypical and threatened to pull out all his financial support from the project.
Such behavior is considered unacceptable behavior in a meeting or a company in China. It causes the "lost face" of the two parties, as we are ashamed and embarrassed, the other is for them. After a few calming and soothing efforts of the host, it was agreed to close the meetings now and then resumed when the decision makers finally able to participateMeetings. This seemed to all those who had registered their loud complaints to appease, too.
What went wrong? Why is the Canadian company has ever been somewhere with what is clearly a great product and one that everyone could agree are well used and a win for everyone?
Above all, the Chinese Canadians had forgotten the explicit non-verbal signs of their native culture. They ignored the fact that the hosts, even if they do not outwardly respect for the number of peoplego further than the intermediate stage to indicate the that have something superficial about the relationship between the point where the people and the hosts. He actually had the positive aspects of the relationship, be it as it was not exaggerated, as deep as needed in these situations. This fact became apparent at different times. For example, was the point man's seat position in the meetings referred to a decline in ranking in the individual sessions. If this wasdropped from the Chinese Canadian, it was a sign that the hosts were more open to Canadian talk with the guests misinterpreted. Over time, the hosts started the comments of the point people would be very untypical This never happened when the point man a unique place in his relationship with the Chinese hosts held off.
Later I learned from an honest conversation with a nephew of the senior decision makers that the government did businessdeteriorated since the point man in the past, but the relationship. The offer of the first meeting was on the emergence of respect in the efforts to avoid based by discomfort. The invitation was designed as a green light for the project. Even if the two incidents should have been screaming it was abundantly clear to the two Chinese Canadians that something was terribly wrong. If the relationship has been solid this never happened. But holding the entire Canadian Partyfor more than one months at great expense to the company, in the false hope of another meeting.
I have seen several other similar meetings with British, German, American and South African companies, which I have offered advice.
I pointed out, every business, prepare your employees and representatives with the knowledge that they can occur when doing business in China. Arming them with superficial knowledge of gift rules and courtesies of greeting onlynot enough if you want to be successful. Teach them communication skills and above all, appropriate non-verbal awareness and behavior.
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