5 Ways to Become a Chinese Business Culture Pro
“When in Rome do as the Romans do”
1. Relationships are everything
- The Chinese will not do business with people they do not know and trust (Guanxi)
- Building and maintaining guanxi is paramount
2. What’s in a name?
- Names are very important in China so it’s good to know how to address people
-Last name comes first
- When addressing a colleague, use the last name followed by their title e.g. if your manager is Wang Xingxing, you would address him as Wang Xiansheng.
3. Here, take my card!
- Make sure you always have your business cards on you
-Give and receive business cards with two hands, take time to read the details on the card before putting it away
- Taking someone’s card and putting it away immediately is considered highly disrespectful
4. Take it outside
- Chinese people rarely reveal their true thoughts in front of a group as they value how people perceive them (the concept of face/mianzi)
- If you want an opinion, go to a meeting room or quiet area to ask
- Your colleague will feel more comfortable discussing the issue and you’ll get better results
5. Did you hear what I said?
- The phrasing of questions or issues is very important
-Start with small talk and make your way to the subject in a round-about fashion
- Being too forceful or direct is not going to get you to your goal
-Don’t worry if your colleague takes a while to respond, it’s considered a sign of measured thought to pause when speaking
Specialized in providing Paid Internships in China and Chinese Study Abroad Programs to foreigners worldwide.
www.startupchina.com
