03
Sep 2012
Face Is Vital for Your Business in China
You are in China for a long time travel, to finish your studies or simply to do business… Then you already encountered a phenomenon that you might have not understood quite properly: The Face phenomenon. The importance of face in China is well documented with numerous articles, studies and tracts on the importance of managing face in China.
What does face mean, how do you manage it, and what is the relevance with regards to Gen Y?
Face is considered uniquely Asian or Chinese, and the concept of face often causes concern for Western employers and managers having to operate in China. Face is not a mysterious concept, and face is also not a concept unique to China. We have all experienced disappointment or embarrassment in a business or social environment, we have all felt the loss of prestige or the feeling of being snubbed when we are overlooked, that is face, the difference being solely that Asians are more culturally attuned to the need to consider other people’s feelings and position in society. Westerners, in some respect driven by the Anglo concept of “stiff upper lip” have learnt to hide and ignore these feelings.
This concept of consideration may seem unbelievable when you travel in China, and face the challenge of fighting your way forward in a queue or you fail to beat the rush to be first on the Subway, but you should never allow your impression of Chinese manners, face and consideration to be dictated by the maddening rush of survival in shopping, queuing or travel hysteria.
Simply speaking managing effectively for face requires the following;
1. Provide real and clear leadership, with clear decision making
2. Provide a warm and familial business environment
3. Show real concern for your employee’s family and extended family
4. Consider carefully the impact of your words on the hierarchy of an environment
5. Be flexible
6. Be willing to accept the importance of social networking access in the office (QQ, Weibo etc)
7. Provide mentoring and growth opportunities, and recognize performance
Managing for face requires a high EQ.
What does this have to do with managing Gen. Y?
Gen. Y has been called the lazy generation and is viewed as unreliable employees, but trawling through the multitude of guides for Managing Gen. Y, it becomes quite clear that the skill set needed for managing Gen. Y is very similar to skill set needed for managing face in Asia.
It is also important to realize that for many reasons the educated work force in China specifically, is predominantly filled with young technologically savvy people born in the Gen. Y era, this further ties the Gen. Y management style to the Face management style.
If you want to do business in China of simply with Chinese people, you need to have knowledge on the Face. SBE has well understood it since several years and is now offering you to help you manage the cultural differences or problems that may occur when doing business in China; so that you clear your mind and focus on your business without being scared of Face issues.
– See more at: http://www.sbeintl.com/
