Leadership competencies in China (short lessons)

Leadership Competencies
in China
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Leadership Competencies in China
 What these well-meaning leaders will soon learn
however is that it is simply naïve to think that Western
leadership practices will automatically work in China.
 In fact, some of them will work fine as is.
 Some practices will need to be modified.
 And some will actually have to be sent to the scrap
heap.

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Western Leadership Competencies
honesty

strategic
and more...
thinking

conceptual visionary
thinking thinking

customer
service focus


Western Leadership Competencies
 Most Chinese companies would also cite these
competencies as being important for Chinese leaders.
 But in China there are others that are specific to China.
 None of these unique Chinese leadership competencies
are likely to be found in a typical Western list of
leadership competencies.


Unique Chinese Leadership Competencies
wu

indirectness zhong yong While there are many of
these unique
competencies required
for successful Chinese
business leadership, six
of them will be discussed
in this lessons.
holistic thinking patriotism

integrating Western
practice with
Chinese wisdom


Wu
Wu represents a kind of very
deep and sudden insight that
is not often referred to in
Western thinking.

Westerners tend to think in a
linear way.

Wu requires holistic
thinking.


Zhong yong

Zhong yong is also unique to China.

• Western leaders are taught to take an extreme position and defend it.
• The Chinese, by following the Confucian discipline of zhong yong, are
trying to get it “just right.”
• This is certainly a cause of some conflict between Westerners and
Chinese in business settings.

The Westerner accuses the Chinese of being too vague
and the Chinese accuses the Westerner of being too
extreme and not considering all sides of the issue.


Patriotism

Patriotism is another leadership
competency that is important in China
but rarely mentioned in Western executive
position descriptions.


Integrating Western best practice with Chinese
wisdom
Integrating Western best practices with Chinese wisdom is one of the most
important differences that lead to business leadership success in Chinese
companies.

Western China

• New Western leaders in China • Many Western leadership best
are rarely able to do this well. practices are imported to
Successful Chinese leaders in China because they were
Western companies cite this as proven in the West.
critical for success.

Before you can do so successfully, you need to explain why empowerment works
and why it will make the company more effective in the long run. If it is simply
imposed, as is the case when many Western leaders are assigned to a company in
China, the very employees who are supposed to be enriched in their jobs by this
practice often meet it with suspicion and confusion.

Holistic thinking
Holistic thinking is also common in China but very rare in Westerners.

West China

• People from the West, especially • Chinese tend to think differently.
Europeans, tend to think in a linear Chinese generally see the entire
fashion. issue as a whole and not simply as
• This kind of thinking is often a series of distinct parts.
circular, which can be very • Chinese will often go back to the
frustrating to Westerners who beginning to re-integrate things
prefer to have a beginning, middle now that more is known.
and end to every discussion.

Westerners believe that is wasting time because it was already discussed.
This is another common reason for disagreements in understanding
between Western and Chinese negotiators.


Indirectness
The concept of indirectness is unique to Chinese leadership success.
China West

• It means that the good Chinese • Westerners are taught to be direct
leader knows when to be direct in any situation, regardless of face
and when it is better to be indirect. issues. This is another cause for
• For example, in cases of face misunderstanding between East
(mianzi), it is often better to be and West.
indirect to protect the other • The Westerner, in their desire to be
person’s dignity. honest and direct, is often accused
• Chinese, on the other hand, are by the Chinese of being too
often accused by Westerners of aggressive and uncaring because
being too evasive and not getting to they make statements publicly that
the point at hand because they are may harm another person’s
too concerned with courtesy over feelings and cause them to lose
truth. face.


Unique Chinese Leadership Competencies

wu
These six unique Chinese leadership
competencies are all considered necessary
for leadership success in
indirectness zhong yong
China.

holistic thinking patriotism

integrating Western
practice with Any leader, be they Chinese or Western,
Chinese wisdom
should consider these as they work to be
successful in leading
Chinese employees.

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about
China Business Training,
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how doing business with China Company:
trainings, step-by-step guides, reports, case studies

Leadership competencies in China (short lessons)

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