Working with Chinese business executives | Wali Zahid
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This document summarizes steps that can be taken to build synergy between Chinese and Pakistani executives working together. It discusses understanding cultural differences in communication styles and leadership preferences. Specifically, it recommends (1) using pacing skills to match communication styles, (2) learning from each other's leadership strengths, and (3) not being afraid of stress and conflict, which are natural parts of the change process. The overall goal is to convert any anxiety from cultural differences into improved performance through synergistic collaboration.
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Working with Chinese business executives | Wali Zahid
- 1. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Working with Chinese executives Turning bicultural anxiety into synergy Wali Zahid, ceo Skill City CMPak Forum | Zong Islamabad | Pakistan | 2016
- 2. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Why this talk? § Executive leadership styles - rooted in two different cultures - can cause anxiety for employees from China and Pakistan § Is there a way we can convert this bicultural anxiety into synergy?
- 3. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Who’s Wali Zahid? § Asian businesses have known Wali for 25-plus-year work on business leadership and executive coaching § Wali leads the longest-running Train-The-Trainerworkshop | 16th year | 16+ Asian locations | 1,000+ trainers trained § MBA courses at IBA, ZABIST, CBM, UMT, IIU, Dow § Disruptor, future-trends watcher, blogger, social media strategist § Past: Team Leader, Prime Minister Quality Award, Pakistan | V2025 § Past: Member, BoG PSTD | advisory at LCWU, Indus Valley § Past: Member, Board of Studies, CBM and advisory IBA § Now: Member, BoG PIM (Pakistan Institute of Management)
- 6. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co World’s first paperless TrainTheTrainer
- 9. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Pakistan of future § Wali on Pakistan of future: The News § 14 August 2014
- 20. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Four windows 1. Cultural variations 2. Individual differences 3. Executive work preferences 4. Context variations: local vs expat leader
- 21. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co But first, there’s not one China § Hans Rosling BBC clip: 200 years/200 countries § If you dig deeper, there are as many Chinas as you can think of
- 22. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Cultural variations: Edward T Hall § High context vs low context culture § China is a high context society
- 29. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Low- vs high-trust societies Pakistan is several points behind China on Trust Index
- 33. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Context: Global configuration § China becoming a leading superpower real soon § Pakistan becoming one of the top 20 economies in the world in 2050 (Goldman Sachs)
- 37. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co PK bordering 2 giants - China & India
- 38. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co And it’s not just future… § Even today’s competence lies with China § Bill Gates TED 2013 clip § Shanghai tops the student scoring/ranking in the world – USA 15th
- 41. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Individual view: Locus of control § Is the power to command something within oneself or seeking external support for that result § Control varies from situation to situation and person to person depending on the maturity of conduct 1. Internal locus (taking personal responsibility for your outcomes) 2. External locus (giving credit to & blame others for your outcomes) § (Wali’s Revised Internal Locus)
- 48. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Pacing skills case study § Two volunteers for role play 1. Mumtaz 2. Noor
- 49. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Trust critical to communication § If No trust, communication will be: § Lengthy § Complex § If trust there, communication will be: § Brief § Simple Key: Develop trust at both work and social level
- 50. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Task vs relationship? Fiedler Task-oriented vs Relationship-oriented • Directive • Distant • Non-directive • Supportive Highest priority: Getting results Which culture more? Highest priority: Good interpersonal relations Which culture has more?
- 51. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co (Wali on defining leadership) § It’s helping people achieve their objectives and (in that process) yours § It’s not about you anymore… it’s about them!
- 52. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Context variations: local vs expat Different sets of behaviour: § Home ground § Overseas positions This also adds to a stressful working scenario
- 54. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co How people are promoted § Research: What takes you ahead at job? § Learning: What does this tell you? (Ashridge, UK) Performance (work) Image (reputation) Exposure (visibility) 10% 30% 60%
- 57. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co So… collision or convergence? What do we do with conflicting styles? § Give in? Agonise? Blame? Fight, Bitch about? Create defense walls? Or § Synergise? Establish trust? Develop common ground?
- 59. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Response to change initiatives § Our responses to any change initiatives over time are likely to be: either § negative or § positive
- 60. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Negative response § A negative response to change is to be expected. Change is different and many people will be against it on principle
- 61. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Positive response § Even those in favour of change will need managing to ensure they do not succumb to pessimism as they go through different phases
- 62. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co Gaining acceptance § Gaining acceptance goes through the process below, starting with innovators - until the laggards are won over - or leave § Use the innovators as Ambassadors of Progress
- 64. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 1. Use pacing skills 1. Appreciating that different people prefer different ways of communicating 2. Altering your style to match the person you are communicating with
- 65. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 2. Learn from each other § What can you learn from Chinese leaders? § What can you learn from Pakistani leaders?
- 66. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 2a. Learning opportunity…1 There’s plenty to learn from Chinese leadership style to achieve: § Ambition § Unparalleled growth § A secure future role
- 67. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 2b. Learning opportunity…2 There’s plenty to learn from Pakistani leadership style to achieve: § Compassion § Relationships § Brand value
- 68. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 3 Both sides need not to be afraid of § Stress § Conflict
- 69. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 3a. Dealing with stress § Watch Kelly McGonigal - How to make stress your friend - TED 2013 clip § A new window to stress § Stress is not harmful until you believe so § Develop a self security-orientation (.e. not operating from insecurity)
- 70. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 3b. Conflict: avoid or manage? § Do not avoid; manage it § Because wherever there are people there is conflict. § Avoidance is elusive. Take up early. § Accept it as part of the process (do not take it personally). § Do not let it reach boiling point (loud, violent, bloody) 12 Angry Men?
- 71. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 4. Build mutual trust, inclusivity § In-group and out-group is past § We are usually oblivious of our own blind spots § Diversity and inclusivity is in
- 73. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 5b Move towards followers’ wants Four basic needs: 1. Trust 2. Compassion 3. Stability 4. Hope Strengths-Based Leadership
- 75. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 7. Press for improved performance § How many ‘P hours’ to put in? § Rise and shine clip of Nike 1. What’s the Chinese behaviour? 2. What’s the Pakistani behaviour (so far)?
- 77. Skill City: Asian Answers… to Asian Questions skillcity.co 2016: Will China be top gold-taker? § With superpower status comes greater number of gold medals 😊 § Let us wait for 2016 Rio medal count