What’s your excuse for failure in China?

“What’s your excuse for failure in China?” 你失败的借口是什么? nǐ shībài de jièkǒu shì shénme

Leveling up your success doing business in China is a function of collaborating constructively with your Chinese counterparts, which starts with an awareness of contrasting business norms and how to excel within them, managing perceptions, theirs and your own, and adjusting your expectations within the context of the Chinese business environment. You’ll need to learn how to avoid hidden landlines inside the Chinese arena and develop tactics to form deeper Guanxi relationships.

The path to awareness begins by asking yourself who you trust for advice, questioning why you trust them, and challenging their assertions and recommendations against your China reality. Across cultural differences and foreign paradigms, it is essential not to get trapped in an echo chamber of delusional righteousness. For foreigners doing business in China, these hazards exist around every transaction, so soundbites or sayings cannot become proxies for developing greater awareness and empathy.

They say, "Language is a gateway into another culture," but they forget to tell you what happens after you crossover to the other side.?应该说什么? yīnggāi shuō shénme

They say, "Cultural awareness will help you thrive in foreign places," but overlook demystifying new rules that uncover hidden landmines and paradigm shifts that govern an alternative reality. 当地的国情是什么? dāngdì de guóqíng shì shénme

They say, "Adapting to different communication styles will help you win the China game (success)," but they don't teach you the new rules and gamesmanship models. 能适应不同的习惯吗? néng shìyìng bùtóng de xíguàn ma

They say, "Walking in another man's shoes" will unlock some mystical sway over the players in the Chinese arena (influence), but they don't teach you how they think, why they behave the way they do, and how to create more constructive communication patterns with them. 如何达成一致? rúhé dáchéng yīzhì

Over the course of your study, practice, and immersion, we’ll try to answer, “Are They Right?” and “Who Are They?”