The yin and yang of managing in Asia

"Let China sleep," Napoleon once warned. "When China wakes, it will shake the world."

One quick look at the "shaking" going on today in the Pacific Rim is enough to confirm that Napoleon was right indeed. Economists tell us a staggering 75 percent of the projected growth in international business will come from emerging markets - particularly China and its "baby dragon" neighbors, including Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

As a result, human resource professionals all over the United States are faced with an unprecedented number of relocations to Asia, while the new expatriates themselves are faced with unprecedented challenges. Just what happens when East meets West?

Business and technology are bringing us closer together. Ironically, that very fact is forcing us to deal with our cultural differences on a magnified scale. To start, it helps if the East and West each see themselves as half of the united, perfect whole they compose when together - like the Taoist symbol of yin and yang. Unless both we and our Asian colleagues value and understand what the other brings to the formula, the mix just won't work.

What, then, are the precise cultural challenges we face when working together in the Pacific Rim? What are the all-too-often uninformed assumptions that underlie behaviors driving each side in its quest for success? How do the expectations of the American work ethic "fit" or "fail" with the Eastern ethos? And most important - what are the implications for HR managers responsible for providing Americans living and working in Asia with the tools necessary for success in the region?

OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE WORLD

A good place to begin bridging the gap is to consider that the United States and Asia lie on opposite sides of the world - literally and culturally. The two regions originate at opposing cultural "poles," each rooted in deep histories that, like two magnets, pull all current activity in opposite philosophical directions.

Without getting too bogged down in philosophy, it does help to consider our relative positions. Western traditions tend to revere constant, unchanging standards, while Eastern traditions accept that changing circumstances can justify changes in behavior. Compare, for example, the Judeo-Christian tradition of the Ten Commandments, with its absolute "thou shalt"s and "thou shalt not"s, with the Confucian and Taoist traditions of the East, which define virtue as exhibiting behaviors appropriate to the circumstances of the moment. Easterners observe the order in the universe and work to perfect, rather than change, their role in it. Their behavior is not governed by Western ideas of abstract universals.

But how does this essential difference between Asians and Americans reveal itself in the workplace? Consider the differences in signing and honoring contracts.

CONTRACTS - WESTERN AND EASTERN STYLE

To Westerners, contracts, once signed, are a cut-and-dry issue. They are relied on to enforce dependable, unchanging behavior over time - regardless of any change in circumstances. In Asia, however, contracts are viewed quite differently.

The Eastern contract is better defined, not as an absolute declaration of the deal, but rather as a statement of principles by which the signers agree to work together as trustworthy partners. Contracts are not expected to guarantee behavior over time, so when circumstances change and new behaviors are required, the partner is expected to be flexible.

Westerners are likely to view such expectations with less than a warm welcome: Americans will all too often view any deviation from an agreement as a breach of understanding and trust. It is important for Western managers to recognize that in Asia the contract is merely the beginning of a negotiation, not the end of it, as Americans usually expect. Expatriate managers who are not sufficiently trained to appreciate these differences may end up costing the company thousands, or even millions, in bungled deals and, perhaps, entirely failed assignments.

THE GROUP VERSUS THE INDIVIDUAL

American management styles, almost universally, presuppose the importance of the individual. We value empowerment, proactive decision making, and ownership of the task. Not surprisingly, this style of management reflects our Western tradition of the power of rational control and the inherent equality of all people.

In contrast, Asian management styles typically subordinate the role of the individual to the greater demands of the group. The power of obligations and relationships and the respect for order are of greater importance in the East. In the West, efficiency and change often equal effectiveness; in the East, passive acceptance of what is, and the ability to perfect one's work with others within the existing conditions, might be a greater virtue - and the way to a smooth-running, successful organization.

Again, unprepared managers from the West may find themselves at a loss to understand the best way to motivate and manage their local teams.

REINVENTING REALTY

In practical terms, then, Westerners doing business abroad simply must rethink their roles, their expectations and the image they present. They must be given the necessary learning environment and details to gain a subtle appreciation of fundamental cultural differences - not simply a brief list of 10 do's and don'ts that will leave them in trouble the minute they face number 11!

The following are some American behaviors that require special attention for managers working in the East.

* Be "directive," not direct. American managers need to be more directive, providing detailed, clear and timely information to subordinates. Do not assume that Asian workers will take individual initiative, speak up, question and take risks like their American counterparts often do. More likely than not, until and unless clear information and "green lights" are provided by the manager, subordinates will do nothing. Moreover, directives from Western managers are best given through trusted Asian associates who can function as language and cultural "interpreters."

* Be careful of the un-Western meeting. Meetings of Eastern associates are usually not the brainstorming sessions found in the West. In a sense, the manager is required to be all-knowing, make decisions, provide answers and exercise authority - albeit in a concerned and caring way. Most often, meetings begin and end as the leader directs, with discussions guided by the leader throughout. In the face of whatever hierarchy exists at the table, participants will be reticent to volunteer ideas and thoughts, lest they be judged badly by others.

This is not to say that silent participants in Asia are uninvolved; on the contrary, they may be passionately concerned with the issues on the table - but they are equally concerned about appearing insubordinate. Note, also, that the leader in Asia is traditionally the senior male, precisely because of his age and experience, despite the capabilities and qualifications of other team members.

* Adopt new communication skills. To overcome all these differences, Americans need to adopt and practice some necessary communication skills. Consider that in Asia, the person who speaks least often has the most to say, while the person who speaks the most has the least to contribute. In Asia, direct, get-it-done, no-nonsense speech is considered very harsh, and often slams the door shut rather than moving things along. Confronting someone, expressing anger or frustration openly or criticizing in public can end negotiations, at least temporarily.

In contrast, Americans are often surprised by "soft," indirect speech, which can also present a problem. To the U.S. manager, messages can appear qualified, complex, and subtle in meaning beyond comprehension. To manage effectively, then, Americans must work at developing a "context antenna," enabling them to read the context in which the communication occurs - often the key to the real information.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Conflicts that emerge between Asians and Westerners at work often reflect deep, hidden, and consequently, unrecognized fundamental differences in values and beliefs. The first task for human resource managers and their valued employees is to recognize that deep differences do exist, and then identify the areas in the workplace most profoundly affected by those differences.

Next, employees need to be trained in the new skills (management, communication, decision-making, negotiation, etc.) that will help them change their behaviors and be more effective in dealing with Asian colleagues and subordinates. Ideally, there should be cross-cultural training on both sides of the Pacific, thus building a bridge between East and West. Bringing yin and yang together is a challenge not easily met - but it's a task that must be accomplished to form the perfect whole of business success.

Dean Allen Foster is director of the cross-cultural training division for Berlitz International Inc.

COPYRIGHT 1995 Society for Human Resource Management
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group