If you are a Western worker and will have the opportunity to work with a Chinese manager, you will encounter differences in management style. This contrast should be understood and dealt with if you want to get along in the workplace. The management style and training courses of the Chinese is largely influenced by values learned from the philosopher Confucius and pretty much dictates how they work with people. Even the younger Chinese managers still practice this management style wherever they go. A major characteristic of a Chinese enterprise in the past is the influence of the Communist party. The leadership structure and the administrative system is based on the values of the party. At present, there have been changes in this style now that the party system is not influential anymore. A manager's worth is based on his performance, management courses taken, and how he imparts his professional knowledge to others. The present leaders cannot depend on their position alone to garner obedience and respect. Group-Oriented The Chinese are not big on individual merit. For them, it's the group achievement that matters more. No individual can lay sole claim on an achievement; it should be on behalf of an organization or group. Managers should do what they can to maintain harmony among workers in the office and competition should be limited to friendly ones. A manager believes that the degree of the competition should be agreed upon by the majority. The Boss Should Be Followed at All Times The Chinese boss is expected to reign supreme among his people. He issues orders and instructions and his subordinates are expected to follow him without question. Hierarchy is a big thing among Chinese bosses. The employees' job is to execute tasks according to the boss' directive, nothing more. Obedience is mandatory in the Chinese style of management. Full compliance is a must for the people under him. Trust Issues It is safe to assume that Chinese managers have trust issues when it comes to the people who work for him. If they need information, they would rather do the research by themselves rather than ask a colleague or subordinate to do it for them. This is true, especially when it comes to project management training and making big decisions in the company. Younger Chinese leaders are working on implementing changes to their style in order to work better with people of different nationalities. However, their old values should be kept in mind so that you will have no trouble getting along with Chinese bosses. Taking some training courses, such as project management courses from Hemsley Fraser, is essential if you are planning to start a business in China. Managers in China have different management styles and you might find it hard to manage people if you have no background with how the Chinese manage their people. You can hurdle the hardship, though, if you undergo project management training.
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