China Law Blog

Having worked in the middle of the food chain (Taiwanese boss, Chinese subordinates, Chinese/Taiwanese/Western co-workers) I have to say that culture was never the problem that a lot of people here make it out to be. Rather people were given to ascribing cultural reasons for what in reality were personal foibles. Being an arsehole who wouldn't get the work done and preferred to come up with excuses was a problem that was not restricted to any one group.

I found the best way to get my sub-ordinates to ask me questions was to simply go over their work with them and make myself as approachable as possible.

Meetings, on the over hand, consisted usually of a series of pronunciamentos coming down from the boss and stonewalling of any questions, but this was rather more to do with the company structure than anything else.

Semi-regular lurker here and first time poster. I really enjoy the legal issues raised here but usually don't have much to add. Thank you for all the hard work.

Here though, I think Sino Files read too much into a "cultural difference" about asking questions. This is purely speaking from my own experience been educated in both here and across the pacific.

Let's turn inward for a moment. Asking in elementary school--teachers indulge for a while and then says, "sorry we have to move on." (We call them the attention hogs). In junior/high school, asking questions in class would really get you into the cool crowd with the girls. (We call them nerds). In law school, we applaude those who ask esoteric questions and self-made hypos. (We call them gunners). In academic conferences, we cheer those random non-professional non-academic audiance who pontificates during Q&A (We roll our eyes). In company setting, like those state of the law firm annual gatherings, we fire probing inquiries into department resizing, unused vacation days, and maternity leave policy (Well...). Suddenly, we don't seem so pro asking questions any more--and isn't peer pressure, etiquette, following the jones', and not rocking the boat simply our way of saying "face"?

Having said that--I think as a Westerner (or West-trained Chinese) in China, referencing "cultural difference" is a good technique of making an issue non-personal while appeasing the comforting construct of Chinese distinctness. It is a good in-road to small talk and more personal interaction. I see the "ethnic food chat" or "mien zhi anthropology" the equivalent of baseball or real estate water cooler talk that helps people bond without shared background (as oppose to, Derek Jeter, Who?).

And people will always feel more comfortable asking questions to those they have a personal relationship with.

Sorry it ended up so long (not sure if it is the Chineseness in me that make me feel apologetic about being delibrately contradictory, or the general Western blog/netiquette of succint postings and noob posters that that makes me feel like overstaying my welcome). But respect is good everywhere--agreed!

Dan,

Thanks so much for the post, I'm really honored. I've filed a lot of these illustrative anecdotes away from my China stint, but haven't been dilligent enough in posting them. You've inspired me. Time for me to get crackin'.

Thanks,
- Greg