The Chinese expression for ‘crisis’ is made up of two characters: danger and opportunity. This combination appears fitting as within every crisis lies the potential for growth, innovation, and evolution. Examples of human initiative inspired by crisis abound from fields as diverse as medicine and the military. With this in mind, the ClarkMorgan team saw the recent economic downturn as an opportunity to put pen to paper and turn our most popular seminars into the Navigator Series of business communication guides. In this section of Network HR, we look at three new books:

- The World is Yours, by Andy Clark,

- The Write Way, by Eugene Rosenberg, and

- Peng! Negotiating with Chinese Characteristics, by Morry Morgan

Through careful study and application, these texts provide communication advantage over the competition-allowing you to seize the opportunity found in even the most dangerous corporate arenas.

 Our first text, The World is Yours, comes from Andy Clark winner of the Hong Kong Management Associations “Trainer of the Year” award. Based on his extensive international business experience and training expertise, The World is Yours provides a multidimensional guide for Chinese professionals looking to enhance their professionalism and conquer their world. In this section, he analyzes the many social differences between typical Chinese attitudes and those found in the West. By making readers more aware of the diverse approaches to life, work, and family found around the world, this book catalyzes a greater understanding and appreciation in both personal and professional communication, which can go a long way in help you realize your ambitions. With a blend of good humour and practical advice, Andy Clark predicts that for driven Chinese professionals The World is Yours!

The World is Yours

By Andy Clark

Social Differences

Western Europe / USA vs. China • Separated families vs. Close Families

A striking cultural difference between China and the West is in how close people are to their family members, especially to their parents and grandparents. At age eighteen in the West, there is a great desire to move out of the family home and get your own place, often in a completely different city from your parents. Students will normally pick a university that is not in their home city to give them an opportunity to get away from home and fully immerse themselves into student life. This is clearly not the case in China, where it is quite common to live with your parents for many years, even when you get married. For most in the UK or US, it would be quite unthinkable to live with both your spouse and your parents-it would cause simply too much conflict. For many across the world this is simply a matter of practicality, as living with your parents is far less expensive than living on your own. I predict in China that as incomes increase, children will also become more independent and begin living separately more often.

“For most in the UK or US, it would be quite unthinkable to live with both your spouse and your parents-it would cause simply too much conflict.”

• After work drinks with colleagues vs. After work with family

Another example of the separation between individuals and their families is Westerners do like to go for drinks with their friends or colleagues after work. This time is used to connect and bond on a more personal level and also to let go of some of the stress of the day as challenges can be discussed on a much more informal basis. It seems my staff in China would very rarely choose to meet up like this, unless we were having a company sponsored dinner and even then they will head home the moment dinner is finished. One difference you may notice is that after your company’s annual dinner, all the local staff will disappear as soon as the food is gone. Meanwhile, all the Western staff will stay around to chat and drink for at least an hour or longer, unless they really have to get back home for something important.

• Living for the weekend vs. Weekend for resting

So often in my trainings in China I have asked my students what they did at the weekend and get the answer “Nothing much” or “I just slept”. This seems in contrast to many Westerners who are continuously planning out their weekends to involve social events, sports, entertainment, and travel. Be aware that if a Westerner asks you about your weekend and you reply with a short or boring answer, this is likely to make them think that you are quite a boring person. Even if you didn’t do much, aim to answer with some more expression such as “I put my feet up, relaxed and watch a few movies” or “I caught up with some university friends over hotpot”.

• Marriage later in life vs. Marriage earlier in life

The average age for marriage in China is much younger than in the West (although rising). Many of my trainees and Chinese friends feel significant pressure from their parents and family, especially during festivals when everyone gets together. This pressure for most Westerners seems to have reduced significantly over the past few decades and as such marriage is occurring much later in life.

• Adventure Activities vs. Social Activities

It has become much more common in the West for people to find more adventurous activities to do in their free time. These include scuba diving, snowboarding, sky diving, hot air ballooning, hang gliding, kite surfing, rock climbing and many others. In the next twenty years, as people become more wealthy and independent, expect to see a significant increase in these activities in China.

• Christmas vs. Chinese New Year

Christmas in the West is the big family holiday where everyone gets together. Although it only consists of three days (Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and Boxing Day) it is very important to get together at this time with people you love. The similarities with CNY are quite extensive – lots of special food and drink, many special TV shows, and a number of traditions that often differ from family to family or place to place. Be aware though that it is traditional in the West to give gifts at Christmas, rather than the red pocket (hong bao) of money.

• Previously owned is OK vs. Must be new

A very interesting cultural difference for me is the idea in China that everything must be purchased new rather than second hand. In the UK 95% of the housing market is for property that has been previously owned. Owners of houses that are more than one hundred years old are usually quite proud of the fact, although they generally pay more for heating and maintenance. When asking my trainees what kind of apartment they will buy in the future the answer is “Of course new!” Throughout most of Europe and the US most would be buying previously owned houses and are quite accepting of the fact. This is also the case for cars. The second hand (and third & fourth hand) market in the West for cars is enormous, with very strong demand and support through the internet, magazines and local dealerships. For many Chinese it would be unthinkable to purchase a car that was owned by someone else, which is reflected in the very limited second hand market. This can produce the very odd phenomenon of people trying to sell their three year old cars at almost new price (and invariably failing) or selling at next to nothing. In Beijing, I was offered a five year old Volkswagen Passat for the amazing low price of RMB 5000 (I would have bought it if I had not been moving to Guangzhou later in the year!). Expect in the coming few years to see a growth in the second hand market in China. If the culture of “Only New” prevails, we might even see a market for car and house “refurnishment” to allow second owners to experience that “new purchase” feeling!

• Institutional Investing vs. Individual Investing

While this is changing rapidly, the stock market in China is primarily invested from individual’s funds rather than institutional investors. Most stock exchanges around the world have around 80% of their investment from major companies such as insurance firms, banks, investment funds and MNC’s. These organizations are generally very long term thinking and will keep their holding for stocks for a number of years. The remaining 20% comes from individual investors, who tend to trade more frequently. In China the situation is reversed with approximately 80% (although now decreasing) of the total value of shares on the stock market held by individuals. This results in far greater volatility in stock prices on a daily and weekly basis as the market reacts far more sharply to newspaper headlines and rumours. Expect in the coming few years to see many more institutions taking holdings in the stock market, bringing some much needed stability to share prices.

Armed with a greater understanding of cultural nuance and interaction courtesy of Andy Clark, the ClarkMorgan Navigator series continues apace aiming to evolve another vital communication channel-the written word. As offices and responsibilities become more diverse and globalized, having an easily understood and uniform verbal exchange becomes another critical tool in keeping all associates in synch. To synergize this essential synchronicity, ClarkMorgan’s resident writing expert, Eugene Rosenberg, produced The Write Way as a comprehensive guide to best practice written communication. While introducing immediately applicable structures and writing strategies, he livens the oft dry subject of business writing with humorous incidences and observations from his many years as an author and business professional. In the following excerpt, he introduces one of the book’s most fundamental strategies-that written communication should be composed as simply as possible. This may appear self-evident, however, when a message first composed in Beijing is reinterpreted in Boston before being summarized in Berlin until it is finally applied in Bangalore the potential for misunderstanding grows exponentially. Yet you will never fear this danger and make the most of every opportunity when you compose with The Write Way!

The Write Way

By Eugene Rosenberg

K.I.S.S.

In business writing, simplicity is prized above all else. If there is one overriding principle that defines effective written business communication, it can be summarized with the acronym KISS.

This stands for “Keep It Short and Simple,” though in rougher language it has been phrased “Keep It Simple – Stupid!” Expressing complicated thoughts in the simplest terms possible is crucial and can often be the factor that makes a project run smoothly or break down the entire process. In this era of globalization, the need for simplicity grows still greater as lines of communication are extended beyond borders, cultures, and educational backgrounds. When information flows from programmers in Chongqing to testers in Chicago to service representatives in Chennai, it must be clear, concise, and solution-oriented. This keeps everyone “on the same page” and progress on track. Without simplicity, each transmission of information is often rife with confusion and can engender ill feeling between recipients. In fact, keeping communication complicated once stalled my career entirely and doubtless produced quite a bit of confusion and dissatisfaction in everyone I was writing to.

My university education provided me with many valuable lessons in writing effectively. However, when I graduated with two bachelor’s degrees, KISS was not amongst them. Indeed, voluminous (long) and linguistically complex (difficult) writing was encouraged in my courses, as academics believe this displays writing talent and technical virtuosity. When a professor asked for a three page essay, I would present five to show my passion for the subject. When asked for a ten page research project, I would pen fifteen to demonstrate my comprehensive understanding of assignment. This approach garnered me praise, high marks, and publication in the academic world. So a hard lesson lay in store for me when I applied for my first job in the professional one.

At that time, my Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) was rather sparse. I had worked in the university library and I had taught recitation classes as a professor’s assistant, but other than that I had little professional experience that would interest Human Resources. Realizing that my resume barely covered half a page, I resolved to overcome this deficiency by prefacing my CV with the most brilliant cover letter I could possibly compose. With my freshly awarded degree in creative writing boosting my “author’s ego,” I spent an entire day writing a letter of introduction that I presumed would impress all who read it enough to forgive my lack of work experience. As I conceived the letter, I decided to describe the full breadth of my abilities and potential. By day’s end, I had four pages of shining prose illustrating all that I could bring to a potential employer. I felt very self-satisfied and began faxing my 1,500 word cover letter all over New York City.

Needless to say, a four-page cover letter coupled with a half-page CV met with little success. Of the twenty places I sent it, I heard back from precisely none. While I foolishly assumed the document displayed what an excellent writer I was, in reality it revealed what a poor communicator all my education had made me. It told all who read it that I could not express myself efficiently and that I did not value the time of busy Human Resources professionals. It would take a month of disappointment before I realized my cover letter would be more successful if I Kept It Short and Simple. After this complete failure to attract interest in my candidacy, I implemented some drastic changes. Though it pained me to scrap my precious writing, I decided to take the opposite approach and pared my four pages down to just four sentences. What was first a lengthy document describing in great detail all my ambitions, skills, and dreams was now:

To whom it may concern:

I would like to apply for your recently advertised position. After reviewing your requirements, I believe I am well suited to join your firm. I have attached my resume and qualifications for your review, and I am available on Wednesday for an interview. Thank you for your time and attention.

Immediately after switching to this introduction, I received renewed interest in my candidacy. Even companies who previously ignored my earlier cover letter were suddenly interested in me. Soon, I had my choice of numerous positions and I eventually decided to become a sales executive for a small financial house that was willing to sponsor my license examinations. The whole experience proved to me forever that the shortest and simplest expression is always best in business. It clarifies directions and expectations in every communication, thus ensuring the desired results from each message.

Having absorbed the value of the KISS principle, how can one apply it to written communication? The simplest approach is to evaluate the value of each piece of our message. Every sentence you write must add value to your communication. Sentences without value can be excised (removed) immediately. While this may sound obvious, we routinely see meaningless verbiage in our corporate memoranda.

“Every sentence you write must add value to your communication...”

So once aware that every sentence must add value to our communication, we then must construct our valuable sentences as concisely as possible. When complicated instructions are passed from department to department, office to office, or country to country the potential for misunderstanding or miscommunication increases with every word. Therefore, it will serve us well to construct our sentences with as few words as possible. Even simple directions can be confusing when expressed using too many words, such as in the following case:

While you are reviewing our manufacturing facilities in Harbin, please make sure you bring warm clothing and wear a heavy coat so as to be comfortable and not be cold or get one too since many staff have been missing work with them. While this sentence does have information and adds value to your communication, it takes over forty words to make its point. We can make this sentence more elegant and clear by trimming it down to as few words as possible. This lengthy instruction could instead become:

 Dress warm to stay healthy when you visit the Harbin factory.

We have now expressed the exact same sentiment with a quarter of the words used in the original. Now if a simple instruction like this can become confusing because it employs too many words, imagine how challenging complicated technical instructions could be without KISS.

KISS is the first principle in The Write Way and one that carries throughout the book and applies to all writing. Without hyperbole, it shall define all that follows. No matter how challenging our writing tasks we must maintain an air of simplicity and elegance in our communication keeping our messages valuable and our meaning unmistakable.

Sensitivity for cultural attitudes and mastery of written communication will indeed provide powerful advantages across the corporate landscape. The ClarkMorgan Navigator series also guides you through one of the most dangerous and rewarding opportunities found in twenty-first century China, the arena of negotiating. General Manager Morry Morgan builds partnership and brokers deals on behalf of his firm every day and knows the rhythms of contemporary Chinese business. In the course of running a business in Shanghai for ten years, Morry has negotiated everything from one-off publishing deals with the local printer to multi-year international charity cooperation with the WWF. These experiences and a wealth of case studies inform Peng! Negotiation with Chinese Characteristics, his practical guide to getting what you want at the negotiation table in China today. Sometimes intimidating, sometimes frustrating, always engaging bargaining in China can often feel like a game of Mah Jong. When played well with people you trust, the exchange goes smoothly and all the pieces fall into place. Yet when dealing with a different sort of opponent, the game can break down until everyone’s losing. With Morry’s mix best practice approaches and China-specific advice, no matter who you play every time you sit down you’ll achieve Peng!

Peng! Negotiating with Chinese Characteristics

By Morry Morgan

Beware! Just because the contract has been signed, and your client took you out to dinner to celebrate your future cooperation, that doesn’t mean things will go smoothly. There’s a possibility that the relationship could go sour before you see a cent, pence or fen, as indicated in the contract. Like marriage, you must maintain the relationship, and this is how.

Sharing information

I live on the ground floor of a low-rise apartment complex in Shanghai with my wife and newborn. I chose it because I can look out at trees, instead of other buildings and urban smog. Many of the city’s residents don’t like the first floor because it can be damp. There are also a higher number of mosquitoes and creepy crawlies in summer. As for the dampness, I’m not bothered, because I have a diligent maid who wipes the windows of condensation each day and as an Australian, I quite like living close to nature. And on rare occasions, even insects can teach you about life!

One lazy Sunday afternoon, I spilled Coca-Cola on the kitchen counter. Here’s the scene. I’m darting from the fridge to glass cupboard holding a two-litre bottle, as I call out to my wife who still sits before the TV, “What’s happening?” Apparently it was something good, because I slopped the Coke into the glass, as well as the counter, and returned without cleaning up the mess. An hour later, when the show was over, I returned to the kitchen to find a line of ants marching to the comparative ‘pond’ of liquid sugar, and then back again, back to their hive, presumably. All this coordination in an hour!

Now ask yourself, if faced with a business opportunity, in this case a food source, could your company or department muster the resources necessary to take advantage of the situation, move in, and collect. Could a single employee in your organisation trigger sales, operations, and logistics in the time it took for the credits to roll on my movie? Chances are it would take much longer than an hour. Perhaps as much as a week or more, but there ants were, a space of minute, simple creatures reacting as one, and reaping the reward. They were following the TALK concept! TALK stands for ‘tell’, ‘ask’, ‘listen’, and ‘know’. I created it back in 2006 as a response of being frustrated with staff members working independently, and thinking only for themselves. The tipping point occurred during the set up of a social networking event for our key influencers and clients at Number 5 bar on the Bund in Shanghai. I was setting up a two metre by two metre banner up with colleague, when my sales team arrived. I was surprised to see that they were all empty handed, void of sales information and marketing collateral. When I asked the most senior sales person her response shocked me. “Nobody told us!” she said in defence. This was at least the tenth event of this nature that we had done. Hadn’t they realised by now? I exploded, and instantly regretted my reaction. The sales team was de-motivated only minutes before the first of sixty or so customers were to arrive. There had to be a better way, I thought. That’s when I developed TALK. Looking back at that moment, I realised that TALK would never have been born without some pain. But now, I teach this acronym to managers around China and once this acronym is taught to a small number of staff it quickly reaches critical mass and changes company culture. Here’s the breakdown.

i. Tell

Tell encourages you to share your thoughts and information. Nothing is too trivial with Tell. As you pass people in the tea room you’ll naturally pass on some business news you think might be of relevance. With Tell everyone becomes a conduit of information allowing news to travel fast. Note though, that Tell is not gossip or hearsay. It’s information that the other person might find useful.

 “With Tell everyone becomes a conduit of information allowing news to travel fast.”

Another way to Tell is via MSN Messenger or Yahoo Messenger, or Skype accounts. These three instant messenger (IM) programs allow you to announce where you are and what you’re doing with an editable field under or beside your name. For example, when I’m in Beijing training Lenovo my MSN Messenger account reads: ‘Morry: Mon/Tue Lenovo Neg. Skills. Free Wed-Fri for meetings’. Everyone in my company can see quickly where I am, and they do not need to call me to find out. As my staff books my time for meetings, they can plan ahead, without my involvement, and book me for meetings on Wednesday through to Friday. All because I Tell.

ii. Ask

I blew my top when my senior sales person responded with, “Nobody told us!”, and after I calmed down I vowed that I would never hear those words again. That’s the role of Ask. If you don’t know, Ask. If you forget, Ask. If you forget again, Ask again. The idea of Ask is that it is ok to ask any number of times and nobody can tell you, “I already told you!” Why? Because of the Tell in TALK. And Ask also means that you, or anyone in your organisation, can’t escape responsibility by saying, “nobody told me!” Why? Because you should have Asked! Tell and Ask go hand in hand.

iii. Listen

In our modern world with mobile phones, SMS, and instant messengers, it’s easy to forget our manners when talking face to face. No doubt you’ve been in a meeting when someone’s mobile phone has rung. Perhaps they even answered it. Even worse, they started a conversation while you sat there, mouth open, ready to finish the rest of the sentence that was cut off by the incoming call. Some of you may have even witnessed the phone call recipient stand up, leaving you alone in the meeting room, pondering the length of your finger nails. All three scenarios are simply bad form.

iv. Know

If you ‘T’, ‘A’, and ‘L’, then you will Know what is happening in your organisation, and Know what opportunities are present. It allows your organisation to function much more efficiently, and moves the role of knowledge sharing from the few to the many. Knowing is how those ants were able to take advantage of the Coca-Cola within an hour. Knowing will make their organisation prosper. In order to get TALK practiced within your organisation, senior management must start using the lingo in their daily communication, whether that is spoken or e-mailed. TALK signs should also be placed around your workplace, and the company handbook should also promote the acronym as a virtue. At ClarkMorgan, we go one step further, and present the TALK Award to key staff who have demonstrated it in action.

TALK ensures that all staff act to maintain the customer or client.

Maintain Goodwill

Having a high level of goodwill is how you got the contract signed in the first place. But don’t forget to maintain that goodwill. If goodwill is damaged between you and your Target, your contract could begin to dissolve. You need either a good memory or (like most successful companies) a solid CRM system. When I say ‘solid’ I mean a system that allows you to record birthdays, whether clients