Importing Management Skills

While learning how business is done in other countries is crucial to taking your company abroad, incorporating cultural elements from foreign markets can help you improve dealings with clients here in the US. After a recent business trip to China, I identified several key take-aways that business owners can adopt to improve their workplace functionality.

1. Pitch with passion

In China, marketing never stops. One morning, I went to a tasting at a tea plantation in Hangzou where we were given a mid-level priced tea. Before I tasted the tea I had come to try, the storeowner upgraded the tasting to a more high-end tea. The storeowner was passionate about the quality of his products; and he knew that by giving us both excellent customer service and a higher quality tea, we would be more inclined to make a purchase. In general, stores showcase their high-end merchandise up front. Storeowners take the time to explain the value, investment, and importance of buying the best quality. Their pride in their product or services is so fervent, in fact, it is contagious. The take-away is to have confidence in your high-end products from the start—don’t be tempted to push your lower end product or undersell yourself. When I was starting out, I did a similar thing I only charged a fraction of what my services were worth because of my insecurity and thankfulness to get any business. The client very firmly who ended up becoming a mentor of mine said, “Never sell yourself short. Always ask for what you are worth”.

2. Money is not everything. Pride is more important.

I love my company, and while finances drive business, it is not a motivating factor. When we are money motivated, our whole work/life balance can be thrown out the window because there is always more money to be made. I turned down many speaking opportunities to go to China, but it was worth every lost dollar. I wish that all of our employees felt a sense of pride in their work. Balancing Life’s Issues gets phone calls regularly from associates asking to be reimbursed for things like 10 or 15 minutes of extra work. If you put in the time to be passionate about your work, the compensation will follow.

3. Bargain, bargain, and bargain more

Shopping in Chinese markets reminds me to be assertive, firm, and open to negotiation. If a vendor gave a starting offer of 100 yuan, I would counter with an offer of 20 Yuen. In the end, we would end up at 35 or 40 yuan. Now that I am back in the States, I am going to remember to negotiate more with my clients. In my business, I work with large corporate clients and I am able to barter use of office space for training or parking spots for dinner at a local restaurant. Mutually beneficial deals can help both parties make the most of their interactions.

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4. Deliver superior customer service

How can you best serve your customer? While in China, I was interested in purchasing a tea set. I could not find the kind I wanted at any of the markets or stores I visited. My tour guide went above and beyond. Not only did he locate the tea set I wanted and arrange for me to buy it at an excellent price, he also got the vendor to deliver the tea set to my door. The Chinese business model is consumer-oriented. It is my opinion that the American companies are more paycheck and benefit oriented. They function on a “what’s in it for me?” basis. In China, vendors do all they can to understand their consumers and give them what they are looking for. They aren’t as focused on the money.

This philosophy extends beyond business into their family life. Many Chinese families choose to only have one child so that they can provide them with the best education and quality of life. The parallel here is to provide the best you can for your employees in all areas—like a laptop to work from home to benefit work/life balance. Companies should look more holistically at their employees instead of just as a labor pool.

5. Honor and cherish your parents

Making time to learn from elders is crucial for personal and professional growth, and also something that so many of my clients forget. I often hear clients explain that they were going to see their parents but got too busy. A CEO that I met in China explained that he so passionately believes in the importance of honoring elders, that he would only marry his wife if she treated his parents as her own. In the Chinese culture, family is so valued there is always someone caring for the family member. This type of work/life balance helps improve quality of care in both business and family interactions.

6. Work harder than you already do

In China, my tour guide had a work ethic like I’d never seen before. He works many 17-hour days and was just as alert at the end of the day as he was at the start. Yet, he was wise enough to know when to prioritize family over work. He had told us of a day when he took off from work so that he could chaperone a trip for one of his children. Americans make many excuses of why they cannot take off from work and then find they are not happy at work. Not once did our guide complain about the long hours or long days. Hard work is the backbone of success. Be smart and diligent and you will benefit in all areas of life. You must bring your good mood and attitude to your job so that you do not resent work but see it as a positive extension of your life, which will then spread to your family. Make a list of what you love about your job or what you love that you can add to your job—be creative!

As I continue to expand my business transactions into the Chinese market, I find myself with a fresh, excited outlook. I am enlightened to do business and excited to implement the new found business techniques here at home.

This article is part of NY Report's Accelerate 2012 series. To read more, click here.