Connecting with China: Business Success through Mutual Benefit and Respect

Chapter Eleven

ATTITUDES AS STRATEGY

To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders

- Lao Tzu

Attitudes of respect for success

You may have noticed how, in situations where problems arise with China’s business culture, the solution is often relationship-based rather than the process-based fix-it kit that we might expect in times of business crisis.

 

This book has helped us understand the reasons for this and, hopefully, to embrace them.

 

However, it also flags up the hugely important role in successful and culturally-adapted business behaviour played by our attitudes, and invites us to transform these into real contributors to the success of our businesses in China.

 

So, building on the breaking of stereotypes work we achieved earlier, this chapter invites us to formulate new business attitudes that will serve us well with China, rather than retaining those, usually based on misinformation, apprehension and a little false pride, that communicate a less-than-positive expectation of our dialogue with China and its potential to fulfil our business aspirations.

 

It may take courage and imagination to make this leap, but every business person and entrepreneur among you are already demonstrating these qualities on a daily basis in your professional life and it will be, I assure you, entirely worth the effort.

So let me guide you through what I believe to be the real success contributors with the Chinese in the attitude stakes.

 

The first of these is so important that ...