Leading Chinese staff is a unique experience for most expat managers: Cultural drivers are significantly different in China from those in the West and require leaders to adapt their style to reach similar results. What is your cultural baggage? What is your natural leadership style? How do you reflect onto your team members? But also, what are your Chinese subordinates looking for?

The first day, we will explore Chinese and Western cultural aspects (French, German, American etc., in short, any national culture you or your company are from). We will in particular address the values and expectations of the new Chinese generations. Then, we will spend time practicing effective behaviors and discuss best practices in an interactive way.

The second day, we will focus on leadership and management techniques adapted to the Chinese culture. You will also reflect on the specific profiles and needs of your own team members and decide what is the best strategy you should adopt with them. You will leave the workshop with practical solutions and tips to increase your impact and have more time for strategic issues or new projects.

• How to motivate my Chinese staff?
• How to empower them to make decisions, to have them take project ownership, and demonstrate a good sense of accountability?
• How to train them to raise critical issues before it is too late?
• How to raise their engagement level?
• How to develop team cooperation?
• How to adapt western professional habits (such as French lengthy and multiple meetings) inefficient with Chinese staff?
  

• Develop self-awareness and reflect on my own practices/style
• Maximize my leadership impact
• Establish trust with team members
• Share best practices with peers
• Design a personal action plan
  

DAY ONE

     1/ Introduction

• Introducing the program, objectives, and timing
• Participants expectations towards the program and experience with the topic
• The biggest challenges for foreign managers in China

     2/ Chinese-Western cultural drivers and gaps

• What are China’s cultural workstyle and values? What are team members typical behaviors?
• What are drivers and workstyles in the West (France, Germany, USA etc.)? What are team members typical behaviors?
• What are the contrasted expectations towards a manager in China and in France and/or other key western countries? How do the new Chinese generations differ from older ones?
• What motivates Chinese team members?
• The trust factor

• Decoding Chinese non-verbal communication and reading between the lines
• Developing a feedback culture and how to effectively give feedback to Chinese staff
• How to obtain information
• Information sharing
• How to best address the pervasive face culture and best communicate with team members

DAY TWO

     4/ Your leadership style and your team members preferences

• What is a leader in Chinese eyes?
• What is your leadership profile?
• What works well with your team members? What needs to be adapted?
• Identifying your team members preferences and deciding how to best adapt to them on an individual basis
• What is your preferred leadership profile?
  

     5/ Building trust and engagement

• What is the trust level in your team / company?
• How to build trust with Chinese teams?
• How to best engage them?
• Inspiring team members

     6/ Adapting your workstyle

• How to increase efficiency in the Chinese way
• Leading projects efficiently in the Chinese way and creating a problem-solving mentality
• Developing project ownership, delegation, and empowerment
• Initiating a culture of accountability

     7/ Personal action plan and evaluation

    Style: Highly engaging: many practical exercises, anecdotes, and interactive discussions

Please think in advance about specific personal situations (case studies) you would like to solve. We will address them in an interactive and coaching way during the workshop.