Understanding saving face could be a saving grace
As successful business is driven by successful relationships, positive mutual perceptions are critical, even more so when working with two totally different cultures. China is increasingly becoming a business hotspot for Western companies who are increasingly employing Chinese nationals in senior roles. Equally, more and more Chinese are going abroad to both invest and buy - and often send managers, some with no awareness of the difference in perceptions, to run their companies.
Both East and West must be mindful of each other's cultures, and as an integral aspect of Chinese culture, mianzi must be respected. However, for successful cross-cultural interaction it needs to be understood in its fuller sense.
Generally, mianzi is defined, and believed to be understood, as merely "saving face" (reputation, honor or respect). Meanwhile, it is the resultant behavior and the broader manifestations of the concept that are often not recognized by us in the West - or misunderstood when they are. Chinese doing business with the West (or hoping to) need to realize how difficult it is for us to comprehend it in its totality as some of its more obscure implications result in frustration, misunderstandings, and sometimes even red hot anger.
Not saying "no" or voicing disagreement is one of the main aspects to cause problems in East-West working relationships. To Chinese, the reasons would be to save one's own face or another's, but this behavior is commonly perceived by Westerners as a lack of understanding or knowledge; obstinacy; inflexibility; reluctance to admit to wrong decisions/actions or unwillingness to confront, challenge or to criticize. All of which are considered negative in a Westernized business environment, as well as being irritating, or worse.
Chinese often convey the truth through their non-verbal behavior and read others the same way, considering what they then identify as the reality over and above the spoken word. In the West we focus on direct literal communication and only now are waking up to the importance of the unspoken in communication. Even when a Westerner recognizes the subtlety of variation in voice, facial expression and body language, it can be very, very tricky for them to spot the cues in a person from an Asian culture.
The scenario of saving face can also involve verbal untruths. This is wholly acceptable to the Chinese, who do not view themselves or the act as deceitful as they believe their non-verbal behavior conveys the real truth. However, the lack of verbal truthfulness and openness is easily misconstrued in the West as a lack of interest, cunning or, at worst, crass dishonesty. All of which impedes the development of strong relationships and partnerships, which, for sustainability and longevity rather than expediency, must be built on mutual trust and respect.
In the West we most certainly share the value of some of the positive aspects of mianzi. We prize integrity, personal pride and dignity, dislike humiliation and appreciate the importance of praise and recognition.
However, this is balanced with an emphasis on transparency and open, direct communication.
In 2005 a survey carried out by China Youth Daily resulted in 93 percent of respondents admitting to face being very important and 75 percent acknowledging that making a mistake in public was, by far, the most humiliating experience they could ever have. If the same questions were asked of youth today, I believe that the percentages will have decreased significantly. With Westernization fast taking hold in the new generation, many have a greater awareness of the cultural differences through their constant exposure to media, education, travel and increased diversity all around them in the cities. They are therefore adapting, both consciously and subconsciously, to a blend of the two cultures, and will continue to do so even more aggressively as time goes on.
What is seen and heard in an individual creates many judgments, and compositely form the perception of that person. Therefore, the differences in appearance, person-to-person communication and behaviors between the two communities and individuals can easily lead to wrongful and pejorative perceptions being formed. Successful business is driven by successful, symbiotic relationships. Perception affects all interactions between people and eventually affects the speed and depth of a relationship. For successful business, perception management is therefore a critical factor to give the competitive edge. Emanating from the interpretation of how one looks, sounds and behaves, the conclusions reached may well be complicated by the difference in cultures if this is not recognized.
Resulting problems can easily be avoided by creating awareness of these pitfalls but then employing appropriate tools at the outset to everyone's advantage. Our offering of intelligent perception management at Positive Presence focuses and integrates all these aspects and provides the necessary tools while also developing people and organizations to their full impact and relationship potential.
My conclusion is that it is not for Westerners to decide whether mianzi is outdated, any more than it is for Chinese to convey that we have unacceptable customs and behavior.
At present it is for us both to understand and respect the differences between the two cultures and do what we can to minimize any challenges that result. Meanwhile, be aware that the variations are now eroding and blending naturally through globalization. We can therefore hopefully look forward to a time in the-not-so-distant future where we can enjoy a tolerant and diverse mono-culture that eases the path to the world peace and prosperity we all so desperately seek.
The author is managing director of Positive Presence, a London-based image consultancy. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
(China Daily 02/03/2012 page8)
