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Being Direct with your Chinese Boss

I am not a confrontational person by nature. So when my apartment was robbed and I lost an expensive camera, I was hesitant to approach my boss and ask him for some restitution. Why did I even consider asking him for some money? There was a clause in my contract which stated that the school was responsible for protecting my personal belongings on school property. My apartment was owned by the school and also adjacent to school property. I knew that my boss would not be thrilled to hear my reqeust. Even though the success of the school had propelled him and his wife into the upper strata of society, they still ‘ran a tight ship’ and would lament the loss of even 100 RMB. I feared that I would be accused of trying to take advantage of the school and that my request could damage my relationship with my boss and his wife. Still, I had to try. The door on my apartment was alarmingly flimsy and I had warned my boss a few weeks earlier that I felt I was vulnerable to a burglary.

I was nervous when I walked into my boss’ spacious office a few days later. I had rehearsed in my mind how I was going to present ‘my case’ but as soon as I sat down in front of my boss, the words that I had prepared seemed to suddenly vacate my brain. Instead, all I could think of to communicate were the simple facts: my place of living had been broken into, I had lost a nice camera, the contract held the school responsible, I wanted some restitution. I looked my boss squarely in the eye and made those simple statements. I was direct with him. He, in turn, was direct with me. Techically speaking, he explained, that particular clause in the contract was referring specifically to personal property that was located on the grounds of the school itself. However, he continued, he and his wife were sympathetic to my loss and they were ready to provide for me some compensation. The sum of money that I was given was a little less that I had hoped for but was adequate to cover the cost of a new camera. Also, a new and sturdier door was installed in my apartment a week later.

I learned an important lesson through this experience that has stayed with me in China even until now. Directness is a language that most Chinese bosses understand and respond to well. If you need to ask your Chinese boss for something, do not ‘beat around the bush.’ The worst that can happen is that he refuses your request. Even if this happens, you can strengthen your relationship with your Chinese boss by being straightforward with him. You should also expect and be prepared to be treated in the same manner. Once my boss realized that I was willing to be frank with him, he returned ‘the favor’ by approaching me about certain aspects of my job on which he thought I should improve. While I did not always agree with his advice, I was always willing to listen and consider his words.

Sometimes, being direct can help you cut ‘through the crap’ in China. Say what you mean and mean what you say and you will find that you will garner more respect and see better results. Of course you should always be polite and maintain your composure but being direct with your Chinese boss is an important key to having a successful teaching career in China.

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