Click Here to Subsribe to the 'Keeping it Real with the Boss' Feed Although I risk being faced with a vehement chorus of disagreement for saying so, Chinese bosses have been relatively easy to please throughout my ‘illustrious’ ESL teaching career in China. It is true that their requests to appear at business dinners with them or appear in the occasional school advertisement can be annoying, but in general I have found that Chinese bosses do not ask for so much from their foreign teachers. Of course, there are ESL teachers in China who do manage to drive their bosses crazy. How? Usually, they are just plain bad teachers who think they can get away with murder. Here are some actions (or lack of actions) that are sure to annoy your Chinese boss:
- Showing up late to class — No matter how much your Chinese boss likes you, he is not going to appreciate a tardy teacher. Not only does showing up late for your class annoy teachers and students but it sets a bad example for the rest of the staff. Showing up early to prepare for your ESL class is always a good rule of thumb.
- Dressing like a slob — Whether you like it or not, you become a representative of your ESL as soon as you sign your name on the contract. Parents,students,prospective clients and visiting VIP’s will notice and take into account the way you look. While it may be fun to show off your personality and dress however you please, do not forget that you are working for a business. In your home country you would undoubtedly be expected to follow a dress code for a similar job so why should it be different in China?
- Throwing a temper tantrum — Being firm with your Chinese boss or supervisor is important but yelling and flailing your arms around will get you nowhere. In fact, throwing a temper tantrum will simply anger your boss and cause the whole school to lose respect for you. If you have a ‘bone to pick’ with your boss, always speak with him in private and remember that maintaining ‘face’ in China is very important.
- Always refusing to do any extra favors for the school – Some Chinese bosses will always ask you to do extra favors for the school. Legally, you only need to do what is required of you in your contract. While I definitely said no to about 90% of the business trips and luncheons I was ask to attend, I tried to honor some of the requests just to show that I did have an interest in the school’s well being. Always doing the bare minimum and never going the ‘extra mile’ is sure to annoy your boss and render him less unapproachable should you need a favor.
- Complaining about the school administration to students and teachers — This is a big no-no. Talking about your boss behind his back is the #1 way to lose respect and make the whole staff angry at you. Do not think that your uncomplimentary words will not find their way to your boss just because you have some good friends amongst your Chinese co-workers. It is amazing how gossip spreads in an ESL school in China. Saying bad words about your boss or about the school to your students is also a suicidal idea and will most likely get you in big trouble.
- Failing to prepare for your ESL classes — My boss rarely sat in on any of my ESL classes but I knew that the teachers and students often ‘filled him in’ on what I was teaching. If you develop a pattern of teaching your ESL classes ‘on the fly’ there are sure to be some dissatisfied students who will complain. Consistently not preparing for your classes will anger your boss because he will realize that you are just doing the bare minimum that is required of you and that you do not take your teaching job seriously. Prepare for your classes and everyone, including yourself, will be much happier.
Do you have ideas or comments to share with us about getting along with your Chinese boss? Leave us a comment below!
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As with bosses everywhere, my opinion is : treat me fairly and with respect and we’ll see about any extracurricular work or favours. Eating with most bosses is a pretty awful experience; don’t they know it’s not polite to speak with your mouth full? Ick!
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I disagree with almost everything you say. I taught in China for 5 years and have recently returned to the U.S. Except for number 1 and 2 you are completely wrong. I am not sure who you are but you sound like a “Chinese Boss” Basically what you have have advised here is to let the Chinese Boss treat you just like a Chinese employee. I for one know that once you do 1 favor you are expect to always do a favor. If a new ESL teacher followed your advice they would probable never get paid, be a hostage to the school and be lucky if they could leave campus. The 5 years I taught in China where very successful for me. How did I accomplish this? By not one time letting a Chinese Boss take advantage of me. If they didn’t pay me. I didn’t work until I got paid. Any time they breached an item in the contract I would refuse to work.
I saw so many try things your way and they where not successful in China. My advice would be to use the loss of face to your advantage. The boss loses face when there is no teacher in the class room. This will cause them to honor what was promised.
I worked for many schools, Universities and even owned my own school for 2 years. You can not let these guys push you around. You must look at yourself as a sub-contractor and that you are your own boss and you are the king of the classroom.
I will give you a great example. I was working at TMC university in Xi’an. The school president came into my classroom to tell me of a complaint she had with something I had done. I immediately told her that this was my classroom and if she wanted to talk to me she should make an appointment just like everyone else. I then scolded her for discussing private matters in the classroom and ordered her to leave. I never had problems with this again. At the end of the term she was gone and I was offered double on my new contract.
Another example. One time in Xianyang the University didn’t pay us. They claimed there was some sort of government problem and would pay us in 3 weeks. I did not show up for my class the next day. When they came to my room I told them no pay, no work. All the other teachers went to class. They didn’t get paid. I did. I also forced them to redo my contract to state that I will be paid on the day stated in the contract or they would owe me an extra 100 rmb a day until I was paid.
I read these things a lot and I find most of these advice threads have everything to do with accepting the Chinese was and none in them accepting our way. multiculturalism is a two way street, even in China.
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Brad said,
I read these things a lot and I find most of these advice threads have everything to do with accepting the Chinese was and none in them accepting our way. multiculturalism is a two way street, even in China.
@Brad,
What exactly do you mean by “them accepting our way?” Everything that I mentioned in this article with perhaps the exception of ‘doing extra favors’ are what any decent ESL teacher would do anyway.
If by “them accepting our way” means that they have to accept you throwing a temper tantrum, talking about the boss behind his back, and not preparing for your classes properly, then I would have to strongly disagree with you. Based on this article, that is what you are saying, aren’t you?
If you are unlucky enough to have a boss who violates the contract or tries to reprove you in front of your students, then of course extreme measures are needed.
This article put forward day-to-day suggestions for getting along with your boss. I don’t think anything that I wrote is that far out in left field unless you have an arrogant attitude to begin with and have little or no respect for the boss.
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Thanks for this article. Too many foreigners think they can get away with everything – they can use their own standards as well as Chinese standards (when it suits them). You were right – these ARE basic standards for being a good employee… anywhere. By the way, about number four: Going out for a free meal may actually be a fun learning experience. But if you can’t/don’t want to do a favor, try a face-saving excuse such as “I’m really overwhelmed with my other work right now, etc etc”. I don’t know if anyone else has any other ideas on how to say no to a boss?
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Robert Robert Robert, no wonder you had so many jobs while you were there. You poor thing, it seems like you have a big chip (deep fried) on your shoulder. Stand up for youself by all means, but arrogance in this world shall not get you anywhere. Treat people with respect and you shall get it in return. And doing a favour every now and again is no big deal. The only reason you are home is probably because they kicked you fat ass out.
Charles
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Really?
That’s strange. When I get up every morning and look out my window, I see Chinese words outside.
When I go for a walk, I see Chinese people and I hear the Chinese language.
When I go to teach, I am teaching Chinese students.
Heck, even my passport says that I am in China.
Did I miss something?
Or better yet, is there something that you’d like to tell us since you are most definitely NOT in China?
I think you’re the one who has a chip on your shoulder. Just because you disagree with what I say doesn’t mean you have to make up stuff…
But it was funny (in a childish sort of way), which is why I posted it.
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i currently work for a chinese boss and sometimes his great but more often then not his a complete @@@@head!! arrogant and thinks he owns you.
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Yes, this pay stuff that Robert mentioned is getting to be a real pain. I work/ed for some well known universities in BJ and I have found over the past several years that they are becoming a bit negligent in paying at the proper time. They just seem to do it whenever they feel like it. Some schools just mention “once per month” in the contract but never a certain date. So they could pay you the beginning of October and then your next payment might be at end of November, which is 7 or 8 weeks later! I get angry of course and ask them when but they just seem to blow it off. Again these are universities not some fly by night operation. Then they just say wait and never give you a good reason. If I don’t go to class I feel guilty because my students are the only ones who “suffer”. Of course all the other teachers, which tend to be newcomers, do nothing and say nothing. They are afraid to raise a stink. So it makes it harder for those of us who like teaching. Yes, I like teaching in China! We are being treated more and more like the locals, which usually isn’t something that a person should complain about, but that means being treated like a dog sometimes. Things have changed a great deal these past 15 years and not for the best.
I heard that the schools get the teachers pay in one large sum from the gov’t and then invest it. They don’t want to take the money out of the investment too early and that results in our tardy payment. Has anyone else heard this? Is it possible?
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