Giving & Receiving Feedback - A Cross-cultural Comparison

Giving & Receiving Feedback A Cross-cultural Comparison What is the normal way of giving positive or negative feedback in your own culture? Is it written or spoken? Is it direct (explicit) or indirect (implicit)? Is it done publicly (in front of other team members) or privately (in a closed office one-to-one?) Is it never disclosed to other members of the team - ever, or is it possibly disclosed to the other members of the team at some time later? Find out about how your counterparts in other cultures give and receive positive and negative (or constructive) feedback. Then use the cross-cultural reconciliation model below to help you develop a best way forward. Read the article: Giving Feedback in a Diverse Environment This can be found on the Global Excellence website at: http://www.global-excellence.com/management.php

Problem 1 - Giving feedback to a Chinese team member

This is a problem for a business team manger in Amsterdam. He says that his Chinese team member is unable to take feedback. When they have team meetings and someone gives him some feedback he basically looks horrified and stops talking or joining in the meeting. The Amsterdam manager asks what he can do. Well, your Chinese team member will be used to receiving feedback in a more indirect manner and only in private – behind closed doors. Your more direct style is certainly common in the Netherlands - where openness and directness are valued but these same qualities in China are seen as destructive and the cause of loss of face, what the Chinese call mianzi. So my advice is to give feedback in private and focus on building a good relationship with your Chinese colleague. Maybe also take time in the team to share cultural information on different ways to do things – perhaps on an away-day. Good luck. Check out the YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmk-mSaKwK4