3 Key Lessons I Learned Working in China

When the time came for housekeeping end last year, my boss notified me that I had to use my leave before it expired. Then I realized: for almost the entire year of 2013, I hadn't taken a single day of leave.

The first half, I was swamped with an extremely tight site migration project in Bangalore, which we thankfully drove to a perfect success and closure. I barely had a moment to catch my breath though!

The second half of 2013, though, it was different. I was just having so much fun both at work and during the weekends, that I barely needed to take any additional leave to relax myself!

I finally got my dream 'relocation' rotation, a 5 month stint in Guangzhou (plus a week in HK, half a month in Shanghai). I always believed that to live and work in a different place and culture, is an entirely different experience from traveling there. And it was. I truly had a taste of what China culture is all about - and frankly speaking, it is a diaspora of cultures, with every province having its own nuances and personality.

Nevertheless, I felt that I understood invaluable learnings, and matured quickly in this span of time. My Guangzhou manager, in fact, was impressed by how quickly and strongly I adapted into the culture.

LESSON ONE - Always show Strength

That proved I learned my first lesson quickly - always maintain an illusion or 'front' of strength and comfort, rather than being seen to have a weakness. For the ERP implementation project I was thrown into, I had to convince Manufacturing quality managers to switch to our system, while furiously mastering the system myself! There was no room for any errors or risks that may influence their belief in the system - so I resolved any question they raised within the same week, by scouring through documentation or picking my seniors' brains.

The result: A QA team that now believes in our system, and currently realizes a more reliable QA process that saves up to 100 manual errors and 150 man-hours per year.

LESSON TWO - Be Streetsmart

The biggest difference between PRC Chinese and Singaporeans, I believe, is Street smarts. I can imagine, how you have to be flexible and work around the edges, to survive amid the chaos of rules that don't always apply. I have had my jaw drop in varied situations on and off work, at how 'things actually work around here'. Your choices will never look the same as A, B, C or D ever again.

Being streetsmart, and 'thinking outside the rules', may not be the closest to creativity and 'thinking outside the box'...  but I'll bet, it's a good first step to start.

LESSON THREE - Build Relationships

I know this is in every 'DOING BUSINESS IN CHINA FOR DUMMIES' book out there - yet it really did strike me as the most important lesson I had to learn. I feel a great deal more conscious, more aware of my relationships with people now, simply because of how important they were in China, how they were magnified and scrutinized.

I am extremely glad that I was lucky enough to forge close bonds with the amazing people over there. I know they have done incredible things for me - pulling strings, putting in a good word, helping out my projects. Building relationships with Chinese is the most important investment you could ever make with them.

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This half-year stint in China has been my best working experience so far, and reinforces my core belief: the more you stretch yourself outside your comfort circle, the faster and further you grow as a person. Here's to more good years ahead.

One Night in Beijing, Two in Shanghai

Back from a grueling winter in Beijing and Shanghai, China! Pictures here.

I spent Christmas snuggled under the sheets, feverish and sneezing from a cold in the hotel. Not very merry indeed. And New Year's Day saw me climbing the Great Wall and leaving a trail of snot...haha.

I really loved the Great Wall though, it left me the same feeling as the Grand Canyon... 'Wow.' I must go back sometime and take a few days to walk and camp through the Wall...hmm is that allowed? They don't have patrols at night do they...

I feel like I still barely know China after having toured around the Jiang nan area. We were brought about to skim the surface of cities, a touristy ride through attractions and whatnots. But i still enjoyed getting a glimpse of how locals live, from the way they dress and walk, to the houses and shops they inhabit. The tour guides of course fed us loads of fun facts and themed stories, with the occasional historical tidbit. At the end of the day, I do not feel as though I have understood any of the great cities we have breezed through.

I breeze through Life not with Wind. - George Bernard Shaw

The propaganda was surely laid on thick, from the guide's resolute exhortation that we were 'people of China with Singaporean passports" to the incessant reminder of filial piety to our parents, our grandparents, whoever that could justify buying a new silk pillow, a kilo of green tea leaves for. I am proud to say that our group has bought it all and fulfilled every shop's sales quota along the way. My contribution to the table: $8 for a bottle of pearl cream that stun my eyes horribly after applying it like a facial mask. Well done.

I will never forget the impressive sales techniques practised on us, like we were little white mice rolling on a wheel. I have a true admiration for this art - it truly is an elaborate art - of putting thoughts into the minds of others. Kinda like Genjutsu, only better.

I especially like how we are so good at rationalizing things...religion and superstitions, all buttressed by half-truths and fallacies. Another thing that was rationalized - the Suzhou Industrial Park, gave me more food for thought. In the ever-present dilemma between development and conservation, we always talk about the benefit for the lives of the many versus the detriment of the few. In reality, it's a veil in disguise; very often it's not the majority oppressing the few, but rather the few with many oppressing the few with little.

It has still been a refreshing, enriching trip through and through, and I am grateful for this grad trip that has enabled me to reconnect with all my BCG coursemates. I pray the memories we have forged together stands strong like the Wall :)