|

Say wha’? Communicative cha cha cha..

People like to hire their own, often assuming everyone understands the same goals, and ‘speaks the same language’.

I had breakfast in Beijing not long ago with a friend. A mainland Chinese who’d gone to grad school in the US and ended up working for a well known US private equity company. Back in China for a few years with a [smaller] real estate focused PE firm, he recalled an interview he’d had three years ago with a larger US based PE firm.

[/framed_box]”They called me up, I think it was one of the [American] directors, and we had a good talk on joining them. Towards the end of the call, he asked me if I thought I was a ‘superstar’. I thought that was a bit odd, as I’d never thought of myself as a ‘superstar’–which I’d usually reserve for the very very top of any group. Anyhow, I told him I was good, capable, reliable and we left it at that, as there were more interviews soon after.

A few days later, I spoke to their HR head, and she ended up asking me the same ‘superstar’ question, would you believe it? I was a bit better prepared, and gave a similar answer. Also, at that point they were doing reference checks, and spoke to one of my [Chinese] referees, an ex-colleague. And they asked him the same question about me! His answer was the same as mine; ‘X is very good, very capable, would be a great addition to the team,’ and so on.

I’m Chinese, you know? We don’t boast about being the ‘greatest’, we’re not brought up that way. I lived and worked in the US long enough, and I get it, but as a Chinese, it is about being humble and not bragging.

Anyhow, I never got the job, and was not told why–but I found out the chairman had put the word out he wanted ‘a superstar’ in China, and that was all they cared about, I guess. I still think about it, as it would have been a very good job, but I’m quite happy with my current job. Still, I think about it, and won’t make that mistake if it ever comes up.
[/framed_box]

Know that language and its subtleties vary from place to place and be aware of interpretations–and remember Einstein’s definition of madness: continuing to do the same thing, hoping for a different outcome.

Asia–and Asians–may speak the Queen’s English, but it doth not mean they communicate the same way. Humility is the first step towards wisdom..