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HOT TOPIC: CHINA

What do you think China is most famous for?

Would you like to go to China?

What do you think of products with the “Made in China” label?

Do you think China will become the strongest country in the world?

Does the power of China make you worried in any way?

What do you most admire about China?

What do you consider to be China’s biggest problems?

Do you think that one day the world will be learning Chinese rather than English?

What are relations like between China and your country?

Which subjects does the presenter mention?

a. her experience of bosses 

b. staff attitudes towards her 

c. staff discipline issues 

d. discussing staff development

e. staff pay negotiations 

f. the variety of the job

g. balancing work and home responsibilities

Leadership

Listen and follow along with the text.

Turkish managers are still influenced by the tenets of Kemal Ataturk. A democratic republic is partially supported by the army, in a delicate balance with Islamic Fundamentalists.

Finnish leaders exercise control from a position just outside and above the ring of middle managers, who are allowed to make day-today decisions. Finnish top executives have the reputation of being decisive at crunch time and do not hesitate to stand shoulder to shoulder with staff and help out in crises.

American managers are assertive, aggressive, goal and action oriented, confident, vigorous, optimistic, and ready for change. They are capable of teamwork and corporate spirit, but they value individual freedom and their first interest is furthering their own career.

Which style did you find the most surprising?

In which style is it best to be at the top?

In which style is it more pleasant to be lower in the heirarchy?

Nepotism is also rife in traditional Indian companies. Family members hold key positions and work in close unison. Policy is also dictated by the trade group, e.g. fruit merchants, jewelers, etc. These groups work in concert, often develop close personal relations and come to each other’s support in difficult times.

British managers are diplomatic, casual, helpful, willing to compromise, and seeking to be fair, though they can be ruthless when necessary. Unfortunately, their adherence to tradition can result in a failure to comprehend differing values in others.

Estonians are very individualistic. Status is gained by achievement, decisiveness, and energy.

Consensus is generally highly valued in China. In companies controlled by the state, a leadership group will decide policy. In the developing expansion of capitalist-style companies, leaders are emerging with reputations of competence; also, locally elected officials are becoming influential in the business sphere and may have only loose ties with Beijing.

French managers tend to be autocratic and paternalistic, with an impressive grasp of the many issues facing their company. Opinions of experienced middle managers and technical staff may be dismissed.

Japanese top executives have great power in conformity with Confucian hierarchy but actually have little involvement in the everyday affairs of the company.

What about in Czech Republic?

He argues that these patterns won't change any time soon: "Even in countries where political and economic change is currently rapid or sweeping, deeply rooted attitudes and beliefs will resist a sudden transformation of values when pressured by reformists, governments or multinational conglomerates."

With your partner, draw a short infographic and write a description about leadership styles in Czech Republic.

Let's chat!

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘management’?

What kind of people do well working in management?

What are the good and bad things about working in management?

What are the differences between working in middle and top-level management?

What kind of management do you think it would be good to get into – hotel management, sports, entertainment, tourism, business…?

Do you think management makes people happy?

How do you think management styles differ between countries?

Leadership styles in different countries

Different cultures can have radically different leadership styles, and international organizations would do well to understand them British linguist Richard D. Lewis charted these differences in his book "When Cultures Collide," first published in 1996 and now in its third edition, and he teaches these insights in seminars with major corporate clients.

From structured individualism in the U.S. to ringi-sho consensus in Japan, the charts seem intuitively correct, if not unilaterally true across a country.

Lewis acknowledges the risks of dealing in stereotypes: "Determining national characteristics is treading a minefield of inaccurate assessment and surprising exception. There is, however, such a thing as a national norm."