Why is trust so important in relationships in China?
When we talk about Chinese culture, people will put greater [emphasis] on the personal relationships, the ones built upon trust as opposed to the business relationship. The trust side really helps you get things done. It also opens up the communication channels between you and your Chinese team. That trust takes time to build and you have to build credibility from the very beginning. There are numerous trust traps you can fall into. I think sometimes, unintentionally, there are promises that are put out there. It might come across from a Chinese perspective as a promise that has been made, yet from a Western perspective, it might very well just be conversation. You hear a lot of promises being made: “I will get you this” or “I’ll look into that.” From a Western perspective, you might just say that and it might be on your back burner for awhile. In China, an employee might ask, “am I going to get that next week or am I going to get that in two weeks,” where this person might not be thin
