Differences and Similarities in Eastern and Western Workplace Cultures

Here are some immature observations. I have never worked in China, so I filled in the section for Chinese people based on what I heard and saw in school.

Differences

What Americans Value	What Chinese People Value
Persuasiveness Public speaking is the foundation of a democratic society	Actions speak louder than words A gentleman is cautious in speech but quick in action
Being emotional is shameful/unprofessional Hypocrisy/professionalism	Being genuine Losing face
Meetings are for making decisions	Meetings are for finalizing decisions
Preference for diamonds	Preference for jade
Confidence Even if it’s not possible, say it is I am better than others	Humility Even if it’s possible, say it’s not Others are better than me
Independent thinking Challenging authority	Team spirit Obedience and execution

Similarities

Both Americans and Chinese value:

• Business acumen
• Vision and strategic decision-making ability
• Unity is strength (The Chinese people I have worked with in the past were very united, although many have biases against this)
• People are more important than tasks; relationships determine outcomes
• Flexibility in responding to VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity)