My morning alarm woke me as usual. My first thought was, “Where am I? Shanghai, Xian, or somewhere else?” I reached for my cell phone with that question still on my mind, as “One new message” appeared on the screen. “This is your flight summary for the year” it read: 97 flights taken; 186,400 kilometers covered; 21 cities visited. You might think that I am a pilot or a flight attendant, but no! I am a talent development consultant in China.

When I started my career as a college professor in China, I had no idea I would move into corporate life as a trainer in a sales department and work my way up to a learning and organization development director for major manufacturing and computer companies. Now, as a freelance learning consultant, my career focuses on leadership and talent development as well as sales growth programs. The unique experience of teaching in school and training in enterprises equipped me with a thorough understanding of the differences between pedagogy and andragogy.

With the rapid growth of technology and change in China in the past decades, the training industry has grown and changed as well. I have been lucky enough to witness the changing classroom delivery methods and behavior of participants during that period.

In the past, a typical Chinese training room view would be of a trainer standing beside a blackboard or whiteboard with chalk or marker in hand, lecturing to a group of participants. Participants would not ask questions; almost all would accept whatever the trainer—the expert—said because challenging a teacher was not encouraged in traditional Chinese culture.

Today’s participants, especially the younger ones, demonstrate independent thinking. They ask questions, and they participate in classroom activities enthusiastically. They still respect trainers and are eager to learn, but they share different views without much hesitation. Lecturing is no longer the only major training method used. Trainers now use action learning facilitation techniques, such as coaching, visual facilitation, and even WeChat for follow-ups.

I am passionate about people development, and especially classroom facilitation. I currently facilitate more than 120 days per year to private, state-owned, and multinational companies in China. In more than 20 years of corporate experience, the scope of my responsibilities has expanded from China to Greater China to Asia Pacific to worldwide, which provided me the privilege of understanding the differences among countries and cultures in the classroom.

People and Culture: Get to Know Your Audience

China has the largest population in the world: 1.38 billion as of 2016. More than 90 percent are Han people, although there are 55 minority groups. Mandarin—standard Chinese—is the official language, but there are 129 dialects. English is increasingly popular in China, especially among young people. For English-speaking international trainers, there is no need to worry about language if delivering training in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen, or for multinational companies.

The one-child policy, a part of the country’s family planning program, was introduced in 1979 and began to be formally phased out in 2015. As a result of the policy, most of the workforce grew up as only children. Be aware of the typical traits of these learners. One of their most common characteristics is that they can be somewhat self-centered. Getting each individual’s participation may take more of an effort here than elsewhere. Trainers need to factor this into training room activities, interactions, and discussion.

China is a typical high-context culture. In a high-context culture, many things are left unsaid, and you must read between the lines. Word choice becomes crucial—a few words communicated to a group in a high-context culture deliver a complex message very effectively. Communication is less efficient once outside that group. For example, humor is a characteristic of many effective trainers; however, a high-context joke might not translate well to someone unfamiliar with the culture. Be sure to have someone familiar with Chinese culture review any jokes beforehand to avoid creating an embarrassing situation.

Shanghai skyline

Participants in China are a little more conservative in classroom activities and interactions than participants from some other cultures. Trainers might face a terrible silence when asking a question. It does not mean students are not thinking. Chinese people simply shy away from opinion sharing. Starting with easy questions or a group activity can help to break the ice and create the interactive atmosphere trainers desire. Once they become acclimated, Chinese people are like other audiences.

Getting Started: Conduct a Needs Assessment

Growing rapidly alongside the economy, the training industry in China has a huge demand for qualified talent development professionals. Entrepreneurship is growing here, especially for medium and small consulting companies.

For needs assessment, interviews are effective when they are conducted correctly and when you have support from managers. The tradition of “face-saving” could make it difficult to uncover training needs that may embarrass an organization or manager. Use a more general questioning approach such as, “If we wanted to improve team building here, what ideas might you have?” Because it can help preserve confidentiality, use of technology is becoming more popular for both needs assessment and evaluations. Keep in mind that feedback is often still not given freely, for fear that the trainer may lose face.

WeChat is the most popular social app in China, and lots of people leverage that for needs assessment before the training program without even being on-site. For example, you can design a needs assessment survey on a website and create a QR code. The participants can then form a WeChat group, and once you share the QR code, everyone can access the website to fill out the survey. You can get instant results, and even get various charts through WeChat to make it more visual.

Here are some points to consider when conducting a needs analysis in China, focusing on past and present trends (OnDemand Consulting n.d.):

• Companies are now more focused on whether a training program improved employee performance, rather than if participants enjoyed the program.

• Priorities at enterprise universities focus on more strategic programs than general management and technology.

• Corporate universities play important roles in educating employees. We see the trend continuing and even becoming much more influential.

• Local consulting firms, especially those focusing on learning technologies, have gained more attention and popularity in the training industry.

• Almost all enterprises and learning solution providers are developing online, mobile, and other web-based learning programs to meet the mobility trend.

• Leadership and management training programs remain a focus in the training industry and come in more varieties.

Itineraries: Plan the Learning Journey

In Chinese education, teachers teach and students listen. You rarely find a situation where there is a group discussion or brainstorming. Many participants are accustomed to this method as adults and still prefer listening instead of participating. That trend is slowly changing, and trainers need to carefully balance lecturing and participating activities.

I once facilitated a leadership class where the program was designed to be 30 percent lecturing and 70 percent participant activities. At the beginning of the second day, I assigned a classroom activity, and some participants complained that they did not want to participate. Instead, they wanted to be taught and claimed that was a more valuable activity. Because the other participants were interested in the activity, we still did it, but I had a short conversation with the people who were complaining, which helped them understand the value of the activity. Trainers need to take this custom into consideration when designing their programs.

In a different situation, working on a real business issue did seem to work. I was delivering a change management training program; the training organizer shared concerns that sales leaders might not be very participative and might lose focus during the training course, due to a major project. When the organizer explained that participants were planning a process and organizational change, I realized we could use the program’s activities to work on the project. We agreed that we would leverage the process, tools, and leadership behaviors in the training program to work on their business. The passion and participation the leaders demonstrated during the training program outshone all other change management sessions I have done. In the end, Chinese learners need to be able to connect with what they’re learning in a very real way.

Another success story occurred at ASIMCO, a China-based auto components manufacturing company. In the ASIMCO Leadership Development Program, participants were asked to work together on a project to practice what they learned to solve real business issues. They had to find senior leaders within the company to act as coaches, and bring coaching reports to the next training session three months later. In between the sessions, there was a monthly, one-hour virtual class. One group that worked on a Lean production project during the program achieved 35 percent savings as a result. The general managers from a third of the operating companies in ASIMCO now are graduates of this program.

Of course, the learning journey does not end when the training course is over. In China, you must still evaluate the success—or failure—of your program. Most Chinese training success measurements don’t reach Kirkpatrick’s Level 3, but recently more organizations have been measuring training success at a higher level. Many managers ask trainers for a checklist of expected behaviors so they can leverage them as a coaching tool to ensure participants apply new behavior changes on the job. Training professionals are also under increased pressure to provide evidence of return on investment, Level 5 of the Phillips’ training evaluation model.

Most people have an open mind for learning technology, and it is very popular in China. For example, one recent client program included an activity where participants pasted paper dots on a flipchart next to the objectives that interest them. Instead of using paper, I incorporated an app called UMU (meaning you, me, us), which is a mobile learning platform. People loved it. By leveraging UMU, participants got to vote for the objective that interested them the most. We achieved our stated activity goal and inspired a higher energy level from the very beginning. Chinese learners expect a very high level of energy in the classroom, particularly during activities.

Again, WeChat is a popular mobile app for post-training activities. Instructors and participants can use it to share work-related information, pictures, videos, and other materials.

Finally, be creative in delivering sessions. The Chinese are eager for new and inventive ways to receive knowledge and skills. I recently worked with a friend in a presentation skills training class to leverage his expertise in graphic facilitation and achieved fantastic results. At the end of each session, I called participants’ attention to the visuals we used and reviewed what we’d discussed during the session. The participants were very engaged throughout and thought it was a good learning experience.

Packing Lists: Logistics, Technology, and Resources

In most situations, trainers will not face resources issues, especially in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

However, for those trainers who prefer using flipcharts, hotels rarely provide stands, nor are all of the walls suitable for posting. So you either need to bring your own stands or find another way to present the material. You could consult the training room owner and provide a checklist of specific requests for flipcharts, stands, and wall charts.

One more thing to pay attention to is laptop connection to projectors. Most of the projectors at hotels or companies in China still use VGA cables. Be prepared; for example, if you have a Mac, bring an adapter so you can hook your computer to the projector.

The usual training start and end times are 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., with one hour for lunch. Lunch and tea breaks are provided, normally. Do not be surprised if participants take a nap at their desk after lunch, especially in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, or other cities in the southern part of China.

Customs: Body Language Dos and Don’ts

Body language in China is much more conservative compared with Western cultures, although this is changing. Here are a few points it is important to be aware of in the classroom:

• Don’t stand or sit too close to participants. People prefer to sit farther from the trainer. The seats at the back of the room fill up first.

• Participants will be sensitive to you looking them in the eye.

• Avoid frequently exaggerating body language.

• In some typical state-owned Chinese companies, learners will be more comfortable if the trainer is sitting instead of standing.

• The Chinese expect professional greetings in the training room, such as a handshake. Avoid a kiss on the cheek or a hug.

Here’s an example of a body language faux pas: I was training in a very large state-owned company in China. Three times during the course, the training manager came to me with a chair and said, “This is the chair for you.” I didn’t sit down the first two times but finally did on the third time, realizing that there must be something going on. He shared with me later that one of the senior leaders commented that my standing style made him uncomfortable.

Climate: Create Warm Learning Environment

Creating a warm learning environment is critical, because although Chinese people are warmhearted, they may appear cold at first. Strangers in China will not normally start a conversation immediately. It is not uncommon for two participants to sit at the same table without speaking or even saying hello. This distance can negatively affect training.

Here are a few ways to create a warm learning environment:

• Let the participants choose their own seat or table at first, and then change the arrangements later if necessary.

• Encourage participants to network before class starts.

• An icebreaker at the beginning of the class can set the right tone. Even a simple one, like having participants introduce themselves by using each letter in their name to think of a word that relates to who they are, can be a fun exercise. For example: DAVID—D is for dancing because I like to dance. A is for avid reader; V is for very nice; I is for influential as a trainer; and the last D is for driving, because I enjoy driving.

• Design learning activities that require teamwork.

• Chinese participants enjoy going out to eat. Eating is seen as a social experience to share.

Things to Consider: Handle Classroom Challenges

Many trainers like to ask, “Any questions?” after explaining a topic. However, in China this might lead to silence. It’s not that participants have no questions; rather, the question is framed poorly, so they don’t know how to answer. Be prepared with several easy, specific questions to spark conversation. For instance, ask for their insights on the topic, to describe the relevance of the subject to workers in China, or how they can use what they’ve learned.

There may be other reasons why participants don’t answer questions. They might not want to be the one who seems to be having difficulty understanding the information, and as a result look less intelligent. Intellectual appearance is critical. It could be that they have a different opinion and don’t want to challenge the trainer. They also don’t want to be the center of attention.

Here are a few suggestions for encouraging participation:

• At the very beginning of the program, explain to participants that questions you ask are meant to get their input or opinion. They’re for making participation easier, not to test learners’ intelligence.

• Start with a close-ended question to involve participants.

• Pose the question first, then pause to make brief eye contact with the participants to signal that you want an answer.

• Reward the participant who answers the question.

Many participants in China believe that learning is teachers talking and students listening without conversation. Other participants think activities and exercises are time-consuming and prevent them from getting more valuable information.

I was once facilitating a negotiation program in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province (and the home of a prominent giant-panda research base). When I gave directions for a third negotiation exercise, one of the participants raised his hand and said, “Can you just tell us what points we need to pay attention to and what skills we need to use in the case? We do not need to do the exercises. We want to save time for more solid content.” Looking around the room, I realized that other participants had the same concern. I had to stop to explain the value of experience, reflection, and feedback for skills learning. They seemed unconvinced, yet they completed the exercise. After the debrief, they realized how the activity could help them learn better.

In handling the need-for-more-information challenge, trainers need to understand the participants’ learning preferences in advance. Describe the value of the exercise or activity in the learning process. Debrief the activity or exercise thoroughly.

A baby panda in Chengdu’s giant-panda research base

Tips and Warnings: Advice for Nonnative Trainers

A fifth of the world’s population lives in China. When visiting one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, you will see a melding of an ancient culture and a Westernized lifestyle. The two coexist like the yin and yang forces, maintaining the balance of the universe. Keep this balance in mind when visiting China. Do not be lulled into forgetting some long-held traditions because of the modern face of China.

Here are some general tips to consider:

• Do respect elders. This tradition is still very important.

• Do speak slowly and make sure participants can follow.

• Do start with an icebreaking exercise to warm up and get the participants engaged.

• Do not delay the sessions. It is important to be punctual in closing the program.

• Do not use stories or words from Western religions, as most Chinese participants will not understand. Also, Chinese people do not say “God bless you” after someone sneezes.

• Don’t assume all Chinese people speak the same language. For example, if two people are speaking in a Shanghai dialect, I, as a Beijing local, won’t understand their conversation.

• Do learn some Chinese to get close to participants: xie xie (thank you), ni hao (hello), and wo hen gao xing lai dao zhe li (I am happy to be here).

Bon Voyage

It has been almost 40 years since China opened up as a country to the outside world. People are getting more and more internationally minded. Trainers from all over the world are welcome in China. Bring a global mindset, and enjoy the sessions and the Chinese participants.

About the Author

David Xue is currently a freelance consultant, having previously been the director of learning and organization development at Microsoft, Greater China. Prior to that, he worked as the regional learning director for Asia Pacific at Ingersoll Rand and the director of talent development for the Asia-Pacific region at Dell. His specialties include talent management, leadership development, sales training and development, and facilitation.

Reference

OnDemand Consulting. n.d. “Training Business.” OnDemand Consulting. www.ondemand-learning.com/index.html.

The Great Wall of China in Beijing