I am the first to admit that I struggle to feel like I am adding value working in this culture. I am a "what you see is what you get" kinda guy, but I think it's a little contradictory to the way that most of my Chinese coworkers operate. As I believe is the case with the average westerner, I tend to give you my trust and then wait for you to screw me over, while my sense of most people here is that they will give you their trust only after long evidence that you deserve it. They are extremely polite, courteous, and helpful, and yet the smiles never seem to quite make it to the eyes. I compare that to the Latin culutures I have worked in where the smiles generally light up the face.
But it is what it is. Neither good nor bad, just what it is. And it is up to me to adjust my style in order to be effective. I have to work on it because I am not comfortable if I don't feel like I am a "net positive contributor".
What do I mean by that? Well, as we go through our daily routines of work and life we make withdrawals and deposits. With work one of the withdrawals is of course the salary that you receive. Another one may be the mistakes you occasionally make both from a technical and a relationship perspective. The idea of course is that the deposits you make, the value you add, outweighs the withdrawals. I did have one exceptional meeting with one of the senior leaders who perhaps not coincidenatlly lived in Canada for several years despite being born and raised in China, and so I'm going to try to believe that it paid my wages for the last several days.
The point of all that is that I think the idea of being a net positive contributor (NPC) deserves merit, and could easily be applied to any situation or circumstance. Are you an NPC in your work? Are you an NPC in your family? When you stumble into someone else's emotional situation are you an NPC? Or how about just being a participating member of the human race and living on this planet....are you a net positive contributor?? I think I am, but just barely. I would like to start moving a little further away from the proverbial "fine line" Wish me luck.
"The play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"---Anon
"So much sadness exists in the world that we are all under obligation to contribute as much joy as lies within our powers"--- John Bonnell
Love
Peter
But it is what it is. Neither good nor bad, just what it is. And it is up to me to adjust my style in order to be effective. I have to work on it because I am not comfortable if I don't feel like I am a "net positive contributor".
What do I mean by that? Well, as we go through our daily routines of work and life we make withdrawals and deposits. With work one of the withdrawals is of course the salary that you receive. Another one may be the mistakes you occasionally make both from a technical and a relationship perspective. The idea of course is that the deposits you make, the value you add, outweighs the withdrawals. I did have one exceptional meeting with one of the senior leaders who perhaps not coincidenatlly lived in Canada for several years despite being born and raised in China, and so I'm going to try to believe that it paid my wages for the last several days.
The point of all that is that I think the idea of being a net positive contributor (NPC) deserves merit, and could easily be applied to any situation or circumstance. Are you an NPC in your work? Are you an NPC in your family? When you stumble into someone else's emotional situation are you an NPC? Or how about just being a participating member of the human race and living on this planet....are you a net positive contributor?? I think I am, but just barely. I would like to start moving a little further away from the proverbial "fine line" Wish me luck.
"The play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"---Anon
"So much sadness exists in the world that we are all under obligation to contribute as much joy as lies within our powers"--- John Bonnell
Love
Peter
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