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Posts Tagged ‘management’

Interview with Steve Crandall: SME business in China

Tanya Crossman

Tanya Crossman

Technomic Asia’s China Business Podcast posted a great interview with Steve Crandall this week. The focus is on SMEs working in China, and Steve shares some good insights.  Listen to the interview here.

Steve comes to us with a long history in China, starting in the 1980s when he was a student here.  Steve went on to set up the first foreign owned car dealership in China when he set up Crandall Ford up in Tianjin (Steve comes from several generations of Ford dealers back in Ohio).  He then went on to start up several manufacturing and sales operations for SMEs in China, incubating them until the client was ready to take over.

Here are some highlights from the interview:

About the “China market”

  • China’s population numbers alone don’t tell you what market you could sell to
  • There is no “China market” – different regions act differently
  • This means opportunity – one market might be unaccessible, while another is open

Being successful elsewhere may not transfer to China

  • Just because you did it “this way” in your home country, doesn’t mean it works that way in China!
  • It’s important to think things through rather than relying on your “gut feeling”
  • Be aware of the different culture, including when you put together a team – what you need may be different
  • Understanding the language is not enough – must understand the cultural understanding behind it

SME vs Big Business

  • Both are facing the same problems (cash flow, IP, complicated situations) but SMEs have less resources to deal with them
  • SMEs should take a phased approach: start small and once you succeed, add another level
  • Building excellence is not enough – “build it and they will come” does not work
  • Anecdotes and individual stories don’t give you the full picture
  • Be humble – build a good staff and lean on their understanding of China to inform your decisions

1 Comment

Posted in : Business in China, Entrepreneurs

15 Warning Signs That Your Business Sucks

Tanya Crossman

Tanya Crossman

This week we have been thinking on an article by Neil Patel over on QuickSprout called 15 signs that your business sucks.

An attention-grabbing headline, and the content keeps your attention. As Neil states at the beginning, there is no exact science to tell you whether your business will succeed or fail, but he brings up 15 factors that contribute to the failures of many start-ups.

1. You’re not making a profit
2. You haven’t talked to a potential customer
3. You don’t love what you do
4. You can’t take criticism
5. You don’t care about your customers
6. People don’t talk about your company
7. You’re not agile enough
8. You aren’t cheap
9. You don’t know when to spend money
10. You don’t have a good lawyer
11. You hate to delegate
12. You keep on making the same mistakes
13. You hate taking risks
14. You’re on your first business
15. You can’t focus

I’m sure any business out there will find a few areas from this list that could use some attention. We certainly found a few that apply to us.

Do any of the items on Neil’s list ring a bell for you?
What other factors do you think are important in running a successful business?

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Posted in : Entrepreneurs

Constructive Confrontation

Jill Coyle

Jill Coyle

In my article, Confronting Conflict, I talked about some of the things I’d learned about dealing with conflict in the workplace, specifically in my role as a business owner and manager.

A comment from reader Alison Friedman got me thinking about what confrontation looks like when it is done well. She noted that my tips were all about what NOT to do. So, here are a few tips on WHAT to do when confronting – and HOW to do it.

Some things TO DO

1)      Take the bull by the horns

  • Say what needs to be said
  • Try to do it quickly (but not if you’re angry)
  • Do it in a caring way – i.e. This is for your good and the company’s good
  • Try to make it constructive – i.e., Here are some things you can work on, Here’s how to deal with this next time.

2)      Make people talk to each other

If there are squabbles between two colleagues, first try to get them to work it out together. I’ve found this extremely difficult in Chinese culture (talking about it means admitting a problem). If you must, sit with the two people and try to help them talk AND listen to each other.

3)      Do it every time

The last thing you want is for an employee to be making mistakes; meanwhile you’re watching and internally grumbling about it – but saying nothing. If you’re grumbling – you need to say something NOW. Because otherwise, it’ll all build up – and one day it’s going to explode (destructive rather than constructive).

How to confront in a constructive manner:

1)      TSF (Timely Specific Feedback)

A couple years ago, some friends were sharing about a concept they used within their organization – a concept called TSF. Timely – in that you tell people within a timely (or short) period. Specific – meaning, don’t say “Great job out there.” But say, “Hey, I liked it when you asked that question, because people really engaged and discussed it.”

  • TSF is for both positive AND negative feedback. And THE GREAT THING about giving positive TSF is that when the time comes for negative TSF, the person is much more likely to listen to you because there has been a build-up of trust and caring.

2)      Ask questions

You can ask questions about the situation or problem, the person’s current emotional status (things at home can affect things at work), happiness with his/her position, health, etc,

  • Sometimes gaining a better understanding of the situation or the background will help with the confronting process.

How do you give constructive feedback?
What do you think of the concept of TSF?
What have been responses when you’ve had to confront – did certain things make it better or worse?

1 Comment

Posted in : Business Relationships, HR

A Lesson for Managers: Confronting Conflict

Jill Coyle

Jill Coyle

One difficult thing that I’ve faced as a business owner is dealing with conflict—especially in dealing with conflict within our team.

During our start-up phase 6 years ago, hiring staff that had superior industry knowledge was a daunting task in of itself; it was quite intimidating to be “new” at the business, yet also be the boss. Some of these employees had worked in their field since I was in middle school.

So when conflicts starting flaring up, I absolutely did not want to “have a talk” with them about their personality failings or lack of teamwork.

Not very confrontational in nature, I decided to hope the problems would go away (which of course they didn’t). And the cycles began of things escalating, me doing a dance around the issues (never confronting), then things calming down. And then the cycle would start again.

Another tactic I tried (rather than confrontation) was playing “peacemaker” between them – rather than making them deal with the problems themselves.

These two tactics – avoidance and peacemaker – didn’t work.

Long story short, here are a couple things I am (still) learning:

1)    Especially as the boss, I need to communicate clearly with an employee who is having a bad attitude or not being a teamplayer. Why? To continue to give clear definition and boundaries to that employee’s job description – and to let him/her know what is or isn’t acceptable behavior

2)    Not confronting affects everyone. People get confused if we say that teamwork is important, but then don’t confront the attitudes or behaviors that say teamwork isn’t important

3)    People don’t thrive in confusion. When people are confused about their job description or the expectations on them – there isn’t clarity to get the job done and there isn’t much personal growth.

4)    People need to deal with their own issues – and they need to deal with their inter-relational conflicts themselves. A little help or coaching from the boss is fine – but in the end, it is up to them to learn from their shortcomings and failures…or to move on.

A final word

Confrontation is just another kind of feedback. Make sure you are also giving positive feedback – otherwise, there will be little trust and acceptance during confrontation.

What are some lessons you’ve learned through conflict?
Have you found yourself intimidated by your employees (or colleagues)?
If so, how did you deal with conflict in those situations?

7 Comments

Posted in : Business Relationships, Entrepreneurs, HR

Company Culture – it begins with Compliance

Danny Coyle

Danny Coyle

This post on A Sales Guy blog got me thinking about company culture. The post talks about the difference between Culture and Compliance – that employees doing what you say out of fear does not equal a company culture, but rather, compliance to your way of doing things. To my way of thinking, however Compliance and Culture are not mutually exclusive terms.

Sometimes, employees or group members don’t understand the culture and need to be forced to comply. After some time, they “see the light” and understand why company culture is the way it is. At that point they gladly embrace the culture.

All of my employees are in China. Obviously, there are differences in the way business is generally done in China as opposed to in the US. We choose not to conform to the business culture prevalent here but to hold our company to a higher standard. One example is our company’s strict “no lying” policy – something our staff don’t always find natural or easy to accept.

Most of them comply with this mandate at first – it is not something they have bought into but rather a rule that they follow. Once they see the long term benefits, however, it becomes a cause they champion as well. While they are expected to comply at first, they gradually accept it and apply it on their own.

In this way we instill our company values in our employees. It’s not just about hiring staff who hold all the values of our company culture (although finding employees with matching values is important). Rather, it is about educating our staff – explaining the WHY behind the way we do things. As they come to understand the motives that fuel our company culture, our staff become more invested in the company and in its success.

A basic element of leadership is influencing those around you for positive change. We hope to have a positive influence on each member of our staff as we demand compliance to our company culture and discuss its importance with them.

How does your company encourage the development of a positive company culture?
How does compliance figure into the culture at your company?

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Posted in : Business Relationships, Business in China, Entrepreneurs, International Business

BOPS – the Balance Of Power Shift

Jill Coyle

Jill Coyle

Read a great article on Chinese Negotiation Blog recently about the power struggle between supplier and customer. They use the term “BOPS” (Balance Of Power Shift) which I love! It succinctly defines what I’ve usually just called the cold shoulder.

I’ve always found it rather confusing when suddenly a supplier just didn’t want to do a sample for us (a supplier we’ve used for 6 years), or when a supplier just took his sweet old time when we were telling him, “This could be a moneymaker if you finished it THIS YEAR!”

Read the full BOPS article here

Everything is about relationship here in China. One thing that helps is to just continue to build those customer-supplier relationships – go see your supplier when possible, try to do negotiations face-to-face, go out to lunch, etc. It’s much harder for a supplier to write you off when you’re right there in front of him.

Building long term relationships with our suppliers in a high priority for Imports Oriental. To read more about how we’ve improved product through working with our suppliers in person, check out these  two articles

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Posted in : Business Relationships, Business in China, Export, International Business, Manufacturing

Resources for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners

Jill Coyle

Jill Coyle

For entrepreneurs and small business owners, training is a must. We need to learn and grow in order to build our businesses. The problem is finding resources that fit our time (and cost!) restraints. Thankfully there are a lot of great resources online. The net is a great place to start – you can build connections with other leaders, get good advice, and even find free and low-cost online training.

To get you started, here are two recent articles for small business leaders that I enjoyed.

Self Employment Sucks

This article contrasts self employment and entrepreneurs. The two example stories given contrast a person who just created a job for himself and another who built a viable, energetic business. In the six years I’ve been running Imports Oriental I have seen  myself functioning in both these roles. The starting phase was a fun but volatile time; in the mid-phase I was just hiring whoever I could find and trying to learn the ropes of being a manager rather than just an entrepreneur.

After a year or two I learned that I need to hire talented people and that I need to stick with what I’M best at (BUILDING rather than just managing). This has changed the dynamics and atmosphere of my company – I feel like there is more of an excited-vibe in our whole team.

3 Success Strategies for Small Business

In this article Anna Miller shares three great tips that have all proved true for our business:

1) Make customer service your USP – Customer Service and Quality Control have given Imports Oriental a competitive edge over other factories supplying the same items. Our customers will pay more for quality and service.

2) Don’t bite off more than you can chew – I’ve learned the hard way that Imports Oriental needs to grow gradually and incrementally. We now only do products and orders that are within our expertise and abilities.

3) Practice what you preach – leading by example is essential!

What about you? What online resources add value to your business?

2 Comments

Posted in : Community, Entrepreneurs

The Foreign Girl: Finding a place among Chinese colleagues

Tanya Crossman

Tanya Crossman

For the past two years I have been the only foreign employee working in our company’s Langfang office. The directors are foreigners but as the employers have a necessarily different role, and aren’t in the office full time anyway. I am often the only English speaker in the building.

I struggled to find a sense of belonging in my workplace. My status as the foreign girl set me apart so clearly that I was unsure how to be one of the team – if this was even possible.

Comments were made about me (in front of me) on a near-daily basis – about my clothing, hair, weight, etc. – always accompanied by laughter. It was never malicious but it grated on my nerves – and my insecurities.

A defining moment happened two or three months after I arrived. One of the ladies smiled broadly upon seeing me, saying “I like having you around. Your smile makes people feel good.” Someone wanted me there!

Still, it wasn’t easy. Lunches were especially difficult. All employees share a lunch provided by the company. Most days the ladies would take note of what, and how much, I ate – then discuss their observations and laugh while I sat there. Resentment started to grow.

Some days I thought it would just be easier to get my own lunch away from the gossip. But I knew this was the one place where we shared common ground; we were all just employees eating lunch. The same lunch.

So I adjusted my attitude. I could eat anywhere, but I chose to eat there because I knew that it built relationship.

And I listened. I listened to what they talked about, to their teasing and jokes. Slowly, I started to join their conversations. At first, my attempts drew laughter and strange looks, but I persevered. I mimicked their casual banter; I responded to their stories and jokes. Slowly I became included in conversations. I was not just talked about – I was talked to.

I often made linguistic or cultural errors, but as they became more comfortable with me these mistakes were less likely to stop a conversation dead.  The rapport built over lunch carried over to the rest of the work day. Although the ladies still chattered about what I was wearing or eating, it felt less like being observed and more like being fussed over by family.

I still have days where I feel totally alien. I now have the confidence, however, to start conversations – to chat, not about work, but building friendship. I know I am accepted by those I work with even though I am different, which makes me more relaxed—and much more effective in my job.

1 Comment

Posted in : Business in China, HR, International Business

People Manager: The Job I Didn’t Expect

Jill Coyle

Jill Coyle

When we were in the first years of business and we started to grow, I didn’t expect that managing people would be such a tough job. It fell into the category of things-I-didn’t-enjoy, like filing taxes in three countries for five businesses. Non-confrontational by nature, I especially didn’t like people-managing when things weren’t going well—sorting out differences between employees, firing people, that sort of thing.

The ironic thing? People are the absolute core—the heart and soul—of our business. Our small business could not have accomplished half of what it has without a talented team. People management is not a skill that comes naturally to me but it is a vital skill that can be learned over time. Here are a few things I’ve learned about managing people.

Don’t avoid problems

I have learned (the hard way) that avoiding people-problems doesn’t make them (the problems or the people) go away. A problem unaddressed will continue to grow and have a negative effect on your team.

Listen

We all know that communication is important, but communication is a two-way street. I had to learn to talk with (rather than talk to) employees. I learned to say little and listen a lot. I learned to listen to both sides of a story and to try to encourage people to talk with each other.

Social Time

I’ve also found that it helps to spend time with key employees away from the office—go out for lunch or coffee and just chat about life or about what they’re currently working on. It helps build the trust and relationship in both directions.

2 Comments

Posted in : Business Relationships, Entrepreneurs, HR

Hiring Talent

Jill Coyle

Jill Coyle

A small business starts with the ideas and hard work of an entrepreneur. However, without adding more talent to the team, the business will always stay small—in size, talent, and vision. To increase your company’s capacity you must increase the team of talented people who think, work, and manage alongside you.


Over the years we’ve learned some important lessons about hiring the right talent.


Hire people that are better than you

We had to learn to not be intimidated by hiring top-notch employees, some of whom had been in their industry since we were in middle school. Why? Because, in order to build our business, we needed that expertise.

As an entrepreneur, you will sometimes think you need to be an expert in everything. Certainly, you needs to be well-versed in the various aspects of your own business, whether it’s international tax, AdWords, or annual reviews. But you need not be the expert.

You want these talented people to join your team. The better the talent, the better the team. Talented people will build your company.


Find potential

When conducting interviews, look for people who have a “spark” and a good attitude. An ideal employee is one with the capacity to grow beyond the position you’re hiring for. A bright person with little experience in the field will often be more valuable in the long run that an experienced person who will never rise beyond the initial position they are hired for.


Look for independent thinkers

You don’t want a bunch of drone bees that you have to hand-hold. You want people who will think for themselves, challenge the process, speak up, make decisions, and make mistakes (and learn from them).

A team of thinkers will clash more than a team of followers. They will question your decisions and posit their own solutions to problems. While this can challenge the ego of a leader, it will build your company—if you let it. Having a team of creative and independent thinkers will result in more ideas and solutions for overcoming problems your business faces.


Now you are leading leaders

Once you identify and hire talented people for your business, the real challenge begins – learning to lead a team of leaders! Leading people who may be better-educated, older, or more experienced is a tremendous challenge – but it can be done. Listen to your leaders, encourage them, have fun with them, teach them, learn together – all of these are important pieces to becoming a team.

Don’t be afraid of them. Consider their opinions and ideas and weigh them carefully—but you don’t necessarily need to follow their proposals. Have confidence in yourself and in your vision for your company. Inspire your employees with why you should go a certain direction. And trust that they will follow you.

Keep tabs on your team. One member who is inflexible and unwilling to listen or change can silence and stifle the entire team. Even if that person is a valuable member, for the team’s sake, you may need to remove him or her.


Leaders will take you places you wouldn’t even dream of

Awhile ago, we hired a brilliant sales guy to do sales for our travelwear line. He was constantly challenging current models and coming up with new sales ideas; we learned so much just from his brainstorming. Which got us thinking about possibly starting a knitwear line (his previous sales experience)—something we never would’ve thought of! After extensive research and projections, we decided to go forward with Phase I of starting a knitwear factory. And now, he is leading that team.


Bottom line: talented people will make you—and your business—develop and grow in ways you never thought possible.

1 Comment

Posted in : Business Relationships, Entrepreneurs, HR

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