《ChaseDream Career七月刊文章推荐》--跨越文化鸿沟 访袁国富先生

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跨越文化鸿沟 访袁国富先生

文/刘思颖

    袁国富先生（Leslie Yuen）是智体奥（GTO）公司的创立者和首席行政官。智体奥（GTO）公司总部设于硅谷，主要业务是帮助小企业和创业型公司做全球化培训和咨询服务，以及帮助在美国的中国企业克服文化差异。袁国富曾是硅谷华源科技协会（HYSTA，简称华源）的执行总监（2012），现担任华源顾问。作为一个香港人，在美国生活和工作时，他并未摒弃中国文化，反而思考其与美国文化的不同，从而如鱼得水地驰骋大洋两岸商界，并且常用他的经验来指导青年创业者和留学生。有着超过20年销售经验的他将告诉我们跨文化交流在商业中的重要意义，特别是本土化如何帮助走出国门的中国企业在外国市场取胜，以及对希望出国留学的青年学子的寄望。

ChaseDream Career (CDC)：您最近与丁丁电视合作出品了硅谷第一个创业达人与风险投资互动的电视节目《西游计》，节目一大亮点就是您作为嘉宾对创业者进行“创业情商”指导的环节，为什么情商对于创业者如此重要？

袁国富先生(Leslie)：95%的创业会走向失败是因为不能逾越产品发展到商业化之间的鸿沟。在商业化这个阶段以及更具挑战性的全球化阶段，人际技巧和情商显得尤为关键：你需要激励你的团队，获取有利的客户源，对渠道合作伙伴施加影响，说服投资商等。如何清晰阐明你的价值主张，如何处理反对意见和失败，这些都需要极高的情商。对多元化的美国文化来说，跨文化理解与交流便极其重要。我喜欢研究人，所以我第一个学位拿的是心理学。我从伊士曼柯达（Eastman Kodak）干起，在上世纪80年代率先将西方技术引入到中国，90年代到了美国，成为美国市场的第一位华裔销售经理，后来离开柯达成为莱**技术（Lionbridge）的第五号员工。在过去的十年中，我为许多中国公司提供进入市场策略的咨询服务。就这样“河东三十年，河西三十年”，在太平洋东西两岸往复，积攒了国际化商业经验，这过程中我发现对于有抱负的创业者，情商远比智商重要得多。

CDC：您刚才提到加入伊士曼柯达公司（Eastman Kodak）并成为美国市场第一个华裔销售经理，那您是如何做到在这样一家著名的世界级公司取得事业成功的？

Leslie：我在柯达做了十年。五年在香港，五年在美国。那是一段非常棒的经历。我的销售生涯始于香港，那里大部分员工都是中国人。1990年，我在美国柯达继续我的销售事业。当时，几乎所有的财富500强公司只雇佣有着特定简历的白人作大客户销售经理。由于我在香港出色的销售记录和沟通技巧，以及拥有在美国成功销售的“秘籍”，我的照片被放在柯达董事会房间作为少数族裔的成功代表。那时，人们很难见到穿着西服打着领带、代表财富500强企业的亚洲人。

[CDC：那么您的“秘籍”是什么呢？]做一个值得信赖的人，并且不断学习和实践，不断进步和创新。交流也是关键要素，在这点上，我的心理学背景起到了很大帮助。作为中国人，我们要发挥我们的优势——勤奋用功，以及对善于体察他人。但我们需要学习美国销售最棒的实务和方法，比如，战略销售；学习并实践美国本土商业文化；学习打高尔夫、网球，能聊聊运动，跟美国人打成一片。

另外，也有大环境的因素。自60年代以来，美国在多元化（diversity）方面取得了不小的进展；90年代初，美国公司开始极力欢迎多元化，那意味着不同族裔背景的人都有晋升机会。所以我也是运气好，能赶上那个时代，被柯达选中。但更最重的是，在他们选我之前，我得具备相应的价值和资质。

CDC：可否分别谈谈在硅谷和在中国的创业文化？

Leslie：硅谷的文化有着高度的包容性和极强的容忍度。人们认为失败理所当然，敢于接受失败。而且这里有超级集中的资源来支持和滋养创业。譬如看看华源的董事会那些成功的企业家、风险投资人等等，这是硅谷的“成功方程式”，是硅谷文化的反映，这就是为什么人们认为硅谷是“世界的头号创新工厂”。

而在中国，情况截然不同。中国文化里，失败被认为是“丢脸”，古语所谓“成王败寇”。但是事实上每10次创业几乎有9次都会以失败告终。所以中国式的思维模式对潜在的创业者而言是一种无形的心理障碍。另一方面，中国的创投体系不如美国成熟，这表现在创业融资、知识产权保护等方面。还有协作心态：在美国，事情更加公开透明；而在中国，人们更喜欢单打独斗——这也是为什么通常中国的企业都是垂直一体化，像百度、腾讯、阿里巴巴等等。

另外，美国社会是一个大熔炉。在这里，不同的文化的融汇滋养了创业的沃土：一半以上的硅谷成功创业者有着移民背景。

CDC：提到中国的文化背景，有哪些部分需要我们去继承发扬的？

Leslie：中国的传统文化的精华带给我们独特的优势。《孙子兵法》作为一本军事战略著作，被广泛应用在商业中，全世界的顶尖公司都在教员工吸收它的精华。这是美国企业的领导者正在学习的中国文化的核心价值。当然，这样的传统文化精髓是我们引以为傲且需要精通的。

我们——中国学生、员工以及企业决策者——需要学习在美国怎样做生意。在中国，你吃顿晚餐或者唱次卡拉OK就成交了，但在美国可不是这样，有各种微妙的制约平衡。我们做市场、销售或者企划时，要采取“拿来主义”去学习这里行之有效的程序和方法，而不是自己闭门造车。同时，我们还需学习本地消费者的行为、市场偏好及决策过程。不要妄想从北京派来一个中国执行官，复制中国模式就期待好的结果。我们需

要建立一个本土团队，这个团队得反映出我们所服务的市场的多元化构成。产品本土化是必须的，企业文化本土化同样必要。2012年，中国对美国投资超过107亿美元，并且有明显的增长趋势。未来的学习曲线是很陡峭的，就像上世纪80年代台湾和韩国企业来美国一样……我很喜欢向他人教授“在跨文化市场做创新型营销”。

CDC：您在许多高校演讲过，包括斯坦福大学、伯克利大学、旧金山大学，以及香港大学等。您对中国的学生及年轻的职场人有什么建议？

Leslie：中国学生勤奋，在学校里表现很好，但他们往往在企业晋升、创业或其他社交活动

中落后于人。对于中国人融入西方主流社会的一大挑战便是跨文化交流。所以我的建议是：出国留学，这是一个宝贵的人生体验，你的收获将远不止于课堂。我鼓励学生去学习，去适应，去跟当地学生和国际学生交朋友。中国学生往往喜欢扎堆抱团，但这样一来他们会错失很多学习新东西的机会。我觉得在这里，中国学生有做“大使”的使命，作为文化使者去交流，寻求跨文化的认同，为未来的进一步交流合作奠定良好的基础。没有这些跨文化的理解和认同，中国和美国可能会一直拥有分歧；但是当你有机会交流及合作，未来会更好——不仅仅针对学生，对于领导者和企业管理者也是一样，而这将会使两国合作走向更美好的局面。

Crossing the chasm: the importance of IQ and EQ from startupto commercialization

by SiyingLiu

Leslie Yuen, Founder & CEO ofGlobalization Training Office (GTO), former Executive Director (2012) and nowadvisor of HYSTA, shared his views on cross-cultural communication, drawing hisover two decades of experience with leading global companies.

CDC: You recently co-produced Battle Silicon, a TVprogram for entrepreneurs to compete with one another and interact withinvestors. Since EQ coaching is a highlight of Battle Silicon, why is EQ soimportant for entrepreneurs?

95% of startups fail because of the challengeof crossing the chasm from product development to commercialization. Peopleskills and emotional intelligence become very critical in the commercializationphase, and going global is even more challenging: you need to motivate yourteam, to acquire profitable clients, to influence channel partners, to convinceinvestors, etc. Articulating your value propositions, handling objections andfailures, etc. all require significant emotional intelligence/maturity.

In the diversified US culture, cross culturalunderstanding and communication becomes very important. I love people and Ifinished my first degree in Psychology. I started with Eastman Kodak,pioneering the introduction of western technology to China during 80’s, becamethe first Chinese Sales Manager for the US market,

and later in 90’s joined Lionbridge Technologies(Nasdaq: LIOX) as the #5 employee. In the past decade I’ve been consulting ongo-to-market strategies for various Chinese companies. From my global businessexperience, EQ is more important than IQ for any aspiring entrepreneurs.

CDC:Speaking of joining Eastman Kodak and becoming thefirst Chinese sales manager for the US market, how did you succeed in yourcareer in a prestigious global company? What’s the secret sauce and how topractice it?

I started my sales career with Kodak in HongKong, where most employees are Chinese. I continued my sales career in Kodak inthe USA in 1990. At that time, most Fortune 500 employed only white with certainprofile to be Account/sales Manager. My promotion was because of my excellenttrack record in Hong Kong, my communication skills, and that I had what it tookto become a successful sales manager in the US. In fact, my photo was posted inthe Kodak board room as outstanding minority in the company; people hardly seean Asian in suite and tire representing a Fortune 500. So in my ten years withKodak, five each in HK and the US, my learning was: Be authentic, learn andpractice, keep improving/ innovate, etc. Again communication is the key. Mypsychology training helps.

[CDC: What did it take to be a successfulsales manager in the US?] Learn the US sales best practice and methodologies:Strategic Selling, for example. Learn and practice the local business culture:golf, tennis, etc. You should be able to talk about sports. Plus, leverage ourstrengths as Chinese: hard working, sensitive to others feelings, etc. Alsonote that in the early 90s, Corporate America were embracing diversity, whichmeans people with different ethical background should all have the opportunityto be promoted. I think I was lucky in a way that Kodak selected me. On top ofthat, the merits/qualifications have to be there before they selected me.

CDC: Could you shed some light on the cultures of SiliconValley (SV) vs. China,

especially for entrepreneurship?

The SV culture has high inclusion and tolerance.Failure is expected and accepted. Also, there is huge resource pool to providesupport and nurturing to startups – as an example, look at the composition ofHYSTA’s Board. Those are the “success formula,” a reflection of the SV culture.That’s why SV is regarded “the innovation head office of the world.”

In China, it is a different story. In Chineseculture, to fail is considered to “lose face.” But almost 9 out of 10 startupsend in failure. That mindset poses a psychological barrier to would-be entrepreneurs.On the other hand, the entrepreneurial ecosystem in China is not as mature asin the US, in terms of financials, IP support, etc. Also, the collaborationmentality: In the US things are more open and transparent, whereas in China peopletend to go it alone. This explains why in general Chinese companies are verticallyintegrated, like Baidu, Tencent, Alibaba, etc.

In addition, the US is a melting pot, wherediverse cultures merge and leave with diverse strengths. This merging cultureis very conducive for entrepreneurship: over half of the successful SV startupshave founders with immigrant background.

CDC: Speaking of Chinese cultural background, what arethe things we should leverage?

Chinese have a very good competitive advantage.Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, as military strategy applied to business, is taughteverywhere in top companies.

That’s an inherent value proposition forChinese culture that American executives are learning. Of course, this issomething we should be proud of at which we should excel.

We – Chinese students, employees, and executives– need to learn how to do business in the US. In China, you go to dinner orKaraoke, and then – deal!

This does not happen in the US, where we havemany checks and balances. For go-to-market, sales engagement, business development,etc., we have to learn the proven processes and methodologies so that we won’thave to reinvent the wheel. At the same time, we need to learn the localconsumer behavior, market preference, and decision-making process. Don’t justsimply send a Chinese executive from Beijing here to replicate the Chinesemodel and to expect results.

We need to build a local team reflecting thediversity of the market that we serve. Product localization is a must, andcompany culture localization is also necessary. Chinese invested over $10.7billion in the US in 2012, and the trend is growing. There is a steep learningcurve ahead, as was the case with the Taiwanese and Korean companies coming tothe US in the 80’s. I have a great deal of fun coaching “Innovation Selling inA Cross-Cultural Market”.

CDC: You have spoken in quite a number of universitiesincluding Stanford, UC Berkeley, University of San Francisco, and Hong KongUniversity. What advice do you give to Chinese students and youngprofessionals?

Chinese students are diligent and do very well in school,but are generally behind in terms of corporate ladder, entrepreneurship or anyother social opportunities. Part of the challenge for Chinese to get intomainstream is crosscultural communication. So my advice is: when you go studyabroad, you have a life experience that goes beyond the classroom. I wouldencourage students to learn, to adopt, and to develop friendships with localstudents and international students. Chinese students commonly group together,but in this way they are missing many learning opportunities. I think Chinesestudents here have a mission to be “ambassadors” so that we can have a bettercommon ground for the next generation. Without a good common ground, the twocountries will continue to have differences; but when you have the opportunitiesto communicate and collaborate, that will be better down the road – not onlyfor the students, but also for leaders and managers of companies, and that willhelp promote collaboration between the two countries.