Job Discussion Forums

Taishan · Joined: 30 Oct 2003 Posts: 110

Rules for Chinese school leaders on how to treat people

1. Leaders should not act as if they are unaccoutable gods, and make bad decisions at the last moment.

2. Leaders should not attempt to embezzle money or attempt to 'cream' the top of any finacial transaction.

3. Leaders should not produce lies off the top of their heads.

4. Leaders should stick to any contract and not attempt to re-write it halfway through the year in their favour.

5. Leaders should stick to having business lunches and surfing the net.

6. Leaders should pay all the foriegners they employ the same amount of money.

7. Leaders should not differetiate between foriegners on grounds of sexuality, gender, age or racial heritage.

8. Leaders should not treat foriegners badly on the grounds that it's "how we treat Chinese teachers".

9. Leaders should not empoly attractive young female Chinese teachers, on the grounds that they might get laid.

10. Leaders should learn how to drink, and not get drunk after three beers. Laughing

Anyone think of more?

Freaky Deaky · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 309 Location: In Jen's kitchen

Well, of course, that's what they *should* do, but in reality?? Come on, ain't gonna happen............

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Watch the same supposedly good school for a couple of years, and you will see decay and degeneration.
The first year they treat you as a king - you sign on for another year, and most probably their appreciation of you is lower, and they won't treat you as the king they treated you hitherto.
Also, I noticed that schools that had a good recruiting success due to offering good working conditions don't up your salary over the next few years. You stay and stay and stay, earning the same, while the salaries elsewhere go up during this time.

Have you ever noticed how shopkeeprs treat their loyal customers?
Very often, first time you get a bargain. Second time, maybe. Third time - they overcharge you!
There is no reciprocal loyalty here.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

I disagree with rule #6. No two foreigners are alike. Why should their salaries be?

Peter · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 161

Leaders??????????

More likely oscilators in charge.
Mickey Mouse in a suit
Scrooge Mc Duck delivering a lecture on how to be honest

Dalian Veteran · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 2:37 pm Post subject:

Good topic. The issue of traditional management has once again springed up. Here are some more rules for traditional and/or unethical Chinese managers to follow:

11.) Assess your employees based on their work rather than on their relationship with you and how much they are willing to be brown noses.

12.) Don't hire relatives or old classmates to be your staff and junior management. Need help? Seek advice from a human resources consultant.

13.) When foreigners disagree with a policy and express their criticism, don't take it personally. It's just that in our culture, we are used to being blunt and frank. Sure, we've read about the concept of "losing face" and "saving face" in books about China. But we've never had the hands-on experience or practice of always paying attention to face and expressing criticism in a sophisticated indirect way like the Chinese do. And when we feel frustrated, we never think about what we read in the Lonely Planet guide. We just express ourselves in the way we are used to.

14. Pay the teachers a consistent monthly base salary. Foreigners absolutely hate it when their salary gets prorated for holidays and vacations. Nobody wants a salary of 5,000 one month, 6,000 the next month, 5,600 the next month, etc., etc. There must be a consistent base salary. The variations can be reflected in the overtime pay.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

I agree with rule #14. Every month is alike. Why shouldn't the monthly pay be?

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Simplify those rules as such a number is too much for the average-IQ of a Chinese bigwig! How about

"Rule no. 1: YOu are the boss and only need to make sure the money flows in and through your hands back to your employees in adequate amounts.
No. 2: All matters related to education, teaching, examinations be decided upon by your teachers/staff."

Everybody happy - even you and me!

Freaky Deaky · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 309 Location: In Jen's kitchen

I've recently done some work for a school and they had to pay me today. Just a few hours, no big deal. I'm expecting 5,250rmb and the idiot in charge gives me 1,800. I fall about laughing and point out the huge errors. When the idiot in charge realises she is cornered she actually says to me 'Oh, you are very clever'. What, clever that I didn't let you rip me off you stupid liitle cunt? Here's an example of an oxymoron for your students:

Chinese school owners are honest.

Freaky Deaky · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 309 Location: In Jen's kitchen

^ Well, thanks for that, Jenny, but I got the cash. And it was a Chinese woman that was trying to rip me off!

I guess I'm kinda lucky. I've successfully managed to avoid being ripped off by any school in Shanghai.

The trick (I think) is, is to avoid signing a full-time contract with any school. Do that and they'll have you over a barrell with your pants down to your ankles.

I dunno if you're into that kind of thing...

I am sometimes...

Embarassed

davis · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 9:40 am Post subject:

I got accused of being very clever last summer. I agreed to do a summer camp for x amount of RMB. Come payday the amount they were gonna pay was about half of what we'd agreed on. When I pointed this out the FAO said the boss had decided I made too much money. I held my ground and reminded her of all the agreements etc. and so they decided to pay the full amount minus taxes. I then pointed out that they could not tax me because I didn't have a work permit. They talked it over and came back with the idea that they'd pay half then and half the next month. I said since this is the last day of the month,how about you pay me all of it now and I'll sign a paper saying you payed me half now and half next month which begins tomorrow. They kicked that around and finally gave me the entire amount without signing. Minus 20 RMB for tax...go figure. But after 2 hours of B.S. I got paid and they said I was very clever. Yeah right, I didn't let you screw me for more than 20 RMB so I'm clever??? Why do I need to be clever? Why can't you be honest instead??

Freaky Deaky · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 309 Location: In Jen's kitchen

It always makes me laugh when it comes to getting paid in China.

'Oh, you make 6 times as much as me'.

'Oh so sorry, Mr/Mrs Schoolowner. Maybe if you tried to think five years in the future instead of five minutes things might be different'.

Besides I'm a womanising, alcoholic foreign pig. I *need* that money!

Twisted Evil

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

OINK! OINK!

Anne-Marie Gregory · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 1:56 pm Post subject:

...ohh whoops.....

Dalian Veteran · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 6:33 pm Post subject:

Here are some more rules that can be added to the list:

15.) Decisions should be based on principle, not merely based on power itself.

16.) Follow the mutual respect model. That is, respect is a two-way street, not a one-way street that flows only from bottom to top. And respect is generally something that is earned, not something that comes automatically with title.

17.) Don't draw conclusions on a teacher's teaching based on one or two complaints. Even if your school is a private business, sometimes the customer is not always right. I've seen too many cases where managers and staff panic over one irate customer (who probably complains at other business establishments as well), automatically thinking that it is the teacher's problem before conducting an objective investigation.

18.) Even if you think foreign teachers are spoiled whiners raised with the silver spoon, think of it this way: focus on the teaching quality. Assuming you are not one of those "pianzi" who are in this business just to screw customers and employees of their money, you've got to realize that teaching quality cannot be enhanced by making the foreign teachers unhappy. Care about teaching quality? Whether you like it or not, you've got to make sure the foreign teachers feel satisfied with working for you. You do want them to finish their contracts, right? Or do you like having high turn-overs and hearing parents complain about changing teachers too often during the term?

19.) If some of your teachers are unqualified, don't blame them. It is you who hired him or her. And once you've made the decision to hire somebody and have them sign the contract, you've got to stick to the decision you made. Docking teachers' pay over the reason that they are unqualified is actually quite inexcusable and goes against principle. You can fire them with a reasonable notice, and you can do more careful screening when you hire new teachers. But don't just continuously dick with them while they are still working for you. That doesn't solve anything.

20.) Study the TQM (total quality management) methodology. Appoint a teacher to be the quality team leader for the foreign teacher corps, and enable them to conduct meetings without you to come up with suggestions on how to improve the school. Then, the team leader can present the group's suggestions to management. In addition, you ought to have a "Suggestions Box" in the teachers' lounge which enables them to provide anonymous suggestions. Also, you ought to periodically conduct surveys or questionaires. If you need help on the English (surveys often require fairly formal language), call on the team leader to assist you.