How do you get what you want in East Asia?
East Asian culture is different from the West in many ways.
For instance, In Western culture, people separate work from personal life very easily. They do not place much focus on social relationships to ensure trust. In many Asian cultures, however, instead of keeping relationships strictly professional, personal sharing and the development of closer long-term bonds are favored.
So when it comes to asking for a favor in East Asia, Jan Kot, Media and Storytelling Coach, advises people to be patient and remember to make it all about the other person first. If you give (and give and give) before you ask, you’ll increase familiarity, emotion, and the likelihood of getting a yes.
Reflect on what I can give to this relationship to provide value and help?
"How can I help?" is the only question that truly matters. And those that remember to be patient and persevere while continuing to add value are already on the way to getting a favorable response.
About the Speaker:
Jan Kot is a certified coach specializing in intercultural storytelling with her S.T.O.R.Y model.
The former journalist was born and raised in Shanghai, educated in Hong Kong and the US. With a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in creative writing, Jan has over the years taken a ring-side seat in witnessing and documenting China’s rise to global power.
During her earlier career, Jan worked as a reporter for a number of news and business publications in the region with a focus on China’s social and cultural transformation as the country in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
She was also one of the first Chinese writers to report on Chinese in Africa. In 2011, Jan became a founding member of Juwai.com, an international property portal for the Chinese.
In 2019, Jan founded The Tale Blazers in Shanghai, a consultancy agency that empowers brands and businesses to tell better stories. Jan speaks English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.