International Project Management: How to Avoid Misunderstandings

When 'Yes' Actually Means 'Maybe'

Saikit spoke just as much Chinese as the average Dutch person until he got a job in China. Although his parents are from Hong Kong, they barely taught him the Cantonese language. However, this wouldn't have helped much for his job at Bosch Packaging in Hangzhou, where Mandarin is the primary language. Saikit now speaks Mandarin quite fluently.

Gaining professional experience abroad means facing a few more challenges, but it also provides a wealth of insight into people and valuable experience. This is especially true for project managers working in industries that are often outsourced from our country to companies in China and India.

One of the first lessons Saikit learned is that a 'yes' or 'no' doesn't mean the same thing in different cultures. 'For a German, a yes is a yes. For a Dutch person, too. But as you move a bit south, to Belgium, it's different again. For an Indian, a yes is a maybe. In China? A yes is a yes if they want to pay attention to it. You only find out how it works by doing it.'

"Tightly Scheduled Plans vs. Ad Hoc Work

Directness is perceived very differently in China than in the Netherlands. 'When working with Chinese people, you need to understand how important hierarchy is to them,' says Saikit. He led various packaging projects in China for a major packaging machine supplier, serving clients like Nestlé, Friesland Campina, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi.

Saikit: 'When running international projects, it's important to first understand how you perceive things. What is very normal for you is not the same for others. Your way of doing business and thinking is usually not normal for others. So never assume that.'

In the Netherlands, we excel at making plans. It's also common for us to regularly review them together and expect everyone to take responsibility. 'When you share a plan with the Chinese, don't expect them to stick to it,' says Saikit. 'Long-term thinking is much less common in Chinese culture. They love working on an ad hoc basis. On the flip side, when a high supervisor or manager says something needs to be done today, everything happens three times as fast as in the Netherlands. Everyone takes immediate action, and everyone works hard. It becomes the top priority for everyone. So, if you want to get something done on time in China, it's wise to first get the top boss on board. Then warn them in time. Just handing out a schedule and expecting it to be followed won't win the game in China. India, however, takes the crown. Nothing gets done there unless the boss gives the order!

The Art of Understanding Whether Something Is Truly Urgent

Since December 2022, Saikit has been working at VDL Packaging for a few days a week. This interim assignment was obtained through GHYSELS. His challenge? Successfully installing three packaging lines for a well-known global coffee giant in factories in China and the United States. His extensive career in the packaging industry, along with his experience in managing international projects, aids him in this task.

Saikit is pleased with the assignment, which came at the perfect time for him and provides sufficient challenges. Saikit: 'I'm glad Bart remembered me and introduced me here. In just over a week, I got the job and could start almost immediately. By now, I have a handle on things. I believe a good project manager should always be able to provide reliable information about the status and schedule of a project immediately or within a reasonable timeframe.'

However, every project manager knows that plans are subject to change.

Saikit can also share insights into what is considered urgent in different cultures. 'Americans make everything urgent or at least make it sound urgent in their communication. You have to pay close attention and filter out what is genuinely according to schedule. When something is deemed urgent in Asia, it is genuinely the most important at that moment. If an Asian customer says, "I want it now," alarm bells go off. I make sure that we all focus on it to help them.'

You Can Never Be Clear Enough

Every country, every company, and essentially every region is a world of its own. Whether you do business globally or within Dutch regions, differences always exist.

Saikit: 'I live in Weert, and people there are already more Burgundian and implicit in their communication than in Eindhoven. In the west, it's very normal to be direct and say what needs to be said, sometimes bluntly. I find that pleasant to work with because you know exactly what someone else means.'

And that's what Saikit primarily wants to convey: you can never be clear enough. According to Saikit, understanding each other 100% is one of the most important goals that project managers should always have. This is particularly crucial when dealing with people from a different culture, resulting in a completely different starting point.

Saikit: 'Project management is ultimately about dealing with people in the right way. All the tools and plans you use are supportive. But it's your understanding of people and communication skills that determine whether you truly help the customer along with your team. Understanding each other exactly at all times means there is no gray area. All expectations are clear to everyone, and there is no confusion about the crucial points in a project. Those must always be clear, for everyone.'

Clear and transparent communication is especially important in the case of setbacks or bad news. Saikit: 'When I deliver bad news, I express it as clearly as possible. So there is no room for interpretation. I always prepare these conversations well. The goal is for the bad news to be accepted, and then we come to follow-up steps that everyone supports. Sometimes it's unavoidable that the bad news is not accepted, and it escalates to a higher level.'

Don't Make Assumptions

Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups. Making assumptions is disastrous within projects. Within international projects, making assumptions is an even bigger pitfall that can cause even more damage.

Saikit: 'When I ask a question, I am always very careful in interpreting the answer. It may be that someone means something completely different than what he or she wants to say. I try to imagine: what is that person really trying to say? It often happens that I get very strange answers to the questions I ask, especially from non-natives writing in English.'

To ensure that he doesn't get completely lost in translation, he probes until he understands exactly what the other person means. A matter of repeating and summarizing. Saikit: 'It takes extra effort to gather the right information. But when it works, it ensures a smoother course of the project. Something that is not entirely clear becomes a problem. And this problem always comes back. The longer it takes for it to come back, the more it will hurt.'

Do you want to step up your game?

Does managing international projects like Saikit Liu does at VDL Packaging sound like a challenge to you? Then contact us; there's a good chance we can find a great interim job or permanent position for you too. Saikit Liu certainly recommends our way of mediating. 'I am happy with the job and absolutely positive about the collaboration with Bart. He listens well and came up with a position that fits me perfectly, just when I was looking for a new job. Within a short time, he arranged an introduction and also took care of all contractual matters. GHYSELS is clear in communication and managing expectations. All in all: a mediator you, as a project manager, should definitely get in touch with!'