“I’m not sure if I can do business with them!”
In China, like in other countries with international business environments, we often hear people say, “I’m not sure if I can do business with them!” or “I find them weird and I do not understand what they are saying.” These issues are not only problems of language, but of communication as well. At GPN, we try to help you address these issues.
As reflected in the “smoke while praying” versus “pray while smoking” story below, any request or attempt for negotiation runs the risk of failure if the message is not transmitted in an intelligent and strategic way. For that reason, as seen in the GPN curriculum overview , we offer Professional Language & Communication Training (PLCT), which emphasizes the use of communication techniques with reference to cultural values (of the receiver of our message) and based on emotional intelligence and selective micro-expressions (facial expression & body language) that might be required to translate emotion into meaning and meaning to action.
| “Smoke While Praying” Vs. “Pray While Smoking” |
Two friends are walking to a religious service. The first friend wonders whether it would be all right to smoke while praying. The second friend says, “Why don’t you ask the priest?” So the first friend goes up to the priest and asks, “Father, may I smoke while I pray?” The priest replies, “Oh no, my son, you should not! That is disrespectful to God. That is sinful and outrageous.” He goes back to his friend and tells him what the priest advised. His friend says, “I am not surprised. You asked the wrong question. Let me try.” And so the second friend goes up to the priest and asks, “Father, may I pray while I smoke?” To which the priest happily replies, “Absolutely, my son! Absolutely! You can always pray whenever and wherever you want to. |
Source: Jha, 2010 (in Danarson, 2015:181) |
Apart from such a training service, we also offer communication consulting in the three main areas:
(1) Business communication
(2) Political communication
(3) Public communication
If you need any of these services, please contact us .
