East vs. West Cultural Comparison

…a compilation & adaptation from leadership management institute,Paul Tokunaga’s talk, & personal/ ministry experiences.

Disclaimers: general & stereotypical—not all items do not apply to all Asians/ Asian Americans or westerners; Not an exhaustive list…

EAST VS WEST VALUES & WORLDVIEW

EAST

WEST

COLLECTIVE

• Family, group, team
• Others shape identity
• Uniformity (nail that sticks out…)
• Attention devalued
• Belonging to group
• Collaboration
• Others’ input
• No permission to op out, critique

* oldest child responsibilities

INDIVIDUALISM

• Self
• personality/interests shape identity
• uniqueness
• attention valued
• own person
• own contribution
• own opinion

DUTY & OBLIGATION

• to collective community/ others
• group achievement
• loyalty
• compliant
• need-driven

RIGHT & PRIVILEGE

• personal development
• for time-being

HIERARCHY

• age, position, education

EQUALITY

• personality & skills

DEFERENCE

• Modesty & self-effacing
• Nominate others
• Give input/ lead in appropriate setting, when invited
• Share complete thoughts 
• Ascribed authority

SELF-ASSERTION

• Leadership
• Volunteer self
• Express when have an idea
• External processing
• Earned authority

 

RESTRAINT

• Don’t make a scene or show emotions
• Formality
• Speak when spoken to (proper)
• Tolerate crisis/ fatalism

EXPRESSIVENESS

• Self-expression
• Casualness
• Social skills important; small talk
• Promote flexibility & change

EVENT/ PEOPLE-ORIENTED

• People/ relationships/ events are priority
• Rude to leave event/ person or to say no

TIME-ORIENTED

• Punctuality is priority
• Rude to be late

WHOLISTIC

• Big picture
• Circular
• Inter-relationships (medicine)
• Long term perspective
• Synthetic

PARTICULAR

• details
• linear
• isolation
• immediate perspective
• analytic

INDIRECT

• subtlety
• direct asks can shame someone
• not confrontational

DIRECT

• obvious
• indirect asks are frustrating, annoying, & confusing
• confrontational

HARMONY

• conflict-avoidance
• cooperative; compromising

CLARITY

• prefer knowing what someone wants/ thinks
• assert opinion

HUMILITY & SACRIFICE

• Most respected leaders: modest, sacrificial, serving (level 5 leader) 

LEADERSHIP/ ASSERTIVENESS

• Directive

PERCEPTIONS OF ASIAN BEHAVIOR

• Quiet => not interested, lack knowledge
• Not assertive => lacks leadership, authority
• Limited facial expression => lack feeling or vulnerability 
• Avoid eye contact => lack interest or confidence; don’t catch verbal cues
• Not complain => exploitable; everything is working
• Not social in work/formal settings => not social, prideful
• Not risk-taker => lacks leadership & ideas
• Speaks w/ accent => not credible or knowledgeable; can’t understand English
• Physically small => lacks maturity, ability, leadership

ASIAN VALUES IN WORK/LEADERSHIP SETTING

QUALITIES

HELPFUL

CHALLENGE

1. HARMONY
2. AUTHORITY
3. SHAME*
4. HUMILITY
5. TRADITION
6. FAMILY
7. EMOTIONAL RESTRAINT

* shame vs guilt…

1. Cooperative
2. Respectful / loyal to superiors
3. Sensitive to others’ feelings
4. Not boastful
5. Conform to rules, structure
6. teamwork & loyalty
7. strong performer; enduring

1. Unassertive
2. Reluctance to voice disagreement (passive aggressive, or withdrawal)
3. Overconcerned w/ mistakes, avoid risks
4. don’t get credit; avoid power
5. don’t think outside the box; inflexible
6. attachment to family; their voice/ influence is strong; pressure
7. lack of freedom

GIFTS:

• Friendship/ community
• Loyalty & endurance – defer gratification
• Hospitality
• Bridge people (AA’s)
• Education
• Gift of Pain – identify w/ others, w/ Jesus’ suffering…
• History

CHALLENGES:

• Parental expectations => int’ls – added pressure of government etc
• Family – not express love; distant esp w/ fathers; lack affirmation but strong criticism (role of extended family)
• Painful family history (in language)

ASIAN AMERICAN DISTINCTIONS:

• Ethnic identity development:
  • varies from person to person (degree of western influence & shame in past etc…) 
  • torn between two cultures
  • some begin to embrace ethnic i.d. in college/ later in life
  • unaware of ethnicity (what’s Asian about them)
  • struggle w/ shame / specific aspects of culture
  • dissociate w/ “FOB” identity
• Model minority myth – added pressure or rebellion against stereotype
• Immigrant families (role reversal w/ parents)

IMPLICATIONS:

• Deference to elders => take much more initiative in summer…
• Relationships over time /gradual introductions & lifelong friendships => Ginny’s lab experience…
• Lack of value for small talk: don’t talk to strangers => challenge in meeting new friends, esp outside of ethnic circles/ need “formal” or structured settings
• Family: take care of their own => why many prefer ethnic churches (what makes Mormon church attractive) why some AA’s found IV unwelcoming compared to other fellowships
• High degree of shame/ perfectionism => many barriers to “leading”
• AA’s & others volunteer their leadership => how can int’ls lead in this context?

Application?

• Sign-up’s to make asking for help easier
• Brainstorming-give internal processing time/ think ahead
• Cast vision
• Invite them to head toward potential