AEC 2015, as known as ASEAN Economic Community 2015, is a uniting of 10 ASEAN countries, which are Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, and Brunei. AEC 2015 will bring a new era of economical cooperation to all 10 countries. Investors can invest anywhere in these countries. Workers can go work anywhere in these countries also with no tight restriction like before. Competition will get fiercer for those who are not well-prepared.
To prepare for AEC, we need to first embrace all cultures. We need to learn the do’s and don’t’s so that we can get along with other ASEAN members more amicably. To do that here are some key cultural business tips to help us work effectively with a boss from another country. These are just a few of the basic rules to live-by. After reading, you may add more.
1. Demonstrate a can-do, problem-solving attitude and a willingness to innovate and take calculated risks.
2. Be explicit and straightforward in your communication style, while avoiding direct criticism or open conflict.
3. Focus on being decisive and getting things done quickly. Take the approach that time is money, and a missed opportunity is wasteful.
4. Take individual accountability for results; while teamwork has increased in importance, the individual is still the primary focus.
5. Expect to encounter an informal business culture. Most people in a workplace will be on first-name terms.
6. Make a good impression through a simple, but factual and persuasive, presentation. Selling is important, although delivering results is what ultimately matters.
7. Be punctual to meetings, stick to the agenda, and expect the outcome to be action items that can be implemented quickly.
8. Try to get to the main point in a discussion quickly; don’t feel you need to provide all the contextual background at once. Questions are likely once the main point has been identified.
Let’s live happily and productively during the upcoming AEC Era.
