Most people are looking for a good Mandarin tutor for themselves or their children. But some people need to find a good Mandarin tutor for the executives. The boss. How to find a good Mandarin tutor for the executives, your boss?
You may think it is strange when your boss asked you to find a good Mandarin tutor. Why do the executives need a Mandarin tutor if they already have an interpreter?
Well, this is the first thing you need to understand all the bosses only trust themselves and they want to make sure the interpreter does not hide anything. However, it is very common at a business meeting that most interpreters only translate what they understood not what the speakers really want to say. The bosses want to know how can the interpreter translate a five minutes talk into a minute’s sentence.
Secondly, it is polite and respectful if the boss can speak basic Mandarin and make some simple jokes with their Chinese counterpart. And most bosses like to show off (as you know).
Thirdly, there are some occasions that the executives want to exchange options only between themselves, not through an interpreter.
So if your boss asks you to find a good Mandarin tutor, please show your understanding and follow the three key factors below for a good Mandarin tutor suitable for the executives.
- Good people skill: The tutor must have very good people skill. A teacher who can teach a big class may not be a good tutor for executives. She needs to be able to build up “friendship” with the boss quickly. Bosses hate to be treated as students. They are leaders.
- Excellent Chinese culture knowledge: Most bosses have questions after they visit China. For some questions, they can ask their team to give the answers, but for some questions, the boss would like to check with a trustful “third party”, especially the questions regarding business culture. The tutor should understand that this is not an academic question, but a business curiosity. The answer should be real and direct.
- Teaching with listening: Most language tutors like to speak more and ask their students to repeat. The executives are people with high IQ. They don’t like to listen and repeat, they like to ask and speak. The tutor must know how to teach through conversation. Teaching with fun and respect.
There might be more things that matter, but if you can find a Mandarin tutor with the above three factors, your boss will be satisfied.
Even better if you can be more proactive and find a good Mandarin tutor for your boss before they ask you.
We can offer you a pre-China trip short course or after China trip warm-up lesson. We can work with you to suit your boss’s busy schedule and tailor our courses to his personal needs.
Our tutor had a private lesson for an executive of a big listed mining company in Brisbane. The one hour per week lesson lasted about two and half years. The tutor builds up very good trust with the executive and he enjoys the lesson so much. He not only learnt basic Mandarin and also gets to know many Chinese cultures. He may be stressed from work sometime, but he was always happy during the Mandarin lesson.
Happy Boss, Happy Both.
If you are looking for a good Mandarin tutor for your boss, contact us.
We will make your life happy as well.