I’ve been asked to take control of a local office of 23 Thais for a period of 6 month, extendable contract if I wish. To retrain, advise, and instruct. For a US company.

Having not had the pleasure of managing Thais that need to be retrained and change their work ethic, how do many Thais deal with constructive criticism, advice and instruction?

Thanks in advance.

Oh my, your in for an education.

Sabi sabi, better look that up, and it normally works one way, expect an exodus which might be to your benefit and start from scratch but hey there might be a few stayers in your group.

Could be only you left in the building by the second Monday morning ! Good luck...you're going to need a lot of it.

Why?

Within in 10 year here I never met any Thai that can accept a good meaning advice by another people!

It interprate like a personal attack and can ends in dangerous !

if they are educated and have travelled/worked/studied abroad you may have a chance if you tread carefully.

with the uneducated.... i wouldn't bother just try to make the best of what you have

Thais taking constructive criticisim , dream on .

That is something that will never happen.

this was years back, but we were teaching these AirForce types about some Radar Navigational Aids equipment being installed on their Airfield in Hatyai.

One day after hours of beating up on one particular lesson subject, you try to test their comprehension, with questions...

when, all you get back are these bouncing nodding faces, looking Yes you are knocking on their door

but no ones' home

Edited April 22, 201511 yr by tifino

I gave my boss the knowledge of 25 years experience. I saved him 3000 dollars on one small job. He wasn't happy that one of his underlings knew things he didn't dispite it helping.

If you are clever enough....

make them believe that the changes you are implementing are their ideas and very good ideas.

It is very important that you learn about and accept the concept of "face" in Thailand.

I suggest you study up on it before you even start.

Start by googling "face in Thailand"

They'll all quit and one will come back with a gun.

Good luck!

17 years experience of working with Thai people (male and female) having all levels of education between labourer and professional engineer (my duties including a significant amount of training and education for the people working for me)....

My experience.... I have only on four occasions met Thai people who responded negatively to constructive criticism.

On the whole I have found Thai people to be receptive to honest and fair criticism and very receptive to new ideas where an effort is made to explain/demonstrate the idea being put over.

I frequently receive emails from ex Thai colleagues asking for advice which seems always to be well received.

My advice to the OP, go in with the idea that 'respect is where we all start from and is something we loose by our own deeds, not something we earn' and apply that to your staff, and most importantly apply it to yourself.

From a basis of mutual respect, the transfer of ideas, working requirements and practices will be easy.

17 years experience of working with Thai people (male and female) having all levels of education between labourer and professional engineer (my duties including a significant amount of training and education for the people working for me)....

My experience.... I have only on four occasions met Thai people who responded negatively to constructive criticism.

On the whole I have found Thai people to be receptive to honest and fair criticism and very receptive to new ideas where an effort is made to explain/demonstrate the idea being put over.

I frequently receive emails from ex Thai colleagues asking for advice which seems always to be well received.

My advice to the OP, go in with the idea that 'respect is where we all start from and is something we loose by our own deeds, not something we earn' and apply that to your staff, and most importantly apply it to yourself.

From a basis of mutual respect, the transfer of ideas, working requirements and practices will be easy.

If you knew "lose" and "loose" were different words and when to use which, your post would have greater credibility.

(Unless English is not your first language in which case I apologize)

How do many Thais deal with constructive criticism, advice and instructions?

Answer: They don't.

Why? Because they know everything. Omnipotent, each and every one of them.

constructive criticism means to them that you are attacking them and making them lose face.

Find some common ground. Talk about things that you both understand. I noticed some of your topics posted recently you could surely use those to build a rapport with the staff.

Like........

Many Thai drivers/riders become aggressive when you overtake them.

Bumgun Self-Enema everyday. Long term effects.

Are we not valued as people here?

What the crud is this? For months now the female half have been sporting big bushy eyebrows as some sort of fashion trend.

Thai female employees, 70-80%. Thai male? 10-20%. 20 years experience.

)....

My experience.... I have only on four occasions met Thai people who responded negatively to constructive criticism.

On the whole I have found Thai people to be receptive to honest and fair criticism and very receptive to new ideas where an effort is made to explain/demonstrate the idea being put over.

Good for you, but I think most people have a rather different experience.

Fascinating.

Thank you very much.

Please go deeper into it, if you have the time.

Thanks.

)....

My experience.... I have only on four occasions met Thai people who responded negatively to constructive criticism.

On the whole I have found Thai people to be receptive to honest and fair criticism and very receptive to new ideas where an effort is made to explain/demonstrate the idea being put over.

Good for you, but I think most people have a rather different experience.

Most expats in Thailand don't have over 17 years working with Thai people

The view from a bar stool does not compensate.

You seem to ne the odd man out GH

Are you some kind of holy man?

See response above.

Not well!

make everything a joke and fun?

well not always but certainly often

rather than the hostile compliment try the friendly criticism?

just remember saving face is a public thing

Edited April 22, 201511 yr by kaorop

May buddha bless you, i know who i would rather train/educate but they locked up in the zoo so i can't get at em.

Find some common ground. Talk about things that you both understand. I noticed some of your topics posted recently you could surely use those to build a rapport with the staff.

Like........

Many Thai drivers/riders become aggressive when you overtake them.

Bumgun Self-Enema everyday. Long term effects.

Are we not valued as people here?

What the crud is this? For months now the female half have been sporting big bushy eyebrows as some sort of fashion trend.

Funny that...

I smell a troll.

Before moving here for good in 2010, I visited BK for 2 weeks, and I met the manager of a very big and well know international real estate company. My kind of business. He was from the UK. I am from the US.

Talking about training and results, because the company was not doing well in sales, he asks me to meet his sales staff of 20 people, to test them in some way, and give to him my opinion. At the end of 2 sessions, I told him that, if I was hired to do the training, I will have to start firing most of them.

I was not interested in work anyway, but I called the manager a week later.

He already renounced to his position.

If you like challenges, we prepared for a big one.

Good luck.

Edited April 22, 201511 yr by umbanda

Before moving here for good in 2010, I visited BK for 2 weeks, and I met the manager of a very big and well know international real estate company. My kind of business. He was from the UK. I am from the US.

Talking about training and results, because the company was not doing well in sales, he asks me to meet his sales staff of 20 people, to test them in some way, and give to him my opinion. At the end of 2 sessions, I told him that, if I was hired to do the training, I will have to start firing most of them.

I was not interested in work anyway, but I called the manager a week later.

He already renounced to his position.

If you like challenges, we prepared for a big one.

Good luck.

Does "renounced to his position" mean he quit? Ah those Americans sure talk funny.

I've worked with Thais who were willing to listen, then they generally carried on as normal. Before you can re-train anyone they need to believe in your ability.

The Thais referred to above were very good at their job and preferred to do it their way..and rightfully so.

17 years experience of working with Thai people (male and female) having all levels of education between labourer and professional engineer (my duties including a significant amount of training and education for the people working for me)....

My experience.... I have only on four occasions met Thai people who responded negatively to constructive criticism.

On the whole I have found Thai people to be receptive to honest and fair criticism and very receptive to new ideas where an effort is made to explain/demonstrate the idea being put over.

I frequently receive emails from ex Thai colleagues asking for advice which seems always to be well received.

My advice to the OP, go in with the idea that 'respect is where we all start from and is something we loose by our own deeds, not something we earn' and apply that to your staff, and most importantly apply it to yourself.

From a basis of mutual respect, the transfer of ideas, working requirements and practices will be easy.

That's been pretty much my experience over the years i have been here. I do find the females tend to want to learn more and ask for advice more but generally if you follow what GH says above you won't have many problems with the men either.

A couple of basic points, Don't spit your dummy out when something goes wrong and if your going to criticise try and emphasise some positives first.

As for the doom and gloom merchants answering i can only assume most have never actually worked here.

17 years experience of working with Thai people (male and female) having all levels of education between labourer and professional engineer (my duties including a significant amount of training and education for the people working for me)....

My experience.... I have only on four occasions met Thai people who responded negatively to constructive criticism.

On the whole I have found Thai people to be receptive to honest and fair criticism and very receptive to new ideas where an effort is made to explain/demonstrate the idea being put over.

This has been my experience as well. What I've found is that the Thais will accept "constructive criticism" from someone they trust and respect. But criticism from some ignorant blowhard who clearly has no idea what he's talking about? Not so much. Maybe that's why some of the folks on this thread have had issues.