International Perspective as an Important Quality of Leadership

領(lǐng)導(dǎo)才能的重要特質(zhì)之一 ——國(guó)際化視角

■逸云 整理編寫(xiě)

H: Yang Rui, Presenter of the CCTV English Program Dialogue
J: Jacob Siberg, American Student from Tufts University
V: Vera Yip (from Hong Kong), Director of the exchange program“Tufts Institute for Leadership and International Perspective”
Y: Yang Liu, student from Peking University

H: Welcome to Dialogue! What can you tell us about your exchange program?
J: Tufts University joins with three other universities, two in Hong Kong and Peking University here in Beijing, to provide a cross-cultural team building opportunity. The belief behind the program is that the leaders of this generation and the coming generation not only need to understand how the world works, but also need to understand the world from different perspectives.
V: The creators of this program have the vision2 that China and U.S. are going to be important in the 21st century in shaping the future of the world. It's important that the younger generation of the two countries have a better understanding of each other and can cooperate and work with each other. A good way to start is to have students start with students first. We select them by their academic excellence and we hope that they will become the leaders of their respective countries.

H: Are you excited to be part of the Program, Yang Liu?
Y: Sure. Maybe Leadership Program is very popular overseas, but it would be something rather unusual in China. I was very surprised when I first learned about it. What I'm interested in is not necessarily to be a leader but to have the perspective of being a qualified leader.

H: What do you think would possibly happen to your outlook about China and about this Program itself by the end of your stay in China, Jacob?
J: As far as the Program itself is concerned, I found that I have learnt a lot from the Chinese students and those from Hong Kong. Leadership has a different meaning now. Before, leadership meant standing in the front and talking a lot. Now I realize that leadership also means standing in the back, listening to and talking quietly to people. In coming to China, I have been very, very surprised. The scholars we have met at Peking University know a lot more about our systems than I expected. I feel that China is much closer to the United States than Americans think it is. Market Economy is here. People here may not speak the same language, and they may not do the same thing every day, but the priority is not that apart.

H: Yang Liu, in what way have you benefited from this program?
Y: At the beginning the twenty-six people were three different groups, but now I think they are twenty-six individuals. In the first several days, I felt that Peking University students learned more from Hong Kong students and American students than they learned from us. And now I think we learn from each other.
J: Yes, at the very beginning, I felt Asian students were quiet, and they looked timid.3 They were working very hard to learn from us. They were learning to be more vocal when we had discussions, and they were learning to be in the front. As we progressed in the last six weeks, I felt that American students are also realizing that there is something to be heard and something to be learnt from observing sometimes, from not talking. We are individuals and we all have our individual strengths and weaknesses.

H: Yang Liu, do you have a strong feeling that China is becoming increasingly important?
Y: China is a part of the world and China is becoming more and more important to most of the countries in the world, especially to U.S. because its economy and other powers really increase very rapidly. And one of the fellow members from our group said he really felt it's a problem that China grows so quickly. I think it's interesting when a country grows quickly. Is it good or bad?

H: As those involved in the program come from different cultures, they must have different ideas over many issues, is that true, Vera?
V: Since they come from different cultures, I would expect them to have differences. But on the other hand, they should have respect for each other's differences. They do not need to totally accept the differences, but they should be aware of them.

H: What do you think, Yang Liu? Do you often argue with your friends in the program?
Y: Arguing is only a part of that. It's true that we have many differences, and I think it is the most important thing I found in this program. Another important thing I've learned from this program is critical thinking. I feel American students and Hong Kong students are more capable of critical thinking than Chinese students.

H: You are a student of Peking University and you don't think you are as good at critical thinking as they are?
Y: I'm not saying that I don't have that ability, but I think they are better in this respect. It's probably to do with the differences in educational system.

H: What do you have about the Chinese educational system?
V: Well, I think no educational system is perfect. This is not just a diplomatic way of speaking. There are some problems about American educational system, and there are some problems about Chinese educational system. I am a product of both systems. I went to high school in Hong Kong and then I went to the States for my undergraduate and graduate study.

H:"Product" sounds vague4 to me. Are you a victim or a beneficiary?5
V: I am a beneficiary. Having the discipline from Chinese education is good. But when I first went to America, I couldn't compete with American students. What they demand is more critical thinking and more speaking-out and expressing yourself. And I was not as equipped as they are. But all the students, especially the Chinese students, learn very fast. So after one or two years, I understand this is the way to compete. In that sense, Chinese education doesn't limit us, and we can still think critically. But it takes us to work harder and longer to achieve that level of competence. But on the other hand, we are more disciplined, and we like to pay more attention to details.

H: Jacob, Vera says some of the American students in this Program have some preconceptions6 about China before they come over. Is that true?
J: Absolutely. When we were on the plane to China we imagined what it was going to be like. Something turns out to be what we expected. The food is not a surprise. The temperature and degree is not a surprise. But I think I am really impressed with the people.

H: Do you think what you learn here is different from what you learned from American Media coverage about China?
J: That is true. American Media coverage about China is all about politics, military, and human rights stuff. Before I came to China, I knew only these three things.

H: When we talk about the functions of education, we also need to think about the role of family education. Other than schooling on the campus, what do you think of family education in China?
V: I think it is very important because Chinese tradition has always put a lot of value on education. And education, they always say, could take you out of poverty, make you somebody. And that is very good. But on the other hand, Chinese parents put a lot of hope on their children. It will lead to some negative impact.7 And they like to direct their children to certain professions because those are the professions that could be very useful in the future.

H: Do you think you have benefited a lot from your family education, Jacob?
J: I definitely think so. I think American education emphasizes the distrust of the authority8 and the desire to question. When we have a lecture with Chinese students together, the lecturer makes a remark, and personally I would ask myself, "Do I believe what the speaker says?" I think sometimes it is a hindrance9 because maybe it's better for us to listen and take notes and learn what the speaker is saying. But sometimes I think it is better for us to think "Is what the speaker says correct? Does this person have new ideas that I haven't heard before?"

H: Did you often say no to your parents when you were a kid?
J: I think this is the hallmark10 of the American child. We grew up and spent the entire youth saying no to our parents. It is constantly a way for children to see how far they can push their parents.

H: Okay, when you start working, for example, will you be able to say no to your boss at work?
J: I think today American companies are looking for employees who are capable of critical thinking, who not only come to the companies and see how the companies do business, learn the process and understand it, but also find more efficient ways to do it. It's not about saying no, it's about "Here is an alternative and here is a better way."

H: Yang Liu, what is the key word to describe your relationship with your parents?
Y: I would say "attention," I mean my parents really pay a lot of attention to me.

H: What if you feel ignored — because it always happens, on the campus, in the companies, or anywhere across the world, you can always feel ignored—what would be your immediate response?
Y: Actually I like to be ignored sometimes. Getting a lot of attention sometimes is good and sometimes is bad.

H: Do you think your family education has benefited you a lot in terms of shaping your current career, Vera?
V: Well, my parents, when we grew up, were busy with making money. So I didn't see them very often. The people who shaped me for my perspective are the teachers in high school and also my friends.

H: How would you sum up your experience of a brief stay here in mainland China?
V: Most of the American students in this Program have never been to China before, they had preconceptions about China before their arrival. The Program gives them a wide range of experience when they visit the villages and historical sights. I think they have gained more respect for Chinese culture and also the country itself.

1.perspective: 透視，視角。
2.vision: 看法。
3.timid: 膽怯的。
4.vague: 含糊。
5.Are you…beneficiary? 你是個(gè)犧牲品，還是位受益者？
6.preconception: 成見(jiàn)，先入之見(jiàn)。
7.negative impact: 負(fù)面影響。
8.distrust of the authority: 不迷信權(quán)威。
9.hindrance: 障礙、妨礙。
10.hallmark: 標(biāo)志，特征。

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