Stay Calm and Carry On: Why Patience Is Your Best Business Tool in China

Over the years running a trading company in China, I’ve come to realize that staying calm is not just a personal health strategy, it’s also one of the most underrated success factors in business. Whether you’re dealing with customs clearance, a surprise freeze on your company bank account, or miscommunication with a supplier, your ability to stay calm will determine not only your mental well-being, but also how others perceive and respond to you.

Chaos Happens, But It Doesn’t Have to Define You

I’ve had moments where everything seemed to be falling apart at once. A shipment stuck at customs with no clear explanation. A bank officer telling me something entirely different than what his colleague said the day before. A document that was perfectly acceptable last month now being rejected for some vague formatting reason. It’s easy to feel like you’re being tossed around in a system that doesn’t make sense.

But here’s the thing: getting angry or frustrated won’t make anything faster. In fact, it usually makes things worse.

When you approach an issue with calmness and patience, you give yourself time to see the bigger picture. You begin to realize that much of the confusion isn’t personal, it’s systemic, linguistic, and cultural.

The Language Barrier Is Real

Let’s take banking as an example. If you're a foreign business owner in China, chances are you’ve had at least one moment of confusion at a Chinese bank. You ask a simple question in English, and the answer you get doesn’t quite make sense. So you ask someone else, and they say something completely different. You begin to question whether anyone knows what they’re talking about.

But here’s the reality: the staff probably do know their job. The issue is often the language barrier. Many front-office employees speak basic English, but banking regulations and procedures are filled with technicalities and jargon that are hard to translate on the spot. What feels like incompetence is often just a result of someone doing their best to explain a complex topic in a second language.

When you stay calm and show appreciation for their effort, things tend to go smoother. People are more likely to go the extra mile for someone who treats them with respect.

Customs Can Be a Puzzle

Customs clearance is another area that tests your patience. I’ve had shipments flagged for extra inspection simply because the invoice used the wrong wording. I’ve seen identical containers clear customs at two different ports, one in 24 hours, the other in a week. It’s inconsistent, yes, but often the inconsistency comes from how the documentation was interpreted, not from malice or negligence.

In many of these situations, the solution is usually simple, once you find the right person to explain it to you properly. And that again comes down to how you communicate and how calm you stay while looking for answers.

Cultural Misunderstandings Are a Bigger Issue Than You Think

Another big reason foreigners struggle in China is a lack of cultural understanding. Business in China doesn’t operate on the same rhythm or expectations as in the West. Sometimes things move incredibly fast, other times painfully slow. Sometimes you’re given vague answers not because people are hiding something, but because it’s culturally more acceptable to avoid saying “no” directly.

If you come in expecting everything to follow Western standards, you will be disappointed, and possibly even offended. But if you take time to understand how things work here, you’ll realize it’s not chaos. It’s just a different system, built on different values and communication styles.

Study the Language, Embrace the Culture

If you want to thrive in China, my best advice is: learn Mandarin. Even a little bit goes a long way. Knowing how to greet someone, how to say “thank you,” and how to ask a few simple questions can dramatically change the dynamic. It shows respect. It opens doors.

Equally important is to study the culture. Understand the concepts of face (面子), indirect communication, the importance of hierarchy, and the value of relationships (关系). These are not just buzzwords, they’re practical tools that will help you navigate tricky situations with grace and effectiveness.

Final Thoughts

Running a business in China isn’t easy. There will be moments of confusion, miscommunication, and frustration. But if you keep your cool, treat people with respect, and invest in learning the language and the culture, you’ll find that most obstacles are not walls, but doors, you just need the right key.

So the next time you find yourself stuck in a bureaucratic maze or waiting on a confusing answer, take a breath. Stay calm. Your problem will be solved, eventually. And you'll earn the trust and goodwill that builds long-term success in one of the most dynamic markets in the world.