How I broke 3 myths about Chinese tech teams (and confirmed 1)

Lessons from 3 years of global collaboration, building trust, and fostering creativity with Chinese tech teams.

Mar 08, 2025

This week, I have been reflecting on what it really takes to make global collaboration work; especially when bridging cultures, time zones, and different ways of working. Leading teams across Barcelona, London, Edinburgh, and Shenzhen, I have learned that success depends a lot on understanding people, adapting to cultural nuances, and learning how to work with the differences instead of against them.

Over the past 3 years, I have worked closely with our software and data engineering teams in China. Along the way, I have encountered common myths about working with Chinese tech teams—only to see them completely debunked.

Today, I want to share those lessons with you.

Let’s begin! 🚀

Lets begin with a question! 👇

Have you ever worked with Chinese teams on global software projects?

I have, and it’s amazing—if you know how to do it.

It’s 2023, and Data Science has delivered value in the millions for Skyscanner, focusing primarily on the Flights product and incorporating machine learning into paid marketing and our internal ads platform. That is why the company wanted to expand our Data Science presence into a new strategic vertical: hotels.

The hotels vertical was built and is still owned by our engineering teams in Shenzhen. With Data Science helping hotels, we became one of the first teams to bridge Europe and China on long-term global tech projects. There was no playbook on how to work together effectively. No cookie-cutter solutions for delivering complex projects across multiple time zones. We had to figure it out on our own.

I was tasked with spearheading two new data science projects: hotel ranking (where we rank hotels to prioritise relevance for users) and partner ranking (where we blend relevance with higher monetisation opportunities). One of my main concerns was the cultural gap and my own biases about not knowing much about China and its working culture. There are so many myths surrounding it, making it difficult to know which ones are true and which are pure smoke.

After collaborating with Chinese data and software engineers on cross-cultural teamwork for over two years, I have gathered enough experience to confirm or debunk these myths. More importantly, I’ve distilled some hard-earned takeaways to help you succeed if you ever work with Chinese teams.

So, what myths will we be tackling in this blog? Let’s outline them next.

What this blog covers: Breaking 3 myths about Chinese tech teams (and confirming 1)

So, what myths will we be tackling in this blog? Let’s break them down:

Myth 1: Language barriers make collaboration impossible (Debunked ❌): Discover how tools, strategies, and mutual effort bridge the gap.
Myth 2: Time zones are an insurmountable challenge (Debunked ❌): Learn how asynchronous communication and scheduling flexibility make global teamwork possible.
Myth 3: Hierarchy in Chinese teams stifles creativity (Debunked ❌): Explore how cultural differences in decision-making and adaptability enhance collaboration.
Myth 4: In-person collaboration is essential for global teams (Confirmed 👍): Understand why face-to-face interactions build trust and alignment.

Let’s dive into these myths one by one.

Myth 1: Language barriers make collaboration impossible (debunked ❌)

Have you ever wondered how to collaborate with a team that primarily speaks Mandarin, with little English fluency?

Language barriers can feel insurmountable when collaborating with global teams, especially when English proficiency varies. Initially, this was a significant hurdle in our work with the Shenzhen engineering team. While Product Managers and Principal Engineers in Shenzhen were fluent, many engineers were not. Meetings felt slow, and misinterpretations were common.

How we bridged the gap:

Tools to the rescue: We used Zoom's real-time English-to-Mandarin translation feature in meetings to enhance understanding (it wasn’t perfect, but for one-on-one chats or meetings with only a few participants, it worked surprisingly well).
Written communication paved the way: Detailed Confluence documents or Miro boards were prepared before meetings, allowing Shenzhen colleagues to follow and revisit the content. Written updates after discussions ensured clarity.
Patience and practice made it work: Speaking slowly, using the Zoom “Raise Hand” feature, and avoiding overlapping conversations helped build a more inclusive environment.
Always stopping to ask is this clear: We made it a habit to pause during discussions and ask open-ended questions like, 'Does this make sense?' or 'Would you like me to clarify anything further?' This ensured everyone felt comfortable speaking up and allowed us to catch potential misunderstandings early.

Over time, the company provided English training for the Shenzhen team, and the gap began to close. Today, communication is seamless, proving that language barriers are a hurdle, not a roadblock.

A horizontal illustration showing two geeky engineers, one speaking English and the other speaking Mandarin, humorously interacting with a glowing translation app placed between them. The style mimics traditional Chinese brush painting, with flowing lines and soft watercolor textures, combined with a playful, anime-inspired twist. The individuals are depicted with exaggerated but respectful expressions, reacting to the app's translations. Both participants are dressed in modern casual attire (jeans, plain t-shirts, hoodies). The background features elements of a classic Chinese landscape, like mountains and clouds, blended with subtle modern tech accents such as glowing signals from the app. No text, emojis, or symbols are included. — Image created with Dall-e

Myth 2: Time zones are an insurmountable challenge (debunked ❌)

Time zones—the invisible line that turns a "good morning" into a "goodnight."

Think time zones make global collaboration impossible? At first, we thought so too. But with a little creativity, we turned a challenge into an opportunity.

If you start your day at 9:00 a.m. Europe time, you only have around a 3-hour overlap with Eastern China (Shenzhen for us). Now, you know how this goes. First, you have Europe time stand-ups and probably some other morning meetings with European stakeholders or teams. Second, say you’re in your deep focus time at 4:00 p.m. Europe time and a question about the data comes to mind… the Shenzhen folks are already sleeping.

At first, this limited overlap felt constraining, especially for urgent decisions or brainstorming sessions. However, with a mindset shift and strategic approaches, lagged responses between teams became manageable.

How we made it work:

Prioritising overlap for critical meetings: We reserved the overlapping hours for high-priority discussions, ensuring we made the most of the limited shared time. For example, every Wednesday, we had a hotel ranking meeting to focus on progress, bottlenecks, actions or system design discussions.
Asynchronous communication for the win: We leaned heavily on tools like Slack and recorded short videos to explain what the Europe team worked on or the questions we had. These videos provided richer context than a Slack message ever could, helping the Shenzhen team hit the ground running each morning. Slack’s video transcription feature was a game-changer, allowing us to communicate clearly even outside working hours.
Flexibility on both sides: The Shenzhen team often worked late to align with our schedule. To reciprocate, we started earlier a few days each month. This mutual effort fostered a sense of partnership and fairness.
Adapting to unique challenges: For example, daylight saving time created unexpected scheduling conflicts since China doesn’t adjust their clocks! (Yes, I didn’t know that until we suddenly had unexpected meeting clashes all over the place the first time we adjusted our clocks.) Preemptively adjusting our calendars helped avoid disruptions.

Effective global teamwork isn’t about eliminating challenges but learning to navigate them. Just because your company is based in Europe (or the US, or wherever else), the more you try to make the workplace a fair one—considering time working patterns across the globe—the better your projects will be delivered.

A horizontal illustration split into two halves, visually showcasing time zone differences. On the left, a Chinese tech worker is working during daytime, seated at a desk with a laptop and a cup of tea, sunlight streaming through a window. On the right, a European tech worker is clearly sleeping at night, tucked into bed with a visible clock on the wall showing midnight and moonlight filtering through the blinds. The Chinese side should depict a bright daytime atmosphere with warm sunlight, while the European side should have a calm nighttime setting with cool moonlight. The style mimics traditional Chinese brush painting, with flowing lines and soft watercolor textures, combined with a playful, anime-inspired twist. A faint overlay of a world map in the background symbolizes global collaboration. No text, emojis, or symbols are included. — Image created with Dall-e

Myth 3: hierarchy in Chinese teams stifles creativity (debunked ❌)

Just hearing the word “hierarchy” can conjure images of rigid, top-down systems where ideas from the bottom barely get a hearing. And yes, hierarchy plays a noticeable role in Chinese workplaces, but it doesn’t mean creativity is stifled. It just works differently.

What we observed:

Respect for seniority: In our projects, Shenzhen engineers often looked to their senior counterparts for direction. It’s not any different in Europe, everyone looks to their seniors. In China it just felt a bit more pronounced, with an element of actual deference to their opinions. This is not something that can be changed overnight. Recognising this difference allowed us to adapt our approach, ensuring that senior engineers felt valued while fostering collaboration at all levels.
Action over discussion: Put yourself in this scenario. I ask you “What do you think about adding a data quality alert?”. What would you do? Think, brainstorm and discuss? Or go and implement the alerting feature? Well, the latter is what the SZ folks did. We had to be very careful with how we frame questions at the beginning. Nowadays the SZ guys are very used to us asking plenty of questions, and they are doing the same back!

How we made it work:

Have a great relationship with senior engineers. As mentioned above, senior engineers carry a heavy respect with the teams. The closer we got to them, the more fluid the conversations and delivery became. In addition, senior engineers in SZ had also a higher deference for senior / principal data scientists. Having a senior data scientist from Europe on board for discussions helped build trust and confidence in the collaboration.
Clarity in expectations for specific meetings. When we put in the agenda a “Brainstorming the orchestration sequencing of our ranking model” and prepare a Miro board for it, oh boy, the SZ folks came with ideas. It was as if they finally felt free to share their ideas openly. These little changes in how to frame meetings made wonders in how we collaborated.

Creativity in hierarchical systems isn’t impossible—it’s about understanding how the system works and adapting your approach to foster collaboration and innovation. Every system has its nuances, but if you understand and adapt to the dynamics of hierarchy, you can unlock creativity and drive impactful collaboration in any team.

A horizontal illustration showing a Chinese tech worker opening a door labeled 'Brainstorm.' The worker is depicted with an expression of curiosity and excitement, stepping into a room glowing with creative energy. Inside the room, vibrant symbols of brainstorming—such as lightbulbs, gears, and colorful thought clouds—float around in the air. The style mimics traditional Chinese brush painting, with flowing lines and soft watercolor textures, combined with a playful, anime-inspired twist. The door has a subtle modern tech design, and the background blends traditional Chinese elements like mountains and clouds with a modern office setting. No text, emojis, or symbols (other than the label 'Brainstorm') are included. — Image created with Dall-e

Myth 4: In-person collaboration is essential for global teams (Confirmed 👍)

A global team needs, by definition, remote communication. We covered this in myth 1. But let me tell you about my one-week trip to Shenzhen. It cost the company around $2,000 (flights, hotel, food, ferry, etc). Seems steep, right? Now imagine the cost of weeks of misaligned priorities, misunderstood goals, and slow decision-making over Zoom. That $2,000? Money incredibly well spent.

You cannot underestimate the power of connecting with people in global teams, especially when bridging different cultures.

Why in-person collaboration mattered:

Building trust and rapport: When I visited Shenzhen, nearly all the senior leads made the effort to be in the office, have lunch, and go out for dinner. These moments weren’t just about work—they were about building real relationships. Sharing meals, chatting about cultures, and even playing badminton helped break the ice and fostered trust in a way that no virtual meeting could.
Breaking barriers with non-verbal communication: Whiteboards, gestures, and face-to-face discussions allowed for more dynamic collaboration. Complex technical concepts that could take hours to explain over Slack or Zoom were clarified in minutes.
Long-term impact: The connections formed during that visit didn’t just help with the current project. They laid the foundation for future collaborations. Colleagues I met in-person became go-to contacts, making future problem-solving faster and smoother.

Yes, travel is costly in terms of money and effort. But if you think spending a week in-person is expensive, consider the inefficiencies of a remote team struggling to align. Sometimes, the best investment is a plane ticket.

A horizontal illustration of a lively in-person whiteboard session with fewer participants collaborating on ideas. In the center, a glowing whiteboard is filled with colorful flowcharts, diagrams, and brainstorming notes. The scene includes three individuals dressed in modern casual tech attire (jeans, t-shirts, and hoodies), actively engaged—one gesturing with their hands, another holding a marker, and a third typing on a laptop. The expressions are animated, showing excitement and focus. The setting blends traditional Chinese brush painting with soft watercolor textures and a playful, anime-inspired twist. Subtle cultural elements, like a cup of tea on the table or a Chinese landscape outside the window, add a warm and relatable atmosphere. No text, emojis, or symbols are included. — Image created with Dall-e

Wrapping it up: Lessons from bridging cultures

Working with Chinese tech teams taught me a lot. It wasn’t always easy—language barriers, time zones, and different approaches to hierarchy presented real challenges. But by adapting, staying open, and finding common ground, we turned those challenges into strengths.

Each myth we tackled taught its own lesson:

Language barriers? They’re just hurdles, not roadblocks. Tools, patience, and clear communication can bridge the gap.
Time zones? They don’t have to be a blocker. Prioritise shared time wisely, lean into asynchronous workflows, and stay flexible.
Hierarchy? It’s not a barrier; it’s a framework. Learn to work within it, and you’ll unlock collaboration and creativity.
In-person collaboration? It’s still essential. Face-to-face moments build trust, foster understanding, and lay the foundation for long-term success.

What’s the big takeaway?
By respecting cultural nuances and adapting your strategies, you will not only deliver better projects but also build stronger, more resilient teams.

So, the next time you find yourself working with a global team, ask yourself

How can I make this collaboration better?

The answer often lies in a mix of openness, empathy, and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone—whether that’s learning to ask better questions, waking up a little earlier, or booking that plane ticket.

Now, I want to hear from you!

📢 I have shared my experience of working with Chinese tech teams, breaking some myths, confirming others, and learning a ton along the way. Now, I’m curious about your experiences.

Have you ever collaborated with a Chinese (or any global) tech team?
What was your biggest learning or challenge?
Did any of these myths resonate with you? Or do you have your own stories—perhaps a moment where cultural differences completely surprised you?

Drop your thoughts in the comments! I’d love to hear how you’ve navigated global teamwork.👇

Senior Data Science Lead

All my articles, one convenient place

Discussion about this post