You know...

I just came back from China.

And I have to admit something.

I was impressed.

Not by the skyscrapers.

Not by the technology.

Not even by the infrastructure… or the great toll systems (yes, I’m a geek for them).

Although, to be fair, a country that added almost 2,900 km of high-speed railway in a single year deserves some credit.

Some countries struggle to build 3 km of metro without a parliamentary inquiry, a budget revision and three changes of government.

No.

What impressed me most was the people.

I spent several days visiting factories, meeting suppliers and walking through trade fairs in Guangzhou and Foshan.

And everywhere I went, I saw the same thing.

People trying to do business.

Selling.

Negotiating.

Competing.

Trying to get ahead.

And get a picture of you with their logo.

Nobody seemed particularly interested in explaining why something couldn't be done.

They wanted to know what I needed, how many units I wanted and when we could start.

Sometimes before I had even finished explaining what I was looking for.

Now, I'm not naive.

China has enormous problems.

Economic, demographic, political.

And a system I certainly wouldn't want to import wholesale.

But there's something refreshing about seeing a society where so much energy appears to be directed towards producing, selling and prospering.

Less theatre.

More business.

Meanwhile, back in the West, we can spend five years debating whether to build something.

Another five consulting stakeholders.

And another five explaining why it costs twice as much as originally promised.

Then we celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony.

With seventeen politicians and a shovel.

And this is not an exaggeration, just check NZ’s statistics for project delivery, from conception to cutting ribbon ceremonies…

Perhaps we could learn a thing or two.

Not about politics.

Not about copying China's economic model.

But about execution.

And about remembering that prosperity doesn't come from PowerPoint presentations.

It comes from people getting things done.

Speaking of staying informed about what's happening in the business world...

One newsletter I recommend is Morning Brew.

I could even access to it from China…

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