As someone who worked in China for 5 yrs, I wholeheartedly agree with Mike Moritz that we have a lot to learn from China. However, focusing only on the Chinese work ethic hardly scratches the surface. Here are five lessons I’d recommend instead. @FT buff.ly/2FSjYHa
1. Focus on CULTURE: from Taobao, to Tencent, Chinese companies invest in cultivating company culture from DAY ONE. Company values, mascots, extravagant team building are just a few examples. Company culture translates to cohesiveness and a sense of collective purpose.
2. Women (and men) get a lot of SUPPORT: while Moritz pointed out women in China seem to have a lot of opportunities in tech, he failed to see the tremendous support network. For one, average maternity leave is 4-6 months. Second, childcare is cheap or free.
3. Clarity of FOCUS: decision making in China rarely adopts “consensus building”. While operational planning is collaborative (see #1), strategic decisions are clearly outlined by executives. For startups that need to move quickly, this level of clarity and focus is invaluable.
4. Rules are meant to be broken: is Tencent a gaming company, a payments company (WechatPay) or a communication platform (Wechat)? Is Baidu a search company or an AI company? Chinese companies don’t bother with these clear boxes or conventional rules, and neither should we.
5. Be SCRAPPY and keep moving: one of the most impressive traits I witnessed in Chinese tech companies was how quickly companies shipped and kept on shipping. Combined with intense competition, this environment is optimized for innovation in warp speed. 
