THE delicate art of managing egos – 101 – is a module NOT taught in universities but is an essential skill in the construction / engineering sector.
This deft ability in handling client expectations was especially pronounced among Chinese contractors who seemed skilled in nodding in agreement to whatever the clients and consultants say.
Such was the not-so-subtle observation by prominent civil engineer Dr Hamizi Hamdan (@ir.drhamizi) who claimed on Threads that these Chinese contractors “aren’t stupid” but knew that it was quite simply pointless to argue with clients and/or their consultants.
Editor’s Note: Dr Hamizi Hamdan is a highly qualified Malaysian professional engineer (civil), project recovery specialist, corporate consultant and content creator.
He holds a rare combination of technical, financial and executive qualifications, including a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering, an MBA in Finance and a PhD in Management. He is widely recognised in Malaysia for his multi-disciplinary expertise across several sectors.
The veteran engineer with 25 years of experience added that these supposed “yes men” would then just proceed to do whatever is required to get the job done on site.
Recalling a contractor who butted heads with clients and consultants during his early career, the poster wryly noted the only consequence of that approach was self-inflicted misery.
It was pointed out that the Chinese were very adept in managing egos. It was a skill that is essential yet NOT taught in schools or institutions of higher learning.
Quoting a Chinese proverb – “seek wealth, not seek anger” – a business-savvy commenter insinuated that this ‘nodding in agreement’ tactic can be a fruitful business approach.
“The Chinese will not get angry when making money. Customers bring wealth” it was quite rightly surmised.
Seconding this opinion was a 20-year Malay construction industry veteran who declared that he preferred dealing with Chinese contractors.
Describing them as “cool” and “do not like picking arguments,” the bottom line was that they got the job done.
This sentiment was repeated by another commenter who felt that this attitude of placating and appeasing clients was prevalent among all Chinese businessmen who are in the service industry.
Praising these Chinese entrepreneurs who never let it get personal but merely found a way to solve the client issues, this netizen remarked that these businessmen just treated it as work.
“The more a person resisted, the more difficult life becomes,” he contended. It was also argued that professionalism trumps emotions in that despite many a tongue-lashing, these Chinese vendors would eventually gain the trust of the clients.
This eager-to-please attitude was evident among Chinese contractors, testified a few commenters. A no-nonsense work ethic backed up by a guarantee to repair any unsatisfactory work makes such contractors easier to work with.
This sentiment was echoed by this three-decade construction industry expert who claimed that he had only dealt with Malay contractors twice, preferring Chinese ones as they would do everything possible to meet client/consultant expectations.
The bottom line was that the job got done on time, adding that verbal abuse was commonplace in this line of work.
As can be seen from the various comments, Chinese contractors in the construction industry have certainly carved out a name for themselves with their “can-do” attitude.
As the poster highlighted, this essential skill of managing egos will go a very long way in succeeding in the industry.
This business-savvy approach to managing egos was best summed up by this commenter who quipped, “Lose the debate, win the pocket”. There really is no better argument than that. – Sept 20, 2026
