Why Is It Important To Save Face?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The concept is a core social value in Asian cultures, among others. The meaning has remained stable across time. Saving Face

signifies a desire—

or defines a strategy—to avoid humiliation or embarrassment, to maintain dignity or preserve reputation.

Why saving face is important?

Why is saving face an important leadership skill? Saving face is a universal concept that

enables one to connect with people, break down barriers

, and build trust and long-term relationships.

What are we doing when we save face?

In business relationships, when you help someone “save face,” you

help restore their dignity

. You help them recover from a minor slight, an unintentional misstep, or a serious, embarrassing mistake.

What does it mean to let someone save face?


Preserving one’s dignity

is the implied meaning in the expression, “to save face.” The phrase originated in China, where it is referred to as “lose face.” Simply put, a person who loses face feels that his status is diminished and that he has lost the respect of others.

Why do Chinese save face?

In Chinese culture, the concept of ‘face’, AKA mianzi (mi-an-ze), refers to the amount of “dignity” or “prestige” that’s associated with an individual. So, ‘saving face’ means

to keep others from losing respect for oneself or to avoid embarrassment

.

What is maintaining face?

People strive to maintain the face

they have created in social situations

. They are emotionally attached to their faces, so they feel good when their faces are maintained; loss of face results in emotional pain, so in social interactions people cooperate by using politeness strategies to maintain each other’s faces.

How do Chinese lose face?

The Chinese concept of “face” (aka 面子 or miànzi) refers to a cultural understanding of respect, honor and social standing.

Actions or words that are disrespectful may

cause somebody to “lose face” while gifts, awards and other respect-giving actions may “give face”.

What does stay face mean?


To try to regain favorable standing

after something embarrassing has happened; to give or afford someone an opportunity to avoid embarrassment, humiliation, or shame. I tried to offer an explanation that incorporated elements of what he’d said as a means of saving his face after such an awkward presentation.

What is an example of saving face?

The definition of face saving is something done to try to lessen embarrassment or to make one’s self look better in a situation where a person is embarrassed or made to look bad. An example of face saving is saying

“Oh I was going to break up with her anyway” after your girlfriend dumps you

.

What does show face mean?


To go somewhere despite feeling embarrassed

or being scorned.

What does losing Face mean in Japan?


To disagree with someone in public

, thus causing them embarrassment, is to make them “lose face” (mentsu wo ushinau).

How do you deal with Chinese people?

  1. Give Chinese a lot of guideline/direction at work. …
  2. Do not ask the Chinese whether they have questions, test them. …
  3. Listen patiently with positive encouragement. …
  4. Show a lot of compliment to people from Mainland China(PRC), but not too much for people from Hong Kong.

What is loss of Face in psychology?

We lose face

when information about us

—whether it’s something we just now did, something we did some time ago, a category that is discovered to include us, or an attribution by others—discredits our performance of the role we are in.

How can I stop losing my face?

  1. Practice cardio exercise. Share on Pinterest Regular cardiovascular exercise may help reduce face fat. …
  2. Perform facial exercises. …
  3. Reduce alcohol consumption. …
  4. Drink more water. …
  5. Get more sleep. …
  6. Improve overall diet. …
  7. Reduce salt intake.

What is the purpose of face negotiation theory?

Face-Negotiation Theory is a theory conceived by Stella Ting-Toomey in 1985,

to understand how people from different cultures manage rapport and disagreements

. The theory posited “face”, or self-image when communicating with others, as a universal phenomenon that pervades across cultures.

What is negative face?

Negative face was defined as “

the want of every ‘competent adult member’ that his actions be unimpeded by others

“, or “the basic claim to territories, personal preserves, rights to non-distraction—i.e. the freedom of action and freedom from imposition”.

Rachel Ostrander
Author
Rachel Ostrander
Rachel is a career coach and HR consultant with over 5 years of experience working with job seekers and employers. She holds a degree in human resources management and has worked with leading companies such as Google and Amazon. Rachel is passionate about helping people find fulfilling careers and providing practical advice for navigating the job market.