A Comparative Study of Impression Management in Disagreement Expressions: Insights From Interviews With Chinese and US Corporate Leaders

For CEO interviews (key to a company’s public image), this study explores how Chinese and US Fortune Global 500 CEOs manage impressions when expressing disagreements. Analyzing 60 interview videos (30 Chinese CEOs, 30 US CEOs), the study focuses on CEOs’ linguistic strategies (LSs) and nonverbal behaviors (NVBs) in disagreements. Findings reveal that both groups share similarities in their preferences for LSs such as negation, preface, and counterclaims. However, striking divergences emerge in their employment of NVBs: Chinese CEOs predominantly rely on the Palm Up Open Hand, head nods, and smiling, whereas their US counterparts more frequently employ head shakes, smiling, and the Palm Up Open Hand. Both Chinese and US CEOs project a polite and harmony-preserving image, but US CEOs project a more direct and assertive image by using more aggravated NVBs. The study provides practical insights for business communication, highlighting cultural awareness role in choosing effective discourse strategies.