Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan: Recent Episodes
Dr. Greg Story
Japan's Top Business Interviews is the premier business interview podcast for people who want to know more about business in japan. The guests cover a range of industries and organisation sizes, to present a thorough overview of issues with leading in Japan. If you are a leader, especialy someone leading in Japan, then this is the podcast for you.
"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it."
"One of the things that I think helps is that you show that you're not working for yourself, but you're working for the team."
"You need to be very mindful about who you interact with and how you bring the message to where you want it."
"You need to show up and be in front of the client and live what you preach."
"Be curious about people, connect with people. Be ready to spend some time on that."
Philippe Sommer is CEO of Aon Reinsurance Solutions Japan and an experienced international insurance and reinsurance executive whose career has taken him from Switzerland to the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan.
Sommer began his career with Swiss Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies. After initially working with international European clients, he moved to the United States before being offered an opportunity in Japan in the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima disaster. At the time, Japan's insurance industry had an acute need for international reinsurance expertise.
In his first Japan assignment with Swiss Re, Sommer led sales activities and a team of approximately 40 people. After four years, he returned to Europe before an opportunity emerged to return to Japan with Aon, this time operating from a different part of the insurance and reinsurance value chain.
His experience leading in Japan has required considerable adaptability. Sommer has learned that effective leadership cannot simply be transplanted from a Western corporate environment. Understanding hierarchy, nemawashi, indirect communication, client dedication, consensus building, patience and the importance of personal relationships has been central to his approach.
As a Swiss executive working for global organisations in Japan, Sommer sees himself as an important translator between headquarters and the Japanese organisation: explaining to global leaders why Japan sometimes needs a different approach while also explaining to Japanese colleagues why not everything can be different from global standards.
Narrative Summary
Philippe Sommer's experience leading in Japan illustrates why successful global leadership is less about importing a proven management formula and more about learning how people around you actually think, communicate and make decisions.
Sommer arrived in Japan through the world of reinsurance. Following the devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, Japan required significant international reinsurance expertise. Having worked in Switzerland and the United States, Sommer accepted the opportunity to move to Japan and eventually found himself leading a substantial sales organisation.
One of his earliest lessons concerned communication. Japanese expressions that appear positive or ambiguous to a Western executive can carry a very different meaning. A response such as "maybe" may actually represent an extremely strong "no". Translation alone therefore does not solve the problem. Leaders need interpretation: an understanding of the context and intention behind the words.
Hierarchy presented another adjustment. Western executives may be accustomed to relatively flat organisations and feel comfortable contacting anyone necessary to achieve an outcome. In Japan, bypassing a counterpart and approaching that person's boss can cause embarrassment, loss of face and damaged trust. Sommer learned that respecting organisational relationships is essential.
Yet Japanese hierarchy operates alongside nemawashi. Decisions may ultimately be approved at the top, but the groundwork is often built from below. People who will execute a decision need to be involved before the decision becomes official. Skipping that process can make implementation substantially harder.
Sommer consequently favours what he describes as a "pull" rather than "push" leadership style. Instead of simply telling employees how something must be achieved, leaders can establish the desired outcome and then involve colleagues in determining how to reach it. This requires patience, but it produces understanding, involvement and commitment.
Trust is built through similar behaviour. Sommer believes leaders need to demonstrate that they are working for the team and for the client rather than themselves. Leading by example matters. A leader should be visible in front of clients, participate in the work and demonstrate the behaviour expected from others.
Curiosity is another foundation of his leadership approach. Rather than constantly talking about themselves, leaders should learn about other people, their interests, motivations and culture. Open questions help, but so does silence. Western executives accustomed to filling conversational gaps need to become comfortable waiting for Japanese colleagues to formulate and express their thoughts.
Sommer's advice to incoming leaders is therefore deceptively simple: connect with people. Spend time with them. Share meals. Learn something about the Japanese language even if fluency is unrealistic. Understand how communication works. Most importantly, do not arrive believing that a powerful presentation or headquarters mandate will automatically create followership.
His preferred definition of leadership, borrowed from Dwight D. Eisenhower, captures the central lesson: leadership is getting someone to do what needs to be done because that person wants to do it. In Japan, once genuine commitment has been established, Sommer believes the organisation can become almost unstoppable.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan requires an unusually strong awareness of context, hierarchy, relationships and indirect communication. Philippe Sommer discovered that literal translation is insufficient because leaders also need to understand the interpretation behind Japanese words and expressions.
Hierarchy remains important. A foreign executive who bypasses a counterpart to contact that person's superior may believe they are simply accelerating communication. The Japanese counterpart may instead experience embarrassment and loss of face, damaging the relationship.
At the same time, hierarchy coexists with bottom-up consensus building through nemawashi. The formal decision may come from above, but effective implementation frequently depends upon groundwork being completed throughout the organisation beforehand.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives can struggle because methods that generated results elsewhere may produce resistance in Japan. A leader arriving under pressure from headquarters may immediately begin pushing for rapid change. Sommer warns that this can become a "suicide mission" if headquarters does not understand that achieving sustainable change in Japan may require additional time.
The leader also occupies a difficult intermediary position. Sommer sees himself as a translator between Japan and the global organisation. He must explain to headquarters why Japan is different while simultaneously explaining to Japanese colleagues why global requirements cannot simply be ignored.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Sommer recognises greater risk aversion in some parts of Japanese business but cautions against treating everyone as identical. Teams contain different personality types, including people who are ready to act.
The leader's task is partly to identify those "doers", create circumstances in which they can contribute and ensure senior colleagues accept their participation. What can initially look like negativity may also represent an attempt to identify problems before implementation.
What leadership style actually works?
Sommer describes leadership in terms of "push and pull". In Japan, he has found pull leadership particularly effective.
Rather than dictating every step, the leader discusses the intended destination and allows colleagues to contribute to how the organisation gets there. This helps the leader understand why people think as they do and allows solutions to emerge from the team.
Sommer also emphasises leading by example. Leaders must show up, work with clients and demonstrate that they are committed to the same mission as their employees. Trust grows when people see that their leader is not merely delegating responsibility from above.
How can technology help?
Technology can make literal communication easier, particularly through AI-enabled translation, but Sommer's experience suggests technology does not eliminate the need for cultural interpretation.
Machine translation may accurately convert words while missing the meaning behind them. Leaders still need to understand how a statement will be interpreted, what the speaker actually intends and how their own communication is being received.
Technology therefore supports cross-cultural communication but cannot replace curiosity, contextual understanding or human relationships.
Does language proficiency matter?
Sommer believes leaders should learn about Japanese even if they never reach professional fluency.
Understanding basic language structures can reveal how communication itself differs. Japanese sentence construction, including the placement of the verb at the end, requires listeners to wait longer before knowing the full meaning of a statement.
That reinforces an important leadership discipline: listen, wait and become comfortable with silence. Language study can therefore provide cultural insight even when the executive continues conducting most business in English.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
Sommer's central lesson is to become curious about people and build genuine connections.
Leaders should spend time with colleagues, share meals, ask open questions, listen and understand what motivates people. A presentation alone does not create followership.
His preferred Eisenhower definition captures his philosophy: "Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it."
For Sommer, that idea has particular power in Japan. When people genuinely want to execute the agreed direction, commitment becomes exceptionally strong and the organisation can become almost unstoppable.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"The very first thing that you have to do as a leader in Japan is to make yourself a team member."
"You have to show them that you're here because you want to lead Japan, not because you want to lead."
"Don't ask anyone to do anything you wouldn't do yourself."
"You have to get to a level where you can show both knowledge and humility."
"Once you show your people a path... they will follow you."
Doru Tasca is President and Representative Director of ZF Group in Japan, combining more than three decades of life in Japan with extensive leadership experience in the automotive industry.
Born and raised in Romania, Tasca came to Japan at eighteen after winning a Japanese government Monbusho scholarship. He spent his first year studying Japanese at Osaka University of Foreign Studies before completing his university education in Japan. That early immersion gave him not only fluency in Japanese but also a deep familiarity with the cultural assumptions underpinning Japanese business.
After initially teaching English, Tasca entered the automotive industry in 2005 with Japanese company Witech in Hiroshima, beginning in R&D before moving into sales and programme management. He subsequently joined Visteon and later Continental, where he worked extensively in automated and assisted driving technologies including cameras, radar and lidar.
Tasca joined ZF in 2020 as Key Account Executive for Toyota. His responsibilities expanded until he became Head of Sales for ZF Japan at the beginning of 2025 and subsequently President and Representative Director, while retaining his sales leadership responsibilities.
His career has been shaped by his ability to operate comfortably between Japanese and Western business cultures. Rather than treating Japan as a temporary overseas assignment, Tasca describes Japan as his home and believes effective foreign leadership requires understanding the language, culture, customers and people from the inside.
Narrative Summary
Leading successfully in Japan requires much more than importing global management practices and expecting local employees to adapt. For Doru Tasca, President and Representative Director of ZF Group Japan, effective leadership begins with becoming part of the team.
Tasca's perspective comes from an unusual career. Arriving from Romania at eighteen on a Japanese government scholarship, he learned Japanese, studied in Japan and eventually built his entire professional career there. His first automotive role was inside a traditional Japanese company, where he experienced Japanese corporate life from the bottom upwards before moving into multinational organisations including Visteon, Continental and ZF.
That background taught him an important lesson: Western leadership habits cannot simply be transplanted into Japan. Consensus building and nemawashi matter. Leaders must understand how decisions are developed and gain acceptance rather than relying solely on positional authority.
Credibility also comes from being willing to do the work. Tasca believes leaders initially need to get their hands dirty so they understand what their teams actually do. Delegation should come later and must be explained carefully. Employees need to understand that work is being delegated because the leader trusts them and wants them to grow, not because the boss simply wants to unload unwanted tasks.
This philosophy extends to decision-making. Tasca asks his management team to investigate problems, consult their teams, develop alternatives and return with a recommendation. If he accepts their recommendation, responsibility is shared. If he overrides it, he takes responsibility himself. This creates psychological safety around decisions while still encouraging ownership.
Trust is another recurring theme. Tasca sees reputation as one of the most valuable assets anyone possesses in Japanese business. Trust takes considerable time to build and can be destroyed remarkably quickly. Leaders therefore need to demonstrate reliability through behaviour. Tasca attends meetings alongside his people, joins them when customer problems occur and makes himself visible throughout the organisation. Employees must see that their leader works with them rather than merely issuing instructions.
He also emphasises accessibility. As president, he deliberately walks around the office and speaks with employees, even when the interaction lasts only thirty seconds. Japanese employees can be reluctant to approach senior leaders with problems, making it important for leaders themselves to reduce the psychological distance.
For foreign executives, Tasca's advice is particularly clear: learn Japanese. Language is not simply a communication tool. It signals commitment and allows leaders to understand nuances that disappear when Japanese employees are required to operate entirely in English.
Ultimately, Tasca defines leadership through example, humility and development. Leaders should never ask others to do something they would not do themselves. They must recognise that specialists around them will often know far more than they do and combine sufficient knowledge with the humility to listen.
Most importantly, leaders must show people a path forward. When employees understand how today's difficult assignment contributes to tomorrow's growth, leadership becomes more than authority. It gives people a reason to follow.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan depends heavily on becoming accepted as part of the team rather than simply asserting hierarchical authority. Tasca argues that foreign leaders must demonstrate that they understand Japanese business behaviour, including consensus building and nemawashi.
This requires hands-on involvement. Employees need to see that their leader understands their work and is prepared to share the burden. Only after establishing that credibility can delegation become genuinely effective.
Japanese decision-making also places considerable importance on collective acceptance. Tasca asks managers to investigate issues with their teams, identify alternatives and recommend a solution. When he agrees, responsibility becomes shared. When he rejects their recommendation and chooses another direction, he deliberately assumes responsibility for that decision.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives can struggle when they arrive believing successful leadership practices elsewhere will automatically work in Japan. Tasca warns against behaving like a temporary expatriate who has come to collect several years of international experience before moving to another assignment.
Japanese employees observe whether a foreign executive is genuinely committed to Japan. Leaders who remain isolated from employees, customers, language and everyday Japanese society can struggle to build the credibility required to lead effectively.
Tasca's distinction is powerful: executives need to demonstrate that they came because they want to lead Japan, not simply because they want to be leaders.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
The interview presents a more nuanced picture than simply describing Japanese organisations as risk-averse. Tasca's experience in the automotive sector shows companies managing uncertainty through relationships, consensus and long-term cooperation.
Japanese automotive competitors may cooperate when earthquakes or other disruptions threaten production. Customers also deliberately bring competing suppliers together, creating relationships that may eventually enable cooperation when supply-chain problems emerge.
Rather than seeing this purely as risk avoidance, it can be understood as strategic uncertainty management. Long-term relationships provide resilience when unexpected problems arise.
What leadership style actually works?
Tasca advocates visible, participative and accountable leadership.
Leaders need to work alongside employees, understand their jobs and demonstrate that delegation is designed to develop people rather than dump work onto them. They also need to listen to criticism. Tasca argues that a person who cannot accept constructive criticism has no business being a leader and is merely someone who possesses power.
Accessibility matters as well. Tasca makes daily rounds through the office and speaks with employees because people must feel comfortable approaching leadership with problems.
The resulting style combines knowledge with humility. Leaders do not need to be the greatest technical expert in the room. They need enough understanding to evaluate expert advice, make decisions and empower specialists to perform.
How can technology help?
Technology is central to ZF's business, but Tasca's leadership lessons emphasise that technology does not eliminate the human component of management.
ZF operates across advanced automotive technologies including automated driving, cameras, high-performance computing, braking, steering, suspension and transmissions. The company invests heavily in research and development and must persuade customers to adopt technologies that can initially be expensive.
Yet commercial success ultimately rests on trust. Customers need confidence that the supplier will deliver reliably over decades. Technology may create the opportunity, but relationships, reputation and execution determine whether customers choose that organisation when the next technology arrives.
Does language proficiency matter?
For Tasca, the answer is unequivocally yes.
His advice to a newly appointed foreign president is: learn Japanese immediately. Japanese employees may become more restricted when forced to communicate entirely in English, and important nuances can disappear.
At ZF Japan, Tasca is the only foreigner and normal staff meetings are conducted in Japanese. He believes speaking Japanese helps employees communicate naturally and demonstrates that the foreign leader is making a genuine effort to understand the country.
Language proficiency therefore contributes directly to trust, communication and leadership effectiveness.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
Tasca's leadership philosophy can be condensed into a simple principle: do not ask anyone to do something you would not do yourself.
Leadership also requires humility. There will always be people who possess deeper technical knowledge than the leader. The leader's role is to listen, understand enough to make sound decisions and trust capable people with responsibilities that help them develop.
Employees also need to see where they are going. Tasca believes leaders must show people a career path and explain how difficult assignments will help them grow.
When people can see that their leader shares the burden, listens, accepts responsibility and invests in their development, they will follow — including when circumstances become difficult.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"You can't tell them to stop smoking if you have a cigarette in your mouth."
"I think it's all about communication."
"You need to expose them, but don't throw them into the lion's cage."
"First, learn Japanese."
"Trust and communication. You cannot govern by emails or rules. You need to talk. You need to explain."
Frederic Delsaux is Representative Director of PTS Japan, a project management and consulting company supporting foreign and domestic organisations with construction, audiovisual, infrastructure and IT projects in Japan, as well as managed services after project completion.
His connection with Japan stretches back to his university years in France, where he specialised in the Japanese economy. Attracted by Japan's economic importance and its reputation for automobiles, electronics and manufacturing, he arrived in Japan around the end of 1989 and beginning of the 1990s, just as the bubble economy was beginning to collapse.
His career in Japan began far removed from project management. He initially managed a French restaurant, where the necessity of communicating with Japanese customers and colleagues pushed him to learn Japanese. He later joined an import-export trading company before representing a French telecommunications hardware company in Japan. After the local branch manager suddenly departed, Delsaux was offered responsibility for the operation and effectively moved into leadership almost overnight.
His telecommunications work brought him into contact with PTS during the early stages of its Japan operation. After seven to eight years with the telecommunications company, he joined PTS, initially in technical sales for telephony, before moving through sales and director-level responsibilities. He has now spent more than two decades with PTS.
In April 2020, as COVID-19 was beginning to reshape business globally, the Japanese management team completed a management buyout from the UK parent organisation. PTS Japan became part of a Japanese-owned group while retaining the established PTS brand. Delsaux's career consequently spans technical sales, client management, organisational leadership, business ownership and the challenge of adapting global project-management practices to Japanese business realities.
Frederic Delsaux's leadership career in Japan demonstrates how credibility, communication and cultural adaptability can matter more than hierarchy alone. Having lived and worked in Japan since around the beginning of the 1990s, he has experienced the country through the collapse of the bubble economy, the Lehman shock, COVID-19, labour shortages and major changes in Japanese attitudes towards lifetime employment.
PTS Japan specialises in project management across construction, audiovisual, infrastructure and IT projects. The business also provides managed services after projects are completed. Following a management buyout in April 2020, the Japanese operation became locally owned, while continuing to use the established PTS brand.
Delsaux's route into leadership was unconventional. After studying the Japanese economy in France, he came to Japan and managed a French restaurant. Japanese was essential because the people around him did not speak French or English. He subsequently moved into trading and telecommunications. When a branch manager suddenly departed, he was offered leadership of the Japanese operation almost overnight. Speaking Japanese helped him gain trust among local employees, establishing an early lesson that language proficiency can carry cultural and leadership significance far beyond simple translation.
At PTS, credibility came partly from experience and client relationships. Engineers and consultants knew that Delsaux understood the commercial environment and could communicate with decision-makers. His leadership philosophy nevertheless extends beyond expertise. As technology becomes more complex, leaders cannot be the deepest technical expert in every discipline. Instead, managers add value through communication, problem solving, risk reduction and helping technical specialists successfully navigate client relationships.
That is particularly important because engineers increasingly need to operate directly in front of customers. Delsaux believes technical professionals should be progressively exposed to these situations rather than simply thrown into them. Supported experience builds confidence until the individual can communicate solutions independently.
Trust is equally central. His analogy is memorable: a leader cannot tell employees to stop smoking while holding a cigarette. Leaders need to bring value to conversations with their people. Questions cannot simply be ignored, and employees need access to managers when problems occur.
Externally, Delsaux stresses the importance of presenting a unified team to customers. Internal colleagues should not blame one another in front of clients. Trust can be quickly destroyed if different functions appear divided.
Japan adds another layer. Consensus, communication and careful explanation matter. International methodologies cannot simply be imported without localisation. Leaders need to understand both the project and the people receiving the message.
For executives arriving in Japan, Delsaux's first recommendation is straightforward: learn Japanese. The language also opens a door to understanding the culture. Beyond language, leaders need the right team, careful hiring decisions, regular contact with customers and an appreciation of the institutional knowledge already present inside the organisation.
Ultimately, Delsaux reduces leadership to two closely connected concepts: trust and communication. Rules and emails cannot replace dialogue. Leaders need to talk, explain, listen and understand the challenges facing their people.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan requires unusually careful attention to communication, relationships and context. Delsaux's experience suggests that technically correct solutions are not sufficient on their own. International methodologies and global standards still need to be translated into a form that makes sense to Japanese clients and employees.
Consensus is important, but the deeper issue is ensuring people understand what is happening and why. PTS therefore places substantial emphasis on sharing project information not merely with the immediate project team but more broadly across the organisation.
Leadership also requires sensitivity to the customer relationships that Japanese employees may have spent years developing. What initially appears to an incoming foreign executive as unnecessary resistance may actually reflect employees protecting an important client relationship.
Why do global executives struggle?
Executives arriving from overseas can assume that practices which work at headquarters should transfer directly to Japan. The danger is judging local structures before understanding why they exist.
Delsaux emphasises the importance of having the right team, while the broader discussion highlights the need to investigate why local employees work in a particular way before attempting sweeping changes.
Language can compound the problem. An executive who cannot communicate in Japanese may become dependent on whichever employees speak English, regardless of their seniority or depth of business knowledge. Direct contact with a wider range of Japanese employees and customers provides a much richer understanding of the business.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
The interview presents a more nuanced picture than simply describing Japan as risk-averse. Japanese clients often prefer people they already know because continuity reduces uncertainty. An existing project manager with deep institutional knowledge may therefore be preferred to a technically stronger replacement who does not know the customer.
Delsaux sees this as a balance. Companies need institutional knowledge, technical competence and resource availability simultaneously. Waiting for a familiar individual may be impossible when project schedules are tight.
The leadership task is therefore not simply to overcome uncertainty avoidance. It is to explain why a new approach or resource can still protect delivery quality and client interests.
What leadership style actually works?
Delsaux defines leadership around trust and communication.
Credibility matters. Leaders need to contribute something of value when employees approach them. His smoking analogy captures the principle of role modelling: leaders cannot demand behaviour they are unwilling to demonstrate themselves.
Accessibility also matters. Employees should not feel that questions will be ignored simply because they are inconvenient or unrealistic.
Internally, Delsaux stresses unity. Disagreements can occur, but different teams should not attack or blame one another in front of the customer. Clients who entrust multiple services to one company expect a unified answer.
How can technology help?
Technology serves two leadership purposes at PTS. First, project managers and consultants must remain current because new technologies continually affect project delivery. Global designs also need localisation for Japan because products, standards, availability and infrastructure can differ.
Second, technology creates development opportunities for employees. Repetitive work can become boring, particularly in a tight labour market where skilled people have many alternatives. New technologies give engineers and consultants something new to learn and help keep their work challenging.
Technology therefore has value not only as a project tool but also as an employee-development and retention mechanism.
Does language proficiency matter?
For Delsaux, it matters considerably. His first advice to an incoming foreign leader is simply: "First, learn Japanese."
His own Japanese developed out of necessity while working in restaurants where neither French nor English could be relied upon. He believes making the effort to learn Japanese earns respect from employees and strengthens relationships, even when team members already speak English.
Language learning also provides access to culture. Delsaux particularly values people who are not merely bilingual but bicultural because they can understand how managers in different countries interpret the same situation differently.
Even with strong Japanese ability, he sometimes brings a Japanese colleague to important meetings. This reduces misunderstanding and can also demonstrate respect towards a Japanese-speaking client.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
Delsaux's answer is remarkably concise: trust and communication.
Leadership cannot be exercised effectively through rules and email alone. Leaders need to talk to people, explain decisions, respond to questions and understand the challenges their staff are facing.
The labour market makes this increasingly important. Employees who feel overworked, underdeveloped or bored now have alternatives. The old assumption that employees will remain indefinitely has weakened substantially.
Leadership therefore depends on creating an environment in which people can learn, contribute, communicate and trust the people managing them. Technical competence remains important, but communication determines whether that expertise can be successfully translated into employee engagement and client confidence.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Trusting people to do things and respecting them and not micromanaging them has been essential to our culture."
"If you believe in somebody and you respect them, they start to feel confident in their ability to do that thing."
"If people feel they have a lot of autonomy in their work, they will naturally be coming with ideas."
"AI is a power tool for us, and if we are not the craftsmen with the best use of these power tools, we are going to be in trouble."
"Leadership is creating the environment for people to be successful."
Anatole Varin is the Founder and President of The Plant, an enterprise commerce technology company that builds and operates custom digital commerce systems for global companies entering Japan and Japanese companies expanding internationally. The Plant develops its own technology stack rather than acting solely as a systems integrator, giving it greater control over speed, quality, security and localisation. Varin came to Japan in his late twenties after living in France, Spain, Brazil and the United States. He initially worked in education and later completed a master's degree in commerce in Nagoya. While researching a portal project for small and medium-sized enterprises in Aichi, he taught himself programming and became deeply involved in the early Internet economy. He went on to co-found GaijinPot, where he served as a one-person technology team responsible for coding, design and server management. After selling his interest, he founded The Plant more than twenty years ago. The company grew from a small Japan-based development business into an international organisation of roughly 100 people, with major development capability in China and an Australian presence. His career is defined by self-directed technical learning, entrepreneurship, trust-based growth and the gradual transition from individual maker to organisational leader.
Anatole Varin's path to entrepreneurship in Japan was neither linear nor heavily planned. He arrived in his late twenties simply because Japan seemed interesting, worked in education and later pursued a master's degree in commerce in Nagoya. His thesis project involved building an online portal for small and medium-sized enterprises in Aichi at a time when the commercial Internet was only beginning to take shape. With little formal technical education, he taught himself to code by buying books, experimenting constantly and building the system from scratch.
That work led to GaijinPot, the portal for foreigners living and working in Japan. As the sole technical person, Varin wrote the code, managed the servers and handled design. The experience gave him a powerful taste for speed and autonomy: he could have an idea and place it into production within days because there were few dependencies and nobody blocking execution. When he later founded The Plant, he initially expected to create consumer-facing online businesses. Several failed. As cash tightened, he began accepting development work from companies that knew his capabilities, and the business gradually evolved towards enterprise commerce systems.
The Plant's growth was built largely through word-of-mouth. In enterprise technology, a mistake can directly damage a client's operations, so trust is fundamental. Large consulting brands often act as a proxy for trust; Varin had no such brand. Instead, he relied on personal reputation, repeat delivery, the quality of his developers and independent audits and certifications. Over time, clients who had experienced the company's speed and reliability recommended it to others.
The company also differentiated itself by building and controlling its own technology stack. Many technology projects are slowed by chains of consultants, subcontractors and global platform owners. The people doing the work can be far removed from the product, while local Japan requirements compete with requests from dozens of other markets. By keeping development close to the customer and controlling the underlying technology, The Plant can respond faster, localise effectively and maintain security and quality. Its expansion into China was driven less by market entry than by access to a deep pool of engineering talent, while the Australian presence grew from the long-term relationship with its founding CTO.
Varin's greatest leadership challenge was the transition from doing everything himself to working through other people. His natural preference is to build, move quickly and avoid unnecessary friction. Leadership, however, requires explaining the vision, motivating others and accepting that people need context rather than merely watching the founder work. He has received criticism for not articulating direction enough, yet his visible passion and direct involvement have also become important cultural signals.
His strongest leadership instinct is trust. Long-serving leaders such as the company's CTO and China head became influential examples for others. Varin tries to respect capable people, avoid micromanagement and allow them to run with promising ideas before immediately attacking the weaknesses. By sharing their enthusiasm and backing them early, he helps people build confidence. Some ideas do not become viable products, but the failure is usually treated as an investment in learning rather than a reason to punish the person who tried.
Autonomy is also the engine of innovation. Varin believes that people are naturally creative when they feel trusted to make decisions. The company uses objectives and key results to give teams a distributed process for setting goals, but the larger mechanism is environmental rather than bureaucratic. Transparent Slack channels, open access to company information and shared financial results help people understand what is happening and contribute without waiting for permission.
Technology is now reshaping the company again. Varin views artificial intelligence as a power tool that every team must learn to use well. The Plant has established an AI centre of excellence, is moving developers towards technical product and system-design roles, and has embedded AI capabilities into its next platform, Cortex. AI allows faster prototyping and development, reinforcing the company's speed advantage, but it also creates pressure to grow the client base because the same work may require fewer people. His response is not to retreat or reduce the team, but to grow into the challenge.
For leaders in Japan, Varin recommends learning the language while remaining realistic about identity. Fluency creates opportunity and helps Japanese colleagues communicate with greater ease and nuance, but a foreign executive will not become Japanese simply by copying surface behaviours. The better goal is to understand the environment, respect people, communicate openly and build a culture suited to the organisation. His final definition of leadership brings these ideas together: create the environment in which people and the company can succeed, establish alignment on where to go and support capable people in finding the path.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan requires close attention to trust, communication style and the distinction between cultural understanding and imitation. Varin's organisation is unusually international, yet its client base and operating environment are deeply connected to Japan. Foreign leaders need to recognise that Japanese colleagues may communicate more indirectly and feel more comfortable expressing nuance in Japanese. At the same time, Varin cautions against believing that fluent language or local mannerisms will make a foreign executive Japanese. The more useful goal is to understand the context, respect how people work and develop a culture that can function authentically inside Japan.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle because they value their own speed and expertise so highly that they fail to provide sufficient direction and context to others. Varin experienced this personally. As a highly productive founder-programmer, he was accustomed to having an idea and executing it immediately. Once the company grew, that approach no longer scaled. People needed the vision explained, motivation, guidance and room to interpret the objective. Another common difficulty is dependency: multinational systems can make Japan wait behind dozens of global priorities. Leaders who do not understand the local need for channels such as LINE or the speed of the market can unintentionally block progress.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Varin's experience suggests that risk in Japan is often managed through relationships, reputation and proof of reliability. The Plant won business not by asking clients to take an abstract chance on a small supplier, but through referrals from people who had already seen the quality of its work. Longevity and visible client success function as powerful green flags because few organisations want to be first. Inside the company, Varin reduces fear by backing good ideas before immediately listing all the reasons they could fail. When an initiative does not create a viable product, the result is usually treated as time and money spent learning, not as a career-ending error.
What leadership style actually works?
Varin's style is autonomy-centred. He trusts capable people, respects their expertise and avoids micromanagement. When someone is excited about a promising idea, he tries to ride the wave with them, support the energy and allow the person to discover where it leads. That confidence can be developmental: people who are believed in begin to believe more strongly in themselves. His style is also highly visible. Employees see that he remains technically curious, engaged in the work and willing to experiment personally. The weakness of this style is that passion and example do not always replace a clearly articulated vision, so effective founder leadership must balance involvement with explicit alignment.
How can technology help?
Technology is both The Plant's product and its organisational philosophy. Owning the complete technology stack reduces the delays and information loss created by long outsourcing chains. It allows the company to localise quickly, respond to Japan-specific platforms and maintain stronger control over quality and security. AI is now accelerating that advantage. The Plant encourages AI use across technical and non-technical teams, has created an AI centre of excellence and is embedding AI into its Cortex platform. Varin expects roles to move away from writing every line of code towards defining what should be built, supervising AI-generated output and exercising stronger product judgement.
Does language proficiency matter?
Varin believes Japanese proficiency opens substantial opportunities. It allows direct communication, helps colleagues relax and gives access to the ambiguity, softness and subtlety built into Japanese expression. He also notes that language ability declines when it is not used, regardless of how long someone lives in Japan. His own Japanese was stronger when his daily environment required it. Language can even influence personality, making a speaker appear softer or more indirect. Nevertheless, proficiency should not become a performance of being Japanese. It is a practical bridge for relationships, understanding and opportunity.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate lesson is to create an environment where people can succeed. For Varin, that environment includes autonomy, respect, transparency, good colleagues, a pleasant physical or virtual workspace and alignment around where the company is going. Leadership does not mean personally solving every problem or controlling every decision. It means selecting and supporting people who can carry responsibility, allowing ideas to develop, sharing information and adjusting continually as the organisation learns. The founder's task is to make success more likely for the people and the company, not to remain the only person capable of producing it.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Leadership is a continual journey of getting better and knowing the right techniques to enable people around you to be successful."
"The trick is to listen to the clients because they have problems, and they are going to tell you what keeps them up at night."
"Giving people knowledge is something that enables them to grow in their career."
"Never waste a mistake or an opportunity to learn something from what happened."
"Leadership is about showing the way, knowing the way and giving people space."
James Marsden is Head of Post-Trade, Asia Pacific, at Broadridge Financial Solutions, based in Tokyo. Broadridge provides technology platforms and infrastructure supporting major banks, broker-dealers, asset managers and other financial institutions across front-office, middle-office, post-trade and investor communications activities. Marsden joined the company in London in 1996, initially working as an engineer, programmer and systems designer. He came to Japan in 2000 to help deploy Broadridge technology for JPMorgan's investment banking business. Following the collapse of the dot-com bubble, the Tokyo office contracted dramatically, and at the age of 29 he was asked to run the Japan business. His combination of technical knowledge, project management experience, commercial awareness and Japanese-language ability made him unusually well equipped for the role. He subsequently held broader business development and regional leadership responsibilities and now oversees post-trade teams across Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. His career illustrates adaptability in Japan, long-term client relationship building, technical-to-commercial progression and the development of a coaching-oriented leadership style.
James Marsden's leadership career developed through necessity rather than formal succession planning. He began as an engineer and programmer at Broadridge in London, moved to Tokyo to support a major client implementation and, after the dot-com downturn reduced the local operation from roughly 20 or 30 people to four, was asked to lead the Japan business at just 29. He knew the platform, could speak with Japanese clients, understood delivery and had enough commercial judgement to distinguish between contracted service, maintenance and chargeable work. What he did not have was formal leadership training.
That early experience shaped a practical philosophy: leadership is never finished. It is a continual process of learning how to equip people with knowledge, give them room to operate and create a circle of safety in which they can learn and make mistakes without being abandoned. Marsden's technical expertise initially gave him credibility with employees and clients. As his scope expanded, direct technical knowledge became less available, so his role shifted towards coaching—sharing how he would approach a problem without micromanaging the person responsible for solving it.
Client listening was central to rebuilding the Japanese business from four people to around 60. Marsden argues that customers usually articulate their problems, not the solution. The leader's task is to understand what keeps them awake, combine technical and creative thinking, and bring together the internal support required to deliver an answer. This also demands 'leading up': selling the opportunity internally and ensuring senior management stands behind the local team.
His approach to hiring reflects the same developmental mindset. Broadridge sought intelligent, analytical people who wanted to learn, including graduates whose potential might not be visible in a conventional Japanese interview. Analytical testing helped identify problem-solving capability beyond polished self-presentation. The company could then offer something distinctive: the opportunity to become a global subject-matter expert in specialised areas of securities processing rather than rotate anonymously through a large organisation.
Marsden sees culture as something employees experience through behaviour. Leaders must give people space, lead by example and keep the client at the centre. In Japan, smaller meetings, dinners and informal conversations often create more candid communication than large English-language town halls. Foreign leaders should not force employees to speak English when doing so suppresses ideas. They should allow people to communicate in the language and format that produces the best contribution, listen carefully and make room before offering their own opinion.
Broadridge's global purpose—to help clients operate, innovate and grow—and its CREATE values provide a North Star, but Marsden stresses that leaders must translate corporate language into daily meaning. Employees need to understand why a client request matters, how a project supports growth and what financial results mean for their own learning and opportunities. Values become credible when leaders choose the right client solution rather than the most lucrative one and when sales, delivery, support and infrastructure collaborate before promises are made.
Trust, in Marsden's experience, comes from doing what was promised when it was promised. It is strengthened by offering employees unique developmental experiences, keeping commercial commitments and responding constructively when mistakes occur. Genuine errors are inevitable; the true test of character is whether the team faces the problem, resolves it and learns from it. Criticism, particularly in Japan, can drive people back into risk avoidance. Coaching should instead help them accept that an 80 per cent solution delivered in time may create more client value than perfection delivered too late.
For expatriate leaders, Marsden strongly recommends learning Japanese. Language opens doors, signals respect and builds trust that translation technology cannot replicate. Yet language alone is insufficient: leaders must become bicultural, understand nemawashi and consensus, honour commitments and appreciate Japanese decision logic. A trusted senior adviser with industry knowledge can also help interpret context more accurately than a junior translator. Marsden's final definition is direct: leadership means showing and knowing the way, giving people space, coaching with specific value, making difficult decisions and explaining why they serve the longer-term good.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan depends heavily on trust, context and the quality of relationships surrounding a decision. Marsden emphasises that large formal meetings often discourage participation, especially when people are required to speak English or risk being the first person to challenge an idea. Smaller groups, one-to-one conversations and informal dinners can produce far more candid dialogue. Nemawashi and consensus-building also matter: once a Japanese organisation has reached a decision, financial incentives may not reverse it because the underlying values and internal alignment differ from a Western transactional model. Effective leaders therefore listen before speaking, allow employees to communicate in their preferred language and understand how decisions were formed.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives struggle when they assume that a familiar management technique will produce the same response in Japan. Forcing English in meetings can turn a discussion into a one-way presentation. Relying on a bilingual junior employee or interpreter can also distort important meaning because translation inevitably involves interpretation, and the person may lack the business experience to recognise what matters. Headquarters may also try to solve a Japanese client problem with discounts or contractual arguments when the real issue is trust, quality or a firmly completed internal decision. Marsden recommends developing cultural knowledge, using experienced advisers and appreciating the client's perspective before prescribing a solution.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Marsden views Japanese risk avoidance as closely linked to perfectionism, accountability and concern about making visible mistakes. Employees may invest enormous effort in moving a solution from 80 or 90 per cent to near-perfection, even when the final increment delays value and consumes disproportionate resources. Leaders must explain that controlled experimentation and incomplete automation can still serve the customer well. When genuine mistakes happen, criticism is counterproductive because it teaches people never to step outside their safe role again. The better response is to face the problem, protect the client, identify what can be learned and rebuild the employee's confidence.
What leadership style actually works?
Marsden favours a coaching-oriented style that combines technical credibility, listening, knowledge-sharing and latitude. Early in his career, he could teach from direct product expertise. As his remit expanded, he shifted towards offering guidance—explaining how he might approach an issue—without micromanaging. He believes leaders should create a circle of safety, have people's backs and give them challenging opportunities through which they can grow. Leading by example is essential: values become real when the leader chooses the client's best solution over a larger sale, follows through on commitments and makes difficult decisions while explaining the long-term rationale.
How can technology help?
Technology is both Broadridge's business and a source of employee engagement. Marsden encourages small-scale innovation: side tools, automation and new methods that remove repetitive manual work while helping engineers learn a new language, product domain or business process. Many small innovations can combine to increase organisational velocity. He also finds visualisation particularly powerful. When teams build a diagram together on a whiteboard, people who may struggle to express an idea in English can add boxes, flows and connections. The shared picture creates involvement, improves understanding and often becomes a more effective client communication tool than dense text.
Does language proficiency matter?
Marsden strongly recommends learning Japanese. He believes it creates trust that cannot be achieved in the same way through translators or generative AI because it demonstrates genuine investment in the country and its people. Japanese also opens commercial doors and allows more nuanced relationships with clients who may not feel comfortable discussing complex services in English. Nevertheless, speaking Japanese is not enough. A foreign leader also needs bicultural awareness: the ability to understand etiquette, commitments, consensus, client expectations and the meaning behind what is said. Experienced bilingual advisers with deep industry knowledge can provide an invaluable bridge.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
Marsden's ultimate lesson is that leadership means showing the way, knowing the way and giving people space. It is not shouting, bullying or demanding a result without useful guidance. A strong leader coaches with specificity, shares knowledge, makes difficult decisions and helps people understand why those decisions serve the organisation over time. The leader also listens to clients and employees, protects room for learning and treats mistakes as opportunities that should never be wasted. Leadership remains a journey because the techniques required to enable others must continually evolve as the organisation, technology and people change.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Leading is empowering, guiding, inspiring and having a shared goal of working together."
"You need to build up trust, and for me what really helped was the one-on-ones."
"Nobody wants to have a surprise in the meeting."
"Predictability is really important for any leader."
"Leadership is bringing your people forward and putting them in the position where they can perform at their best."
Thomas Fraessle is the Representative Director and CEO of ITK Engineering Japan, a professional engineering services company that develops customised software and systems solutions across automotive, healthcare, railway and other technology-intensive sectors. ITK originated in Germany and later became part of the Bosch Group. Fraessle studied electrical engineering and completed his diploma thesis at Mercedes-Benz, working on vehicle energy simulation and battery sizing. He then joined ITK when it was still a relatively small engineering company, attracted by the chance to work across varied projects rather than enter a large corporation. After assignments supporting General Motors Europe, he asked for an opportunity to work abroad and chose Japan precisely because it was unfamiliar and culturally distant from his previous experience. He first arrived in Japan in 2008, worked through a local partner and helped initiate the establishment of ITK's own Japanese operation. After returning to Germany and developing his leadership experience, he came back to Japan in February 2022 as Representative Director and CEO. His career reflects adaptability across engineering, business development and people leadership, as well as the transition from individual technical contributor to cross-cultural organisational leader.
Thomas Fraessle's leadership journey in Japan began with curiosity rather than a carefully mapped expatriate career. After studying electrical engineering and completing a practical diploma thesis at Mercedes-Benz, he joined the then-small ITK Engineering because he wanted exposure to multiple projects and responsibilities. An assignment supporting General Motors Europe introduced him to international collaboration and prompted him to ask ITK's founder for an overseas opportunity. Given a choice between the United States and Japan, he selected Japan because it represented the more unfamiliar challenge.
That first period in Japan, beginning in 2008, gave Fraessle direct experience as an engineer working with Japanese customers. More than a decade later, he returned as the head of ITK Engineering Japan. The country was familiar, but the responsibility was entirely different. As CEO, he had to build alignment, create trust, communicate direction and encourage people to speak candidly. He quickly discovered that leadership concepts such as motivation, feedback and empowerment do not travel unchanged across cultures.
One of the sharpest differences was feedback. In Germany, direct feedback could be treated as a normal part of improving performance. In Japan, the word itself could sound negative, as though a leader was about to explain what an employee had done badly. Fraessle found that honest views rarely appeared automatically in group meetings. He therefore invested in repeated one-to-one conversations, asking not simply what was wrong, but how the team could improve something together and what support people needed from him. Trust accumulated gradually, and some changes required a full year of discussion and preparation.
This experience led him to appreciate nemawashi—the groundwork conducted before a formal decision. In many Western meetings, participants debate an issue and decide in the room. In Japan, the visible meeting may be the final confirmation of extensive prior consultation. Fraessle learned to plant ideas, explain them more than once, listen to objections and allow people time to reach confidence in the direction. Although the process can seem slow, it can produce stronger implementation because surprises and unresolved resistance have been reduced beforehand.
Trust is also reinforced through transparency and predictability. Fraessle explains not only KPIs and decisions, but the business reasoning behind them. He distinguishes explanation from excuse-making: the leader should own the decision rather than hide behind headquarters. He is also willing to acknowledge mistakes, viewing this as strength rather than weakness. Employees need to know that problems can be raised without anger, blame or humiliation. A leader whose reactions vary with mood creates hesitation; a consistent leader makes it safer to speak up.
Fraessle translated these beliefs into organisational practices. He introduced company gatherings after the isolation of COVID-19, created engineering workshops and cross-project technical groups, and redesigned the office around shared desks and easier interaction. These choices were not cosmetic. They created occasions for engineers from different projects to meet, exchange solutions and generate ideas that could be reused with other customers. His approach to hybrid work is similarly contextual rather than rigid: customer satisfaction, project needs and team collaboration matter more than mechanically applying one rule to everyone.
His ultimate definition of leadership is practical and developmental. It is about bringing people forward, helping them build competence, giving them confidence to decide, guiding them with useful feedback and placing them where they can perform at their best. In Japan, that requires patience, relationship-building and respect for context. The leader's task is not to impose a foreign operating model immediately, but to understand why the current system exists, preserve what serves customers and then lead change with clarity and consistency.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan is shaped by context, relationship history and extensive preparation before visible decisions. Fraessle found that people may not openly disagree in a group, particularly when hierarchy, seniority or concern about losing face is involved. A formal meeting may therefore confirm a direction that has already been discussed through nemawashi rather than serve as the arena where competing views are first exposed. Leaders must learn to read what is not being said, create private channels for honest discussion and give colleagues time to absorb and test a proposal. Japan's strong commitment to quality and long-term customer trust also affects leadership. A defect or poorly handled mistake can damage a relationship that took years to establish, so teams often seek a very high degree of certainty before acting.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle because they interpret different behaviour as poor performance or resistance. A process may appear inefficient from headquarters, yet exist because a Japanese customer requires it or because it protects a long-standing relationship. Fraessle advises leaders to investigate why people work in a particular way before changing it. He benefited from having previously worked at customer sites in Japan and understood that management reports rarely show the full picture. Another difficulty is expecting direct feedback. Employees may say yes to preserve harmony without meaning that they fully support immediate execution. Foreign leaders can also mistake English silence for lack of knowledge, when capable employees are simply reluctant to risk making a linguistic mistake in public.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Fraessle's experience suggests that Japanese employees are not simply unwilling to take risks; they are highly conscious of quality, accountability and the social consequences of being wrong. An engineer may study a question for weeks before asking for help because appearing unprepared could mean losing face. That caution can protect quality, but it can also slow learning. Fraessle encourages people to ask earlier, communicate sooner and use colleagues' expertise. He also makes clear that mistakes are normal and that leaders should own their own errors. Risk-taking becomes more realistic when people know how failures will be handled, when trials are bounded and when the purpose of experimentation is organisational learning rather than individual judgement.
What leadership style actually works?
The most effective style in Fraessle's account combines approachability, consistency, transparency and role modelling. He used one-to-one meetings to build trust and even created a short personal guide explaining his direct German communication style so colleagues would not misread it as personal hostility. He established regular company meetings and informal gatherings so employees could see him, question him and understand how he behaved. He explains why targets and decisions matter, does not blame headquarters for choices he has made, and apologises when he is wrong. Above all, he stresses predictability. Employees should not have to study the leader's mood before deciding whether it is safe to raise a problem.
How can technology help?
Technology is central to ITK's business, but Fraessle's leadership lesson is that innovation requires human structures as well as technical expertise. Engineers working deeply on individual customer projects can become isolated from one another. ITK Engineering Japan therefore creates engineering workshops and cross-project technical groups where employees demonstrate tools, discuss cybersecurity, programming and systems challenges, and ask peers for alternative solutions. Ideas arising from these exchanges can improve one project and later become reusable solutions for other customers. Digital collaboration also supports an international workforce, but Fraessle does not treat technology as a substitute for human contact. Office design, shared desks, company meetings and informal conversation deliberately create the serendipitous exchanges that remote work can reduce.
Does language proficiency matter?
Fraessle believes learning Japanese is valuable because an expatriate leader is a guest in the country and language deepens cultural understanding. He also candidly acknowledges how difficult it is to improve without regular use and wishes he had invested more heavily at the beginning. At executive level, it is possible to lead without full proficiency, and sometimes using English can create a neutral international space. The larger challenge is psychological safety: many Japanese employees possess stronger English than they reveal in the office because they fear mistakes. Leaders should provide different ways to communicate, allow preparation and create low-pressure opportunities for people to use the language.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
Fraessle defines leadership as bringing people forward. The leader should guide, inspire and support employees, help them build the competence required for autonomy, and give them the confidence to make decisions. This begins with trust and a genuine relationship. It also requires patience: change in Japan may take longer than an overseas headquarters expects, but forcing action without understanding can destroy commitment or customer value. The ultimate lesson is to understand the system before altering it, remain consistent in words and behaviour, and create an environment where people can contribute, question, learn and perform at their best.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"The most important thing for a leader, in my view, is integrity."
"You need to be hands-on, but then you need to delegate."
"If this fails, ultimately, the accountability sits with me."
"Culture is something that all of us jointly develop and nurture."
"At the end of the day, you have to own your decisions, so you cannot just let AI make
Noriko Sasaki is Country Head of Checkout.com Japan, leading the UK-based payment service provider's expansion in the Japanese market. Checkout.com helps online merchants, gaming companies and digital platforms process payments, improve acceptance rates, receive settlement funds and use payments as a driver of growth and profitability. Sasaki was born in Saitama and spent part of her childhood in Los Angeles when her father was assigned to American Honda. Returning to Japan as a teenager, she rebuilt her Japanese literacy, entered a leading Tokyo high school through a returnee pathway and later studied political science at Waseda University. She began her career in international consulting, working on business-process reengineering and SAP implementation, before earning an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. After returning to Japan, she worked at Walt Disney and then spent close to twenty years at Citibank, where she led major sales operations and participated in the historic transfer of Citi's Japanese retail-banking business into SMBC Trust Bank. She later held roles at Accenture, PwC and a Japanese consulting start-up before joining Checkout.com in November 2024. Her career combines consulting discipline, financial-services leadership, operational transformation, bicultural communication and a long-standing commitment to advancing women in leadership.
Noriko Sasaki's leadership journey has been shaped by repeated transitions across cultures, industries and organisational models. Born in Japan and raised partly in Los Angeles, she returned at fifteen with strong spoken Japanese but limited reading ability. Re-entering the Japanese education system required intensive study, adaptability and resilience. That bicultural experience later became a professional advantage, allowing her to move between Japanese context and international corporate expectations.
After studying political science at Waseda University, Sasaki entered international consulting, where she worked on business-process reengineering, operational standardisation and SAP implementation. She eventually questioned whether advice based mainly on frameworks was enough without experience inside a company. An MBA at Carnegie Mellon gave her a broader business foundation, after which she returned to Japan, joined Walt Disney and then moved into banking through a major Citi integration project.
Her first substantive people-management role came at Citi. The team was small and entirely female, and one early challenge was managing someone older, more experienced and more knowledgeable about banking. Sasaki responded with humility and respect rather than relying on title. She clarified that both people had different responsibilities, maintained a continuous dialogue and focused the team on a shared goal. That approach became a recurring leadership principle: alignment requires over-communication, clear accountability and respect for expertise at every level.
Sasaki later led Citi's branch sales organisation and became closely involved in the transfer of the Japanese retail bank into SMBC Trust Bank. The experience taught her how to translate vision into strategy, strategy into action and action into clearly assigned responsibility. She also learned that senior leaders cannot remain distant from operations. At times, she worked directly on front-line tasks and took customer calls to understand the real issues. The challenge is to remain sufficiently hands-on to retain credibility while delegating enough to expand the organisation's capacity.
Her delegation model is structured rather than passive. Before assigning work, she checks the timeline, capacity, assumptions and direction. She asks for interim updates well before completion so that course corrections do not arrive at the final moment and destroy motivation. The employee retains room to execute, but Sasaki remains accountable for the outcome. That air cover matters in a Japanese environment where fear of mistakes can discourage initiative.
Innovation similarly depends on lowering the barrier to contribution. Sasaki uses brainstorming rules that give everyone an equal opportunity to speak and explicitly reject the idea of a stupid suggestion. She reminds teams that improvement does not always require a dramatic zero-to-one breakthrough. A small change from 1.0 to 1.1 can still create meaningful value. This framing is especially useful in Japan, where perfectionism, hierarchy, seniority and concern about losing face can suppress ideas before they are voiced.
Trust, in Sasaki's view, is built through the smallest commitments. If she casually promises dinner, she records it and follows through. Technology helps her remember birthdays, promises and relationship milestones, but the principle is behavioural consistency. Blaming someone when something goes wrong can destroy trust immediately. Leaders therefore need to own consequences, support people through difficulties and demonstrate that accountability flows upward as well as downward.
At Checkout.com, Sasaki works within global operating principles while adapting them to Japan. A principle such as 'talk straight' cannot simply be imported as blunt communication. Honesty must remain, but the method should fit the individual and the high-context Japanese environment. She rejects the notion of building a personal empire around the country head. Culture should survive the leader and be jointly developed by everyone, because engagement is a shared responsibility.
Her advice to expatriate leaders is to be patient, recognise the depth of context behind Japanese communication and keep searching for channels through which people can contribute. She also urges them to enjoy Japan beyond the office. For women seeking leadership, she stresses sponsors, internal and external networks, authentic behaviour and the willingness to accept promotion as a means of influencing change for others, not merely pursuing personal ambition.
Sasaki's leadership definition rests on four pillars: integrity, vision, communication and accountability. AI can strengthen decision intelligence by processing more information and highlighting options, but leaders must still judge relevance and own the final decision. AI also creates a human-capital challenge: when routine work collapses from 100 hours to ten, leaders need a vision for the capacity released. People should be treated as capital and sources of ideas, not simply as costs to eliminate.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan operates inside a high-context culture where a spoken sentence rarely contains the entire message. Sasaki advises leaders to consider background relationships, informal communication and the time people need to digest information before responding. Silence does not necessarily indicate disengagement, and an immediate answer may not be realistic when employees are trying to avoid mistakes. Hierarchy, age, tenure and gender can also influence who feels entitled to speak. Effective leaders create equal opportunities for contribution, clarify expectations and adapt the communication method to the individual without compromising honesty.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle because they import behavioural principles without local adaptation. A global instruction to 'talk straight', for example, can be interpreted as permission for bluntness, even though direct confrontation may shut down dialogue in Japan. Leaders also underestimate how much patience, explanation and relationship-building are required. Sasaki recommends resisting the urge to judge delayed responses as resistance. Foreign executives should search for different communication channels and recognise that Japanese colleagues often have valuable ideas but may lack confidence in English or fear offering unverified information.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Japan's reluctance to take risk is closely connected to perfectionism, accountability and fear of public error. Sasaki lowers this barrier by making delegation explicit, requesting early updates and accepting ultimate accountability when an initiative fails. She also reframes innovation as incremental improvement rather than demanding a revolutionary breakthrough. An idea that improves a process from 1.0 to 1.1 is still worthwhile. When leaders demonstrate that there are no stupid ideas and that people will be supported rather than blamed, employees become more willing to test improvements and leave the safety of established routines.
What leadership style actually works?
Sasaki's style balances humility, structure and hands-on credibility. When managing people with greater age or technical experience, she respects what they know while remaining clear about her own role. She aligns people around mission, breaks vision into strategy and action, and specifies responsibility, including her own. She will enter the operation to understand reality, but she does not remain there permanently. Delegation succeeds when people know the direction, assumptions, deadline and escalation points. The leader provides support, receives interim updates and owns the consequence without micromanaging every step.
How can technology help?
Technology supports both Checkout.com's payment business and Sasaki's leadership practices. Payments data can help merchants improve profitability and growth, while productivity tools help leaders keep promises and maintain relationships through reminders and accurate follow-up. AI extends this further by processing a much larger volume of information and supporting decision intelligence, scenario development and contingency planning. Sasaki nevertheless draws a clear boundary: AI can provide evidence and insights, but leaders must determine what is relevant and own the decision. Technology should strengthen judgement rather than replace responsibility.
Does language proficiency matter?
Language proficiency matters because Japanese is a high-context language and much meaning sits in nuance, implication and relationship history. At the same time, Sasaki believes communication is possible even when English proficiency is limited, provided there is patience and genuine will on both sides. Leaders should use multiple channels, allow preparation and avoid assuming that difficulty expressing an idea means the person has nothing to contribute. Her own bicultural background demonstrates the value of moving between languages and contexts, but the deeper skill is creating enough psychological safety for people to keep trying.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate leadership lesson is to act with integrity and accept accountability. Sasaki believes leaders must consistently do what is right for the company, customers, society and other people. Vision gives direction; communication enables others to understand it; accountability assures employees that the leader has their back. Culture should not become a personality cult or depend on one country head. It should be jointly developed, durable and grounded in shared behavioural principles. Leadership is therefore not personal dominance, but consistent stewardship that allows others to act, learn and contribute.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Everything starts with trust."
"Start with listening."
"Culture is nothing different from the collective behaviour of people."
"Dare to do things differently."
"Leadership is giving direction and inspiration to bring out the best possible for the organisation."
Brief Bio
Karl Deppen is President and Chief Executive Officer of ARCHION Corporation, the new holding company bringing together Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Hino Motors. ARCHION began operations on 1 April 2026, combining two major Japanese commercial-vehicle brands to strengthen scale, competitiveness and investment in decarbonised transport, autonomous driving and digital mobility solutions. Deppen began his career more than 35 years ago with the former Daimler-Benz Group in procurement and supply-chain management. His international assignments have included Portland, Istanbul, Beijing, Stuttgart, Brazil and Japan. He has held roles spanning procurement, logistics, product management, leadership development, finance and general management, including Regional CFO for Daimler's China operations, responsibility for finance across Mercedes-Benz assembly plants and R&D operations, leadership of the South American truck business, membership of the Daimler Truck Board of Management with responsibility for Asia, and President and CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso. His first Japan assignment began in 2002, when he became one of the earliest Daimler employees to join Mitsubishi Fuso after Daimler acquired a stake. That experience, followed by a return to Japan two decades later, shaped his conviction that adaptability in Japan begins with patient listening, understanding context and resisting the urge to impose pre-formed answers.
Narrative Summary
Karl Deppen's leadership journey is unusually broad, even by the standards of a global automotive executive. Over more than three decades, he has moved across functions, continents and cultures, building experience in procurement, supply chains, product management, human resources, finance and operational leadership. That range now matters enormously. As President and CEO of ARCHION Corporation, he is leading the integration of Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino at a time when the commercial-vehicle industry is being reshaped by decarbonisation, autonomous driving, digitalisation and intensifying Asian competition.
His first encounter with Japan came in 2002. He arrived without Japanese language ability or previous exposure to the country and entered a highly operational environment at Mitsubishi Fuso. The language barrier sharpened his ability to observe, draw, use numbers and read what people were trying to communicate. More importantly, it taught him patience. Trust was not created through positional authority or a perfectly delivered executive message. It emerged through repeated interaction, careful listening and a visible effort to understand.
That lesson became central to his approach when he returned to Japan roughly twenty years later. Rather than assuming that earlier experience gave him a complete map, he deliberately treated the country and company as changed environments. Japan is a high-context culture, and effective leadership requires understanding the operating system beneath visible processes. What can initially look slow, complicated or overly cautious may reflect customer requirements, stakeholder commitments, quality expectations or prior experience. Deppen's practical response is to ask why repeatedly, suspend judgement and speak directly with employees, customers, suppliers, banks and other stakeholders before changing the system.
He also sees genuine strength in Japanese decision-making. Consensus building through nemawashi and formal approval mechanisms such as the ringi-sho can extend the front end of a decision, but once the team is aligned, execution can be exceptionally fast. The leadership opportunity is therefore not to discard consensus, but to shorten decision cycles while preserving commitment and execution discipline. This is decision intelligence in practice: understanding not only what decision should be made, but how the organisation must be engaged so that the decision becomes real.
Trust, transparency, empowerment and accountability form the backbone of Deppen's leadership philosophy. Employees need enough information to understand direction, freedom to act within clear expectations and accountability for outcomes. Difficult moments are decisive proof points. Leaders either build trust by listening to bad news and solving problems, or destroy it by shooting the messenger. In a zero-defect culture, fear can drive mistakes underground. Psychological safety is therefore not softness; it is an operating requirement that allows risks, missed targets and errors to surface early enough to be corrected.
Innovation follows the same logic. Deppen supports structured improvement circles, skip-level dialogue, pilots and repeated lessons-learned reviews. The goal is not reckless experimentation, but controlled learning: try something on a limited scale, assess what worked, identify root causes when it did not, refine the process and then scale. For artificial intelligence, he argues that simply digitising an existing paper workflow rarely changes the needle. Companies need end-to-end redesign at the data layer, potentially supported by tools such as digital twins, automation and integrated decision systems.
Ultimately, Deppen defines culture as collective behaviour. Purpose, vision and values matter only when translated into visible practices: what people do, what they refuse to tolerate, how they respond to mistakes and how they treat one another. His advice to leaders arriving in Japan is therefore disciplined and practical: start with listening, understand the context, assume there is a reason behind existing behaviour, learn enough language to widen access to the culture, and build the trust that makes change possible.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Japan combines a high-context communication environment with strong expectations around quality, detail and collective commitment. Decisions are rarely just agreements between two senior people. They are embedded in a wider network of stakeholders, informal nemawashi and formal mechanisms such as the ringi-sho. This can make the decision phase appear slow, particularly to executives from low-context cultures. The advantage is that once consensus is genuine, implementation can move with impressive speed because the people responsible for execution understand the rationale and are already committed. Effective leadership therefore respects the social architecture of the decision while working to reduce unnecessary delay.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often arrive with a strong track record and an assumption that proven headquarters practices should be transferred quickly. The visible process may look inefficient, bureaucratic or resistant to change. Deppen cautions that there is usually a good reason for why people do things the way they do. The reason may sit with a Japanese customer, a regulatory expectation, a quality requirement or an unspoken stakeholder agreement. Leaders struggle when they judge before they investigate. Direct engagement with employees, customers, suppliers, banks and partners helps reveal the operating context and prevents premature restructuring based on incomplete information.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Japan often displays high uncertainty avoidance, especially where mistakes can damage reputation, customer trust or career security. However, Deppen distinguishes caution from an unwillingness to improve. The greater danger is a zero-error aspiration that encourages people to conceal problems. Leaders must create psychological safety for employees to raise a flag, admit that a target may be missed and request help. Innovation becomes possible when experiments are bounded through pilots, resources and review points. A failed pilot should produce a structured lesson, not a search for someone to blame.
What leadership style actually works?
Deppen's approach begins with active listening and develops through communication, transparency, empowerment and accountability. He argues that people quickly sense whether a leader is genuinely trying to understand them. Trust grows through meaningful dialogue and is tested when conditions become difficult. Leaders must clarify expectations, provide freedom to operate and hold people accountable without turning accountability into punishment. He summarises his model as TEAM: trust, empowerment, accountability and mutual ambition. Shared ambition matters because a large, team-dependent organisation cannot succeed if the CEO's targets are not believed or owned by the wider workforce.
How can technology help?
Technology can accelerate transformation, but only when leaders redesign work rather than automate yesterday's process. Applying artificial intelligence to an existing paper flow may produce marginal efficiency without changing the business outcome. A stronger approach examines the process end to end, starts with the data layer and asks how the workflow would be designed if digital capability were native from the beginning. AI, automation, decision intelligence and digital twins can improve speed, visibility and scenario testing, but the human organisation still needs the trust and learning discipline required to adopt them.
Does language proficiency matter?
Japanese proficiency helps because language opens a window into culture, relationships and assumptions that may not be stated directly. Deppen also notes that Japan contains substantial English capability, although employees may hesitate to speak when they fear exposure or embarrassment. Leaders can lower that barrier through patience, written follow-up, visual explanation and an environment in which imperfect language is accepted. Language should improve communication, not become an excuse to avoid it.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The central lesson is to start with listening. A leader entering Japan should temporarily set aside fixed ideas about what is right or wrong and first understand the existing operating system. Culture is the collective behaviour of people, so change depends on the practices that leaders repeatedly model and reinforce. Purpose and values provide direction, but trust turns them into action. Leadership succeeds when people understand the direction, feel empowered to contribute, accept accountability and share the ambition to achieve something together.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Listen more than you talk."
"Try to be as inclusive as possible."
"Transparency at all times, especially in bad times."
"The founder is the mood maker."
"Leadership is all about providing clarity, providing direction, but also letting the individual get to that endpoint themselves."
Sean Travers is the Founder and Representative Director of MESHD, a Tokyo-based executive search firm specialising in deep technology. The company works extensively with Japanese corporations operating in robotics, industrial automation, mobility, artificial intelligence, machine learning and other advanced engineering fields.
Born in the United Kingdom and raised in Perth, Western Australia, Travers began his career selling large-scale capital equipment to the mining and resources sector. The work involved multimillion-dollar transactions, extensive travel to remote mining sites and direct negotiations with tough, highly practical decision-makers. This environment shaped his early commercial instincts, resilience and results-oriented leadership style.
After marrying his Japanese wife and starting a family, Travers moved to Tokyo more than 20 years ago. With limited Japanese-language ability and few obvious career options for a foreign professional at the time, he entered recruitment. He subsequently built a career in specialist executive search, including establishing the Japan operation of a global energy recruitment company.
The 2015 oil and gas downturn became a defining moment. Despite the Japan business performing well, Travers was instructed by overseas headquarters to decide within 24 hours which employees should be terminated. The experience convinced him that even a successful local leader remained vulnerable to decisions made by distant executives. He eventually launched his own company with several long-standing colleagues.
Over the following decade, Travers expanded beyond conventional executive search. His businesses have helped establish and incubate specialist recruitment ventures, including firms focused on software, chemicals and hospitality. His leadership journey in Japan has required him to move from a highly directive, perfectionist management style towards a more inclusive approach built on listening, transparency, autonomy, trust and cultural adaptability.
Sean Travers' leadership journey in Japan began far from Tokyo's corporate offices. Raised in Western Australia, he learned to sell multimillion-dollar capital equipment in the mining and resources industry. Success depended on abandoning formal appearances, visiting remote worksites and earning credibility with blunt, experienced equipment operators. It was a demanding commercial education that rewarded toughness, directness and persistence.
Those qualities later helped Travers succeed in executive recruitment, but they also created leadership challenges. After moving to Japan more than 20 years ago, he entered the recruitment industry and eventually took responsibility for teams and entire business operations. His initial approach was highly prescriptive. As a perfectionist, he expected employees to follow the methods that had worked for him. Team members with similar personalities often performed well, but many others struggled.
Feedback from his manager and trusted friends forced Travers to reconsider his assumptions. Leadership could not be based on expecting everyone to respond to the same instructions, pressure or communication style. He gradually became more attentive to individual differences, emotional reactions and the need to adapt his expectations. This remained compatible with accountability, but it required him to separate high performance standards from unnecessarily militant behaviour.
Leading Japanese employees created another layer of complexity. In meetings, employees might nod, indicate understanding and appear to agree, only for Travers to discover later that they did not understand, support or trust the direction. He learned that setting a clear objective was not enough. Leaders must ask questions that confirm understanding, create alternative channels for feedback and consult trusted internal colleagues who can explain how a message was actually received.
This awareness also influenced the way he recruited people into his own company. Joining a new boutique recruitment firm involves considerable perceived risk, especially in Japan, where candidates may consult family members and carefully assess a company's stability. Travers found that trust could not be created through a single persuasive interview. Some candidates required regular discussions over 18 to 24 months before they were ready to join. Rather than continually selling the opportunity, he shared honest updates about clients, target industries, business progress and organisational challenges.
His commitment to the team was tested during COVID-19. When revenues fell, Travers and his leadership group chose salary deferments rather than headcount reductions. Travers personally went without a salary for approximately two and a half years. The decision reflected both loyalty and commercial logic. Experienced recruiters require considerable time and investment before becoming productive, and rebuilding the team after the recovery would have been expensive and disruptive.
Transparency became central to maintaining engagement. However, Travers does not interpret transparency as disclosing every concern to every employee. Leaders must judge which information should be shared across the organisation and which should remain within the leadership team. The purpose is to provide enough truth for employees to understand decisions without creating unnecessary fear or instability.
As the company grew, Travers also had to create opportunities for quieter employees to contribute. Weekly all-hands meetings were useful, but the same confident people tended to speak. He therefore began arranging individual lunches and conversations with team members who were less likely to contribute publicly. Anonymous surveys and live digital voting also provided safer channels for candid feedback.
The company's culture evolved with its needs. Its early atmosphere was highly sales-driven and dominated by aggressive dealmaking. Travers recognised that a business composed only of competitive "hunters" would struggle to attract the broader mix of people needed for sustainable growth. Team lunches, off-sites, greater financial visibility and discussions about employees' backgrounds and ambitions helped create a more balanced environment.
Travers believes the founder's behaviour has a disproportionate impact in a smaller company. The founder becomes the organisation's "mood maker". A leader who arrives visibly discouraged or negative can lower the energy of the entire workplace. Leadership therefore includes the discipline to demonstrate constructive energy even during difficult periods.
His advice to new foreign leaders in Japan is grounded in this experience: listen more than they talk, include people without placing them under uncomfortable pressure and remain transparent, particularly when circumstances deteriorate. Japanese-language ability helps, but it does not guarantee success. Character, attitude, discipline and the willingness to understand people matter more.
Ultimately, Travers defines leadership as establishing the destination and providing the emotional support, clarity and guardrails that allow others to reach it. Leaders should give employees autonomy, trust them to perform and provide direct feedback when they deviate. The leader sets the endpoint, but the individual must have room to determine the route.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan requires close attention to what is not stated directly. Travers discovered that apparent agreement in a meeting may not represent genuine understanding, commitment or trust. Japanese employees may nod, acknowledge an instruction and avoid openly challenging a senior leader, while privately remaining uncertain or unconvinced.
This makes confirmation essential. A leader cannot simply deliver a clear message and assume it has landed. Questions must be used to test understanding without creating embarrassment. Trusted internal supporters can also provide valuable insight into how particular employees interpreted the discussion.
Indirect feedback is especially important. Travers has used respected colleagues to speak privately with employees and uncover concerns that might never be raised in a formal meeting. This resembles a practical form of nemawashi: gathering reactions, identifying resistance and building alignment through quieter conversations before expecting visible consensus.
Trust also takes time. Employees and candidates may evaluate not only the leader but also the organisation's long-term stability. Consistent behaviour, repeated contact, honest business updates and a willingness to acknowledge mistakes are more persuasive than a polished recruitment pitch or inspirational speech.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle because they transfer a leadership formula that succeeded elsewhere without adapting it to the people or context in Japan. Travers initially relied on the direct, forceful style he had developed in Western Australia. He assumed that employees would succeed by following the same methods that had produced his own results.
This approach worked with a minority of employees who shared his temperament, but it was ineffective for many others. The experience demonstrated that leadership success is not automatically transferable. The leader must adjust communication, coaching and expectations according to the individual.
Foreign executives may also misinterpret politeness as commitment. A meeting can appear successful because no one objects, yet employees may leave without believing in the decision. Executives who dominate discussions, speak too quickly or fail to invite quieter voices may unknowingly suppress the information they need.
Another common mistake is treating Japanese-language proficiency as the primary solution. Language is useful, but a fluent executive who lacks humility, emotional intelligence or cultural awareness can still fail. Attitude and behaviour determine whether language becomes a bridge or merely another tool for issuing instructions.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Travers' experience suggests that caution in Japan is often rational rather than inherently risk-averse. A candidate considering a boutique recruitment company must evaluate whether the organisation will survive the next economic downturn. Recruitment is cyclical and frequently acts as a canary in the coal mine: hiring freezes arrive early when an industry begins to weaken.
Employees may also seek advice from parents, grandparents, former colleagues or trusted senpai before changing jobs. From a Western perspective, this can look excessively conservative. From the candidate's perspective, however, employment decisions affect family stability, professional reputation and long-term security.
Travers responded by extending the courtship process. Some potential hires remained in conversation with the company for 18 to 24 months. During that period, he did not merely sell the role. He provided evidence about the company's clients, industries, performance, challenges and direction.
The COVID-19 response also demonstrated how leadership can reduce uncertainty. Rather than cutting employees immediately, the company introduced salary deferments and preserved the team. This decision created risk for the founder, who received no salary for approximately two and a half years, but it provided greater security for employees and positioned the organisation to recover without rebuilding its workforce.
What leadership style actually works?
Travers advocates an adaptive style that combines direction, accountability, empathy and autonomy. His early top-down approach was too rigid. Over time, he learned that empathy does not require abandoning standards and accountability does not require brutality.
The leader must first clarify the endpoint. Employees need to understand where the organisation is today, where it intends to be in the future and which outcomes define success. The leader then provides guardrails and emotional support while allowing individuals to determine how they will reach the destination.
Inclusion is also essential. Leaders should actively invite participation from people who do not naturally dominate meetings. Travers uses individual lunches, direct questions, anonymous surveys and live voting to gather ideas from a wider cross-section of the company.
He also believes that leaders should explain the reasoning behind decisions, especially when acknowledging mistakes. Employees may disagree with the conclusion, but understanding the decision-making process increases respect and trust. Admitting an error does not necessarily diminish authority. When combined with ownership and a credible explanation, it can strengthen leadership credibility.
How can technology help?
Technology can create safer and more democratic channels for employee input. In traditional meetings, seniority, confidence and communication style can determine whose ideas are heard. The same employees may repeatedly raise their hands, while quieter people remain invisible.
MESHD has used anonymous post-event surveys and real-time digital voting to overcome this limitation. Employees can express support or opposition without being identified publicly. This allows the organisation to measure sentiment more accurately and reduces the pressure to follow the most senior or outspoken person.
Technology does not replace personal leadership. Travers still values one-to-one lunches, informal conversations and feedback gathered through trusted colleagues. Digital tools are most effective when they complement human relationships and provide additional routes for honest communication.
The broader lesson is that decision intelligence improves when leaders diversify their information sources. Formal meetings, private conversations, anonymous data and operational results each reveal different aspects of organisational reality. Leaders who rely on only one channel risk making decisions from incomplete information.
Does language proficiency matter?
Japanese-language ability helps foreign leaders communicate, form relationships and understand more of what is happening around them. Travers speaks Japanese and considers it an advantage. However, he does not believe that language proficiency guarantees leadership success.
Character, attitude and discipline matter more. Employees observe how a leader responds under pressure, whether commitments are honoured, whether mistakes are acknowledged and whether the leader listens sincerely. These behaviours build or destroy trust regardless of vocabulary level.
A leader who speaks imperfect Japanese but demonstrates respect, curiosity and consistency may be more effective than a fluent speaker who assumes language ability provides complete cultural understanding. Fluency can help a leader access information, but it cannot substitute for humility or good judgement.
Foreign executives should therefore study Japanese while also developing deeper listening skills. They need to notice hesitation, indirect disagreement and the absence of expected follow-through. Communication success should be measured by shared understanding and action, not by the leader's ability to complete a conversation in Japanese.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
Travers' central leadership lesson is that the leader provides clarity and direction without controlling every step. The organisation may be at point A today and aiming for point Z in two years. The leader must define Z, explain why it matters and create the conditions in which employees can move towards it.
Those conditions include emotional support, trust, autonomy and honest feedback. Employees should know the guardrails and performance measures, but they should also have room to use their judgement. When they make mistakes, the leader must respond directly and constructively rather than taking back all control.
Leadership also requires personal accountability. Travers learned to admit when decisions had produced negative consequences and to explain the reasoning that led to them. Employees generally responded with greater understanding than he expected.
Finally, leadership is visible. In a smaller organisation, the founder's energy affects everyone. The leader becomes the mood maker, particularly during uncertainty. Listening, inclusion, transparency and constructive energy are therefore not occasional techniques. They are daily responsibilities that shape whether people trust the direction and choose to follow.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"I'm here to be part of the team." "The longer you are somewhere, the more you realise you know nothing." "If your intention is positive, people will support you." "We want to be an international company in Japan." "It really starts by asking what is my impact? What can I do?"
Jasper Westerink is the CEO of Philips Japan and a Dutch executive whose career has been shaped by international leadership, adaptability, and a deep commitment to learning from local cultures. After completing university in the Netherlands, where he studied marketing, management, and business, he joined Philips with the initial idea of building a career in the Netherlands. Instead, an early opportunity to work in Thailand opened the door to a global career that would take him and his family across Thailand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Greece, Indonesia, South Africa again, and ultimately Japan.
Over many years with Philips, Westerink built a broad leadership perspective across emerging markets, developed markets, complex organisations, and highly diverse cultural environments. His Japan assignment brought together his global Philips experience, his interest in Japanese culture, and the company's need to connect Japan more closely with global Philips capabilities. In Japan, he has focused on trust-building, engagement, accountability, recognition, and helping Japanese teams share their world-class ideas more confidently with the global organisation.
Jasper Westerink's leadership story in Japan begins with a global career that gave him both confidence and humility. As CEO of Philips Japan, he arrived not as someone assuming he already understood the market, but as a guest who needed to listen, observe, and learn. Having worked across Thailand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Greece, Indonesia, and other markets, he brought a rare breadth of experience to Japan. Yet his most important leadership insight is that the more time one spends in a country, the more one realises how much remains beneath the surface.
Japan struck Westerink as extraordinarily organised, harmonious, and safe. He noticed this first in daily life, from the punctuality of trains to the quiet consideration shown by people in public spaces. These visible behaviours pointed to deeper cultural systems. In business, he observed a strong preference for harmony, pre-alignment, and consensus. Unlike more confrontational management cultures, where executives may debate passionately in the room and make decisions on the spot, Japan often relies on nemawashi, informal pre-discussion, careful preparation, and the quiet work that happens before the formal meeting. By the time a decision reaches the table, much of the ringi-sho-style alignment has already occurred.
For a foreign CEO, this can feel slow or even passive at first. Westerink admits that he likes visible passion and energetic debate, but he came to understand that Japanese passion often sits below the surface. It may not appear in a formal meeting, yet it emerges in trusted settings, peer groups, customer discussions, informal conversations, and carefully structured opportunities to contribute.
One of his strongest methods for drawing out ideas is friendly peer competition. Philips Japan encourages doctors, physicians, and internal teams to share ideas around quality, AI, better patient outcomes, reduced workload, and operational improvement. Rather than making innovation a top-down CEO initiative, Westerink has found that peer recognition, team-based contribution, and "Made in Japan" pride help unlock ideas. Japanese employees may be modest, but many of their solutions are globally competitive. His job is to create safe structures that make it easier for them to speak up. Trust-building has been central.
Westerink made it clear from the beginning that he was not above the team, but part of it. He visited teams at different levels, spent time with people outside the office, joined informal social and sports activities, asked questions, listened carefully, and showed genuine curiosity about how work was done. He also recognised his own physical presence and high-energy style. As a very tall foreign CEO with a serious face when concentrating, he learned to smile more, keep appropriate distance, use humour, and turn his height into an icebreaker rather than a barrier.
His leadership philosophy also centres on accountability. Using the Japanese concept of jiseki, or starting with oneself, he encourages people to ask, "What can I do? What did I do wrong? What can I improve?" In a culture where fear of failure and loss of face can be strong, he tries to create an environment where mistakes are not hidden but owned, discussed, and learned from.
Ultimately, Westerink's Japan leadership lesson is not about importing a foreign management model. It is about combining Philips' global culture with Japanese strengths and his own leadership character. He wants Philips Japan to remain deeply Japanese while also becoming more confident internationally. That balance — respect for local culture, openness to global standards, and the courage to ask better questions — defines his approach.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is unique because much of the real work happens before the meeting. Westerink observes that Japanese business culture places a high value on harmony, preparation, respect, and careful pre-alignment. In many Western or international contexts, management meetings can be lively, direct, and even confrontational. People interrupt, challenge, debate, show visible passion, and make decisions in the room. In Japan, the formal meeting is often the final stage of a longer process.
Nemawashi, consensus-building, and quiet coordination help protect relationships and reduce open conflict. This does not mean people lack passion. It means passion is expressed differently, often in smaller groups, trusted settings, or after the formal meeting has ended.
Why do global executives struggle? Global executives often struggle because they misread the absence of visible debate as a lack of engagement. Westerink initially missed the open passion he had seen in other markets. He had to learn that Japanese colleagues may be deeply committed but less likely to challenge publicly until trust has been built.
Foreign executives can also underestimate the importance of timing, silence, hierarchy, and indirect communication. They may become impatient when progress appears slow, not realising that a great deal is happening behind the scenes. Japan requires leaders to develop patience, curiosity, and the ability to read context rather than relying only on explicit statements.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan is often described as risk-averse, but Westerink's experience suggests a more nuanced picture. The issue is not that Japanese people lack ideas or ambition. Rather, there is strong uncertainty avoidance around failure, loss of face, and public mistakes. People want to deliver perfect work, and that can slow action when speed and learning are required.
Westerink addresses this by making failure discussable. He calls out mistakes, but not to punish people. Instead, he asks what can be learned, what will be done differently, and whether others can benefit from the lesson. This reframes risk from personal embarrassment into collective improvement.
What leadership style actually works? The leadership style that works in Japan is humble, consistent, curious, and relationship-based. Westerink emphasises that he is a guest in Japan and part of the team. He asks many questions, visits people where the work happens, joins informal activities, and spends time with employees outside formal meetings. He also leads by example. If budgets are tight, he stays in the same type of hotel as others. If the company expects people to be accountable, he models accountability himself.
He also adapts recognition to the culture. Instead of always singling out one heroic individual, he recognises the importance of team contribution, because public individual praise can sometimes create discomfort in Japan.
How can technology help? Technology helps when it is connected to real clinical, operational, and customer value. Philips Japan works in health technology, including advanced medical equipment such as MRI systems. Westerink describes initiatives where doctors and physicians submit research on how to improve procedures, increase accuracy, reduce workload, and create better outcomes.
Internally, Philips Japan also invites teams to explore AI, quality improvement, billing processes, service efficiency, and better patient outcomes. This reflects a form of decision intelligence: using data, expertise, frontline insight, and structured evaluation to improve decisions. In health care, technologies such as AI, digital twins, and advanced imaging can only create value when leaders understand the clinical reality, the customer's challenge, and the human workflow around the technology.
Does language proficiency matter? Language matters, but Westerink's experience shows that leadership in Japan is not only about speaking Japanese. He uses translators when needed, allows questions in Japanese, and encourages teams to prepare and present in English when appropriate for an international company. The key is not linguistic perfection, but communication design.
Leaders must create channels where people can speak safely, ask questions, and contribute. Westerink sometimes asks for critical questions and waits until the team provides them. At first, this was uncomfortable. Over time, people learned that constructive challenge was expected and welcome.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?The ultimate lesson is that positive intent, humility, and connection matter most. Westerink advises new leaders in Japan to find trusted people who will tell them when things are going well and when their behaviour may not be landing as intended. They should be transparent about why they are in Japan, what they hope to contribute, and what they hope to learn. They should connect with people through work, food, informal time, customer visits, and genuine curiosity. His advice is simple but profound: the longer leaders are in a place, the more they realise they know nothing. That mindset keeps them learning.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Leadership is probably the ability to influence in a positive way." "There is no the right way or the wrong way; there is the best way." "What I do not accept is people not trying." "Status quo is a no-go." "A good leader would be able to grow not just a company, but also grow the people." Christian Baudat is Country General Manager Japan for The Ascott Limited, one of the world's leading serviced residence and hospitality groups. A graduate of the École hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland, he began his international hotel career with Hilton in Tokyo in 1985. His career has included senior leadership and general management roles in Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and across the wider Middle East and North Africa region. Baudat has led hotel openings, major rebranding projects, operational turnarounds and large-scale teams, including roles at Hilton Tokyo, Hilton Tokyo Bay, Hilton Nagoya, Hilton Tokyo, Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk and Hilton Tokyo Odaiba. Before joining Oakwood and subsequently leading Ascott's Japan operations, he served as a regional vice president for Rotana, overseeing more than twenty properties across several countries. His long career in Japan has given him a practical understanding of how to combine global hospitality standards with Japanese expectations around respect, harmony, communication and customer service. Christian Baudat's leadership journey began with a desire to leave his small Swiss hometown and see the world. After graduating from the École hôtelière de Lausanne, he entered the Hilton management trainee programme and arrived in Tokyo in 1985. His first assignment in Shinjuku placed him immediately inside one of the world's most demanding hospitality markets. Over the following decades, he built an unusually broad career across hotel openings, restaurant operations, rebranding assignments, general management roles and regional leadership responsibilities in Japan, Singapore, Switzerland and the Middle East. His leadership philosophy has been shaped by the realities of working across cultures and by the particular communication dynamics of Japan. One of his earliest lessons was that agreement cannot be assumed simply because someone says "yes". In Japanese business, "hai" can mean that a message has been heard, rather than that it has been accepted or that action will follow. Baudat therefore places great importance on validation. For him, leadership requires checking whether people truly understand the intent behind a message, whether they believe in it and whether the message has travelled accurately through the organisation. This is especially important in hierarchical organisations, where messages can become diluted as they pass through middle management. Baudat avoids relying solely on formal reporting lines. He spends time close to the operational frontline, speaks directly with associates, observes service delivery and confirms whether leadership messages remain alive at lower levels of the organisation. This approach is not intended to undermine managers. Rather, it is a way of ensuring that leaders understand what is happening in reality, not merely what appears in reports or formal meetings. Baudat also emphasises that directness must be balanced with humility and respect. Early in his career, he encountered experienced colleagues who regarded a young foreign manager as a possible threat. He learned that authority alone would not create commitment. Respecting experience, acknowledging expertise and demonstrating a willingness to learn were essential. Even when disagreement occurred, he found it important to return to the conversation, restore working relationships and avoid allowing conflict to become permanent. His experience also highlights the changing nature of work in Japan. In the past, employees in hospitality often had fewer career alternatives and might have accepted traditional expectations more readily. Today, employees are more likely to assess whether a role fits their aspirations, lifestyle and values. Talent shortages have also shifted the balance of power. Leaders can no longer assume that staff are easily replaceable. Instead, they need to understand why people are struggling, whether a role suits their strengths and how coaching, support or reassignment may unlock their potential. This creates a new leadership imperative. Rather than dismissing employees who do not immediately fit a conventional model, leaders must be curious. They need to diagnose whether a problem comes from poor instructions, insufficient training, unclear expectations, different personal values or an unsuitable role. Baudat sees this as a central responsibility of contemporary leadership: giving people a genuine chance to improve while maintaining clear standards. Innovation is another key theme in his approach. Baudat encourages people to look beyond their own industry, observe trends in fashion, retail, technology and food, and bring fresh ideas into hospitality. He believes that leaders must create an environment in which experimentation is protected. In Japan, uncertainty avoidance can make people reluctant to suggest ideas that might fail. Effective leaders must provide air cover, take responsibility for sensible experiments and ensure that people receive credit when their ideas succeed. Leadership, in Baudat's view, is not about being the source of every answer. It is about creating the conditions in which people can contribute, learn and grow. Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan requires a high level of sensitivity to indirect communication, hierarchy and harmony. Baudat's central lesson is that apparent agreement should be checked rather than assumed. A response of "yes" may indicate that someone has heard a message, not that they support it or intend to act on it. Leaders must validate understanding through follow-up conversations, observation and direct contact with the people responsible for execution. The Japanese emphasis on consensus can make nemawashi especially important. Before a major decision is formally announced, informal groundwork often helps leaders understand concerns, identify resistance and build alignment. Formal processes such as ringi-sho may represent the visible decision process, but the real work of consensus-building often happens earlier through respectful discussion and relationship management. Why do global executives struggle? Global executives can struggle when they arrive with strong assumptions, immediate solutions and little patience for local context. Baudat believes that leaders entering Japan should not assume the organisation is broken or that overseas experience automatically provides the correct answer. His preferred approach is a structured ninety-day process: the first month is spent absorbing information, the second month processing what has been learned and the third month communicating direction and beginning execution. The mistake is to act before understanding the people, the history and the operating culture. Leaders need to recognise what existing employees have already achieved and respect the systems that have kept the organisation functioning. Change is sometimes necessary, but change imposed without listening can create resistance, confusion and disengagement. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan has a strong preference for reliability, quality and avoiding visible errors. This can make people reluctant to experiment, particularly when mistakes may affect reputation or create embarrassment. However, Baudat does not believe that this means Japanese organisations cannot innovate. The issue is not an absence of ideas. It is the need for leaders to create psychological safety around testing, learning and adjusting. He makes a clear distinction between failure and not trying. Experiments may not always succeed, but standing still is not acceptable. Leaders must demonstrate that responsible attempts will be supported. When an innovation does not work, the response should be to examine the learning, refine the idea or move on, rather than punish the person who took the initiative. What leadership style actually works? Baudat advocates a leadership style built on visibility, respect, personal credibility and practical support. He does not believe leaders should remain in an office and manage only through reports. He prefers to walk the operation, speak with people, recognise good work and identify issues quickly. When serious matters arise, he handles them privately and respectfully rather than publicly embarrassing someone. His style also includes being mindful of personal presence. A senior leader's authority, physical presence, tone of voice and communication style can all be intimidating. Baudat has learned to reduce unnecessary barriers by sitting with people rather than speaking down to them, moving away from a formal desk setting and creating a calmer environment for important conversations. How can technology help? Technology can strengthen decision intelligence by helping leaders see patterns, identify operational issues and make better-informed choices. Data, AI tools and digital twins may enable hospitality organisations to test service flows, anticipate demand, model staffing needs and evaluate guest preferences. However, Baudat's experience suggests that technology cannot replace human judgement, frontline observation or emotional intelligence. Hospitality remains a people business. Technology may improve speed, consistency and insight, but leaders still need to understand staff, guests and the human realities behind operational data. The strongest use of technology is therefore to support better conversations and better decisions, not to remove leaders from the people they lead. Does language proficiency matter? Japanese language ability is valuable, particularly for leaders who intend to remain in Japan for the long term. It signals commitment, reduces communication distance and helps leaders pick up nuance. Baudat learned Japanese out of necessity when he was responsible for large teams with limited English ability. He acknowledges that language skills need not be perfect to be useful. The important point is whether the message can be understood. At the same time, language proficiency is not the first requirement for success. A leader without strong Japanese can still listen carefully, observe body language, work with trusted interpreters and remain alert to tone, silence and context. The most important ability is not speaking every word perfectly. It is understanding what is really being communicated. What is the ultimate leadership lesson? For Baudat, leadership is the ability to influence people and the environment in a positive way. It requires trust, growth and humanity. A good leader grows the company, but also grows the people within it. High intelligence alone is not enough. Leaders with low emotional intelligence may achieve results temporarily, but they risk becoming isolated and losing the confidence of the people around them. The ultimate leadership lesson is that influence is earned. It is earned through listening, keeping promises, supporting people when they face obstacles, recognising their contribution and having the courage to make difficult decisions when necessary. Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"I think what I know now is to be a little more slow."
"My style was to steal the best from Japan and the U.S."
"What I would do is pick your fights."
"Someone who can make a decision without all the information."
"A leader can function gracefully with an abundance of ambiguity."
Robert Roche is the President and CEO of Oak Lawn Marketing, the company behind the Shop Japan brand. His career in Japan began as an exchange student at Nanzan University in Nagoya, followed by law school in Denver and further study in Nanzan's law department. He returned to Japan without a conventional corporate career path and built his business through persistence, experimentation and a willingness to learn from failure. Early ventures in importing were unsuccessful, but they led to the creation of H&R Consultants and eventually Oak Lawn Marketing.
Roche helped pioneer the infomercial and direct-response television shopping model in Japan, building a major business from Nagoya before it became widely known in Tokyo's foreign business community. He later established Acorn International in China, adapting a related television-shopping model to a very different market. His career reflects deep adaptability across Japan, China, media, retail, entrepreneurship and large-company partnerships, including working with NTT Docomo as a major shareholder in the business.
Robert Roche's business story is a powerful lesson in entrepreneurial leadership, cultural adaptability and decision-making under uncertainty. His path did not begin with a polished strategy, venture capital or a prestigious corporate appointment. It began with an exchange programme at Nanzan University in Nagoya, an interest in Japan, a willingness to learn Japanese and an instinct that he could build something of value despite having no obvious roadmap.
His first ventures were failures. Imported clamshells for cultured pearls did not work. Neon clocks did not work. The experience gave Roche an early and memorable lesson: buying products is easy; selling them is difficult. Rather than treating these setbacks as reasons to retreat, he used them as practical education. That resilience later became central to the development of Oak Lawn Marketing and Shop Japan.
The company's breakthrough came through television shopping. Roche initially sold parallel-imported products such as Tiffany goods and Lands' End bags, before being introduced to Japanese television retailing. He had to learn every part of the operation: presenting products on television, answering calls, packing goods, applying shipping labels and even cleaning the office. The experience gave him an unusually grounded understanding of direct-response retail. It also demonstrated that leadership credibility is built when leaders understand the real work of the organisation.
As the business grew, Roche and his colleagues recognised an opportunity in imported infomercials. They secured products that were already successful overseas, localised them for Japan and bought television time to reach Japanese consumers directly. Oak Lawn Marketing became a Japan market-entry specialist, acquiring exclusive rights to successful products and adapting media, language, labels, customer service and fulfilment for the Japanese market.
Growth created new leadership challenges. Roche describes a company that scaled quickly, often without elegant systems or conventional management infrastructure. Recruiting was difficult in Nagoya, and hires from elite corporations often struggled with the radically different pace, ambiguity and hands-on demands of an entrepreneurial company. He learned that individuals needed the right cultural bridge before moving from highly structured institutions into a fast-moving, experimental business.
Roche's leadership evolved over time. Earlier in his career, speed, impatience and relentless momentum helped propel the company forward. Later, he realised that patience, long-term planning, automation and more thoughtful communication were equally important. His experience in China reinforced this lesson. Japan required encouragement for people to take initiative; China often required leaders to channel intense entrepreneurial energy. He came to see the two markets as yin and yang: both dynamic, but requiring very different leadership responses.
His ultimate leadership definition is especially relevant for executives in Japan: leadership is the ability to make decisions without complete information and to function gracefully amid ambiguity. It is a lesson that combines entrepreneurship, cultural intelligence, decision intelligence and the humility to understand that there are multiple valid paths to the same goal.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan requires an appreciation of process, relationships and organisational harmony. Formal authority alone is rarely enough. Effective leaders need to understand how nemawashi, informal consensus-building, supports later decisions; how ringi-sho processes formalise approval; and how trust is often built through consistent behaviour rather than forceful declarations. Roche's experience shows that Japanese workplaces can contain deeply valuable traditions of respect, service and collective responsibility. The aim is not to discard these practices as outdated, but to distinguish useful traditions from unproductive ones.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle because they mistake unfamiliarity for inefficiency. A leader arriving from headquarters may see different communication patterns, slower consensus-building or less visible individual initiative and conclude that the organisation lacks capability. Roche argues that this reaction misses the point. Japan has a high-quality workforce, strong attitudes towards responsibility and significant organisational knowledge. The challenge is to separate material differences from immaterial differences and to avoid imposing headquarters habits where they do not improve results.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Japan is often described as risk-averse, but Roche's experience suggests a more nuanced view. The issue is not necessarily fear of risk; it is uncertainty avoidance and the preference to reduce exposure before acting. In a direct-response television business, decisions had to be made rapidly, media had to be purchased and products had to be tested before perfect information was available. This required a more entrepreneurial rhythm. Japanese organisations can act decisively when leaders provide enough context, credibility and confidence that the downside is understood and managed.
What leadership style actually works?
Roche's preferred style blends the best aspects of Japan and the United States. It values work ethic, respect, disciplined execution and attentiveness to detail, while also encouraging speed, experimentation and direct accountability. It avoids a simplistic choice between command-and-control leadership and consensus-only leadership. The most effective approach is situational: clear about outcomes, flexible about pathways and patient enough to allow people to contribute. It also requires the discipline not to react emotionally when employees lack historical knowledge or make uninformed comments.
How can technology help?
Technology can help organisations become more deliberate rather than merely faster. Roche sees a need for greater understanding of data science, sales technology, algorithms, automation and decision intelligence. Digital twins, predictive modelling and customer data can help organisations test offers, improve fulfilment, forecast demand and reduce wasted effort. However, technology is not a replacement for judgement. It should support better decisions, not create false certainty. Leaders still need to assess ambiguity, understand customers and make choices before all information is available.
Does language proficiency matter?
Language proficiency matters because it signals effort, respect and a willingness to understand the local environment. Roche's Japanese enabled him to build relationships, negotiate with regional media figures and understand the realities of Japanese business beyond the expatriate bubble. Full fluency is not the only requirement, but even a practical level of Japanese can deepen trust and reduce distance. It also helps global executives recognise the important difference between what is said formally and what is communicated through context, timing and relationships.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
Roche's core lesson is to pick the right fights. Leaders should identify non-negotiable business outcomes while remaining open about how those outcomes are achieved. They should avoid dismissing local practices simply because they differ from headquarters norms. Strong leadership combines clarity, patience, humility, cultural intelligence and the courage to act amid incomplete information. The best leaders understand that several paths may lead to the same mountaintop.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Leadership, I think it's really walking the talk."
"I think it comes from within, being genuinely very interested in people."
"You can't win every battle, and you're crazy if you try to."
"Let's look at the spirit of what they're trying to achieve."
"To be successful in Japan, I think you have to be patient."
Campbell Hanley is the Managing Director of Weber Shandwick Japan, one of Japan's longest-established international public relations and communications agencies. Originally from Torquay near Melbourne, Australia, he came to Japan in 1992 after deciding to live in a non-English-speaking country and develop international experience outside Australia.
His career in Japan has moved across public relations, journalism, content marketing, advertising, digital communications and agency leadership. Hanley began in a small PR company, moved into marketing and digital work, and then became a staff writer for the Mainichi Daily News. He also worked on special projects for Fortune and Time magazine, developing an editorial perspective that later became central to his communications career.
Before joining Weber Shandwick Japan, he worked in a major American advertising company, initially as managing editor of a content marketing business and later in international advertising sales and digital marketing. At Weber Shandwick Japan, he was originally hired to build a content marketing unit but soon took on broader business, digital and leadership responsibilities. His career reflects the adaptability required to succeed in Japan: learning the language, understanding local business expectations, building credibility over time and translating global ideas into practical Japanese-market solutions.
Campbell Hanley's leadership journey in Japan began long before he became Managing Director of Weber Shandwick Japan. Arriving in 1992 from Australia, he did not come with a grand corporate plan or a fixed career pathway. He simply wanted to live in a country where English was not the dominant language and experience a society very different from the relatively homogeneous environment in which he had grown up near Melbourne.
Japan became that destination. What began as a one-year overseas experience developed into a decades-long career across public relations, journalism, advertising, content marketing, digital media and leadership. Hanley's career progression is a useful example for foreign professionals who build their lives in Japan not through a single breakthrough, but through accumulated credibility, language ability, adaptability and a willingness to learn from every role.
His early work in a small PR company gave him an introduction to communications. A subsequent role in marketing exposed him to digital work at a time when digital communications meant something very different from today's social media, AI platforms and always-on content ecosystems. Later, he joined the Mainichi Daily News as a staff writer during a period when traditional media organisations were adjusting to digital distribution.
That journalism experience became a defining advantage. It taught him to think like an editor rather than simply like a promoter. He learned to distinguish between a genuine story and what he describes as propaganda. That distinction became central to his later work in content marketing and public relations. Clients may want to tell the market everything about themselves, but audiences, journalists, customers and stakeholders only respond when the story is relevant, credible and useful.
Hanley later joined a major American advertising company, where he became managing editor of a content marketing operation. It was his first meaningful leadership experience, managing a team of editors and content specialists. He discovered that leading experienced writers required more than formal authority. Editors see their writing as craftsmanship. They have opinions, pride and professional standards. Trying to win every argument would damage motivation and reduce the team's willingness to contribute ideas.
The answer was negotiation. Leaders need clear standards, client requirements and editorial principles, but they also need flexibility. Hanley learned that credibility comes from explaining why something should change, listening to experienced contributors and recognising that good leadership does not require winning every battle.
At Weber Shandwick Japan, he initially joined to lead a newly formed content marketing division. The intended leadership structure was meant to include a business leader, a digital leader and an editorial leader. Instead, the business leader moved into another area of the organisation and the digital leader never arrived. Hanley found himself managing the editorial, business and digital dimensions of the operation at the same time.
That intense period gave him a much wider view of leadership. He had to understand profit and loss responsibility, client needs, digital platforms, team capability and the internal politics of integrating new services into a traditional PR organisation. He later moved into the core Weber Shandwick Japan business, working to embed digital communications throughout the agency rather than treating it as a separate specialist division.
His approach was practical. Rather than forcing every team to adopt new digital services at once, he found allies. He worked with colleagues who were curious, receptive and ready to experiment. Together, they met clients, developed communications ideas and used examples from Weber Shandwick's global network to show what was possible.
This approach recognised a key truth about Japan. A global campaign may work in the United States, Europe or another Asia-Pacific market, but that does not guarantee success in Japan. The core idea may be relevant, but the delivery needs localisation. Japanese stakeholders need to understand the purpose, feel ownership and have confidence that the programme reflects their market reality. In that sense, digital transformation is not just about technology. It is also about nemawashi, trust-building, internal consensus and creating the conditions for people to support change.
As Managing Director, Hanley places strong emphasis on engagement, consistency and psychological safety. He believes employees can sense whether leadership interest is genuine or manipulative. Employees are unlikely to become engaged simply because their employer launches an engagement initiative, an employee survey or a new corporate value statement. Engagement is built over time through repeated behaviour.
Hanley's practice of meeting one employee each week over breakfast or lunch is a small but important example. These conversations have no rigid agenda. They are designed to understand how people are doing, what they are seeing and what may be happening beneath the surface of formal reporting lines. In Japan, where employees may hesitate to bring bad news to senior leaders, those informal conversations can help surface problems earlier.
He also recognises that approachability is relative. A leader may believe that they are open and accessible, yet employees may still struggle to raise difficult issues face-to-face. One colleague who appeared calm during a discussion later sent a detailed and emotional email. That experience reinforced the importance of offering multiple channels for communication.
Hanley's broader leadership lesson is simple but demanding: leadership in Japan requires patience. Executives who arrive with aggressive turnaround plans, fixed KPIs and a desire to make immediate changes can easily misread the organisation. Sustainable success comes from learning the landscape, identifying trusted partners, listening to quieter high performers and allowing relationships to develop over time.
For Hanley, leadership is not about issuing instructions from above. It is walking the talk, creating clarity, modelling the values expected from others and building an environment where people can contribute honestly, creatively and confidently.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan is unique because progress often depends on trust, relationships, consensus and careful internal alignment rather than visible executive force. Foreign leaders can underestimate the role of nemawashi, the informal process of building support before a decision becomes official. They may focus on the formal meeting, the ringi-sho approval or the announcement, without recognising that much of the real decision-making has already happened through conversations behind the scenes.
Japanese employees may also be more cautious about challenging senior leaders directly, especially in formal settings. That does not mean they lack ideas or commitment. It means leaders need to create multiple ways for people to contribute. Informal meetings, regular one-to-ones, anonymous suggestion systems and consistent follow-up can all help reduce the distance between senior management and the broader organisation.
The leadership challenge is not to become passive or avoid difficult decisions. It is to understand that change is more sustainable when people feel included in the process. In Japan, consensus is not simply about avoiding conflict. It is often a method for reducing implementation risk.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle in Japan when they assume that a successful strategy from another market can be transferred without adaptation. A campaign, operating model or leadership style that works in the United States, Europe or Singapore may not receive the same level of buy-in in Japan.
Hanley's experience in communications shows that global programmes often fail not because the original idea is poor, but because Japanese stakeholders do not feel ownership over the delivery. Global headquarters may see a campaign as proven and scalable. The Japan team may see it as culturally disconnected, commercially unrealistic or difficult to execute with local customers, media and employees.
Executives also struggle when they become too focused on avoiding offence. Cultural sensitivity is important, but excessive caution can weaken decision intelligence. Leaders need to trust their judgement, while also seeking strong local counsel to identify blind spots. The best approach is not blind confidence or excessive deference. It is a balance between clear leadership instincts, local insight and evidence-based adaptation.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Japan is often described as risk-averse, but the more accurate issue is uncertainty avoidance. Japanese organisations may be reluctant to move quickly when the consequences, stakeholder reactions or implementation details are unclear. That is different from being unwilling to innovate.
Hanley's career in digital communications shows that Japanese organisations can embrace change when the purpose is clear, the risks are understood and trusted people are involved in shaping the solution. Innovation often needs more explanation, more examples and more internal preparation than it might in a startup environment or a fast-moving Western market.
This is why leaders should not interpret slow initial movement as resistance. Sometimes the organisation is asking for more clarity. What is the business case? Who will support the initiative? How will it affect customers? What are the risks? What happens if it fails? Who is accountable?
The most effective leaders reduce uncertainty without eliminating ambition. They use pilots, local case studies, customer feedback, internal champions and phased implementation. They do not merely tell people to be more innovative. They create conditions in which innovation feels credible and safe.
What leadership style actually works?
A leadership style that works in Japan combines clarity, consistency, respect and follow-through. Hanley places particular importance on authenticity. Employees observe whether a leader behaves consistently over time, whether they treat people fairly and whether they give feedback in a way that supports improvement rather than simply criticising performance.
This is especially important in a culture where employees may be cautious about exposing problems or challenging the boss. A leader who only appears interested when there is a crisis will not create trust. A leader who takes time to understand people, recognises contribution, provides regular feedback and deals with issues fairly is more likely to earn confidence.
Hanley's approach also reflects servant leadership. He does not wait for employees to bring every issue to him. He asks questions, checks in regularly and works to identify problems before deadlines make them unmanageable. This is not micro-management. It is active leadership.
The key is to combine high expectations with human connection. Employees need to understand what success looks like, but they also need to believe that the leader wants them to succeed.
How can technology help?
Technology can help leadership when it improves access to information, encourages ideas and reduces the barriers that stop people from speaking openly. Hanley's use of an anonymous digital suggestion platform is a good example. The system allowed employees to submit ideas in Japanese or English without fear that their identity would be traced.
The value of the tool was not only anonymity. It was also the message behind it. Employees saw that their suggestions were being read, considered and treated constructively. Technology can create channels, but leadership determines whether those channels are trusted.
In communications, technology also expands the range of ways organisations can engage customers and stakeholders. Paid, owned, earned and shared media require different approaches. Companies need to think beyond advertising and consider how websites, newsletters, events, journalists, influencers, employees and customers all contribute to reputation.
Tools such as AI, analytics, digital twins and data platforms can improve decision-making, but they do not replace local judgement. Technology provides information. Leaders still need to interpret that information through the realities of customers, employees, Japanese business culture and organisational capability.
Does language proficiency matter?
Language proficiency matters because it signals commitment, builds trust and allows leaders to hear what is not being said. Hanley's Japanese ability helped him establish credibility early in his career. It showed colleagues that he had invested time and effort in understanding Japan rather than treating the country as a temporary overseas posting.
However, language alone does not determine leadership effectiveness. A foreign executive may not become fluent in Japanese, yet still lead successfully if they listen carefully, use capable interpreters and bilingual advisers, and create an environment where people can communicate in the way that works best for them.
Hanley also highlights the importance of recognising quieter employees. In international companies, employees with stronger English skills or greater confidence in global communication can appear more visible than colleagues whose performance may actually be stronger. Leaders need to avoid rewarding only those who can speak most fluently in the leader's native language.
The best leaders look beyond self-promotion. They listen for substance, observe results and create fair evaluation systems.
What is the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate leadership lesson is patience. Hanley believes leaders need time to understand the organisation, build relationships, identify trusted partners and learn how decisions are really made. Rapid turnaround stories can be appealing, but in Japan, a leader who acts too quickly may damage trust before they have understood the full context.
Patience does not mean delaying decisions indefinitely. It means learning enough before acting. It means recognising that a relationship with a client, employee, partner or internal stakeholder may take years to build but can create value for decades.
Leadership in Japan is therefore a long-term practice. It is about walking the talk, showing consistency, respecting people, creating psychological safety and helping teams adapt global ideas to local realities.
The strongest leaders do not merely manage tasks and KPIs. They create a culture in which people feel able to contribute, raise concerns, share ideas and take responsibility for the future of the business.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Your biggest asset as an entrepreneur is actually yourself—your own personal strengths"
"You cannot get a cultural translator"
"You have to develop a different mentality for any retail business"
"It boils down to developing a strong corporate culture"
"One size does not fit all"
Ernie Higa is a Japanese American entrepreneur, business leader, and long-term Japan executive who built a career by bridging Japan and the United States. Born in Hawaii, educated in Geneva and Japan, and later trained at the Wharton School and Columbia Business School, he returned to Japan in the late 1970s to join his family's businesses before becoming an entrepreneur at the age of twenty-six. Starting at a time when entrepreneurship in Japan was far from mainstream, he built businesses across lumber, medical devices, and food service, including the development of Domino's Pizza Japan and later Wendy's Japan. His career arc reflects adaptability, cultural intelligence, and the ability to localise global business models for the Japanese market. Across multiple industries, Higa learned to lead older Japanese employees, attract talent outside traditional corporate pathways, build strong corporate culture, and balance global thinking with local execution in Japan.
Ernie Higa's leadership story is a practical case study in what it takes to build, adapt, and lead businesses in Japan when the usual paths are unavailable. As a Japanese American who looked Japanese but initially lacked Japanese fluency and deep cultural familiarity, he entered Japan with both an advantage and a disadvantage. He did not fit neatly into the Japanese corporate hierarchy, yet that ambiguity also allowed him to break certain unwritten rules. In 1979, at the age of twenty-six, entrepreneurship was not a recognised or respected career track in Japan. Banks were sceptical, age mattered, company pedigree mattered, and credibility was usually attached to large organisations. Higa had none of those traditional signals, so he had to build credibility through performance, adaptability, and cultural understanding.
His first major opportunity came in lumber. During the U.S.-Japan trade tensions of the 1970s and 1980s, he saw a way to add value by having Japanese lumber specifications cut in North American sawmills rather than simply importing logs for Japanese mills. This required him to bridge American production capabilities with Japanese precision requirements. The work demanded more than translation. It required understanding Japanese expectations around quality, reliability, tolerance, process, and trust. Higa's insight was that language could be translated, but culture could not be outsourced so easily. This became one of his central leadership lessons: leaders in Japan must understand the hidden rules, not only the spoken words.
As his businesses grew, Higa had to attract talent despite not being a famous Japanese corporation. He found opportunity in retired executives and staff from major trading houses and large companies. These people brought experience, networks, and discipline, while his own strengths were U.S.-Japan bridging, entrepreneurial thinking, and the ability to access decision-makers in ways a young Japanese executive might not have been able to do. Because he was not fully inside the Japanese system, he could sometimes bypass the conventional constraints of nemawashi, age hierarchy, and formal ringi-sho decision pathways, while still respecting the rules that could not be broken.
His leadership style evolved as his businesses diversified. In lumber and medical devices, leadership was closer to a conventional pyramid, where major decisions by the leader or top management shaped outcomes. But Domino's Pizza Japan taught him a different model: the upside-down pyramid. In retail, the store manager, not the president, creates the customer experience and drives revenue. The head office exists to support the frontline. This shift required humility, delegation, and trust. It also demanded a strong corporate culture that could scale across thousands of employees, including part-time staff.
Higa built that culture around ideas such as "can do" and "unique and exciting." These were not slogans for decoration; they were tools for shaping behaviour. In a market where uncertainty avoidance can discourage experimentation, Higa pushed for positivity, growth, and practical innovation. His use of training centres, staff events, incentive schemes, and even the acquisition of Domino's Hawaii reflected a leader trying to make the company attractive, aspirational, and different from traditional Japanese employers.
His approach to innovation was equally pragmatic. Japan's consumers demand quality, service, and variety, especially in food retail. Higa recognised that product development required customer input, staff ideas, leadership intuition, and the willingness to accept failure. But he also knew that entrepreneurs cannot afford massive failures. His early adoption of e-commerce for Domino's Japan was a form of decision intelligence: using technology to reduce lead times, test campaigns faster, and avoid being trapped by three-month flyer cycles that could not be changed once printed. In today's language, that mindset resembles the use of digital twins, rapid prototyping, and feedback loops to simulate, test, and adjust before risk becomes too expensive.
His ultimate message for global leaders in Japan is clear: think global, act local, but do not go too native. Japan requires respect, localisation, patience, and cultural sensitivity, but foreign leaders must also preserve the strengths they bring. Leadership in Japan is not about copying Japanese companies or imposing foreign templates. It is about knowing which rules to respect, which rules to challenge, and how to build trust through consistency, positivity, and determination.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan is unique because credibility is often shaped by context before performance is even tested. Age, company name, educational background, capitalisation, scale, and social legitimacy all influence how a leader is received. Higa entered the market as a young Japanese American entrepreneur at a time when the idea of entrepreneurship did not resonate strongly with banks or mainstream business society. He had to lead in an environment where he lacked conventional status, yet he also discovered that being outside the system gave him some freedom. Because he was not a typical Japanese manager, he could sometimes approach senior decision-makers directly and avoid being pigeonholed by the normal hierarchy. The uniqueness of Japan lies in this balance: formal structures matter, but outsiders who understand the culture may sometimes move differently within it.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle because they assume that success in a large home market can be transferred directly to Japan. Higa describes two types of expatriates: those who come to show Japanese staff how things are done elsewhere, and those who recognise that Japan is different and try to work with those differences. The second group is more likely to succeed. Japan requires localisation not only in products and services but also in management. Decision-making, trust-building, customer expectations, employee motivation, and communication all work differently. A "one size fits all" approach fails because Japan's market has its own logic. Global executives must respect Japanese practices such as nemawashi, consensus-building, and ringi-sho processes, while also avoiding the mistake of becoming so localised that they lose the global strengths they were sent to provide.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Japan is often described as risk-averse, but Higa's experience suggests the deeper issue is uncertainty avoidance. People may hesitate when they cannot see the process, the precedent, or the likely outcome. In traditional Japanese organisations, fear of failure and reluctance to take on extra responsibility can slow initiative. Higa addressed this through a "can do" culture, reinforced by his own behaviour. He did not treat positivity as a motivational slogan alone; he used it as an operating principle. When the company hit obstacles, the question became how to respond constructively rather than retreat. In this sense, leadership is not about pretending risks do not exist. It is about reducing uncertainty, creating confidence, and showing people how to move forward despite imperfect information.
What leadership style actually works?
Higa argues that there is no single correct leadership style. The right style depends on the leader's personality, the business model, and the people being led. In his lumber and medical device businesses, important decisions were made by him and his senior team, creating a more traditional pyramid structure. In Domino's Pizza, however, the business required an upside-down pyramid because store managers created the value. The role of headquarters was to support the people closest to the customer. Higa's own preference was to lead by example, earn respect, and involve people in management decisions rather than rely on command-and-control authority. His broader point is that authenticity matters. A leader must understand their strengths and weaknesses and build a leadership approach that fits reality, not theory.
How can technology help?
Technology helps when it reduces the cost of failure and shortens the distance between idea and feedback. Higa's experience with Domino's flyers showed the problem clearly. The company spent heavily on printed campaigns, distributed them to stores and households, and sometimes discovered after two or three weeks that the campaign was ineffective. By then, the materials were already printed and the campaign cycle was locked in. His move into internet ordering and e-commerce was driven by a desire to make campaigns more flexible. If something did not work online, it could be changed quickly. This was an early form of digital decision intelligence. Today, leaders might use analytics, digital twins, scenario modelling, and customer feedback loops for the same reason: to test, learn, and adapt before small mistakes become large failures.
Does language proficiency matter?
Japanese language ability helps, but Higa stresses that cultural understanding matters even more. A leader can hire a language translator, but not a cultural translator. The deeper challenge is knowing what is being implied, what is not being said, which rules matter, which rules can be bent, and how trust is built. Language opens doors, but culture explains what is happening inside the room. For foreign leaders in Japan, even partial Japanese ability can signal respect and seriousness. However, the larger requirement is sensitivity to difference. Leaders must avoid judging Japanese practices simply because they differ from American, European, or other global norms. Respecting difference is the first step toward effective leadership.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate lesson is determination combined with positivity. Higa has met many successful leaders with different personalities: some charismatic, some quiet, some brilliant, some surrounded by brilliant people. He does not believe leadership can be reduced to one formula. The common factor he sees is the ability to stay focused, remain determined, and not give up. Business always brings events beyond a leader's control: exchange rates, geopolitical shocks, climate change, pandemics, and market disruption. Leaders cannot control everything, but they can control how they respond. Reacting negatively does not help. The leadership challenge is to face negative situations with a constructive mindset and ask what can still be done.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
My Point Of View
Ernie is someone I often see around town and he is a very hard worker. I would say he is probably the canniest entrepreneur I have met in Japan. A very impressive businessman and a great role model for the rest of us. He has excellent people and communication skills.
"My career, I like to say, is about saving the world one word at a time."
"I love team building. I love creating something from nothing or growing it further."
"Creating connection and engagement with people" is one of the hardest parts of leading remotely.
"You need to show the vision, where you're going, and why that matters."
"Leadership is really about unlocking the potential and power of those who report to you."
Meghan Barstow is President of Edelman Japan, bringing a career defined by language, communications, adaptability and cross-cultural leadership. Her Japan story began thirty years earlier when she studied Japanese at Kansai Gaidai in Osaka after intensive language training in the United States. With an academic background in English literature and Japanese, she describes herself as "a woman who loves words," a phrase that neatly captures her professional journey.
After university, Barstow returned to Japan through the JET Program, spending three years in rural Kagoshima as an ALT and CIR. That immersive experience deepened both her Japanese language capability and her understanding of regional Japan. She later worked for Hyogo Prefecture's business and cultural centre in Seattle, taught Japanese at a public high school, and returned to Tokyo to create business English textbooks before entering PR and communications through Adcom Group's Tri Media.
Her career with Edelman began in Japan on the healthcare team when the office was still relatively small. She later moved to the United States, took time to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, and rejoined Edelman in Washington, D.C., where she developed her leadership capabilities across client leadership, sector leadership and employee experience. Her long-held ambition was to return to Japan and lead an office. She eventually came back as President of Edelman Japan, taking on the challenge of leading more than seventy people during the COVID era, much of it remotely.
Barstow's leadership context is shaped by global communications, Japanese cultural fluency, remote transformation, employee engagement, trust-building and organisational change. Her adaptability in Japan comes not from a single posting, but from repeated immersion, reinvention and a deep belief that words, trust and human connection sit at the centre of effective leadership.
Meghan Barstow's leadership story is a study in language, mobility, resilience and change. As President of Edelman Japan, she leads an organisation at the intersection of communications, marketing, trust, earned attention and cultural transformation. Her path to Japan did not begin with the usual clichés of pop culture or food. Instead, it began with a love of travel, a willingness to take on difficult languages and a desire to build a career through communication.
Her first deep experience of Japan came as a student at Kansai Gaidai in Osaka. Later, through the JET Program, she spent three years in rural Kagoshima, an experience that gave her more than language ability. It gave her the kind of cultural immersion that helps a foreign leader understand Japan beyond Tokyo boardrooms. She went on to work in cultural exchange, education, publishing and eventually PR, where she discovered that communications felt like her "calling."
Barstow's return to Japan as Edelman's country leader came after significant leadership experience in the United States, particularly in Washington, D.C. Yet the move back was not simply a geographic transfer. She returned to a Japan office undergoing transformation, in an industry where the boundaries between PR, marketing, advertising, digital and corporate communications had become increasingly blurred. Edelman's value proposition, as she explains it, lies in being independent, family-owned, grounded in earned attention and differentiated by decades of research into trust through the Edelman Trust Barometer.
Her biggest challenge was not only strategy. It was connection. She took on the role during COVID and had not met most of her employees face to face. Leading a team of more than seventy people remotely required deliberate communication, listening and repetition. She used all-staff business updates, weekly written roundups, one-on-one meetings, roundtables, strategy workshops and "strategy spotlight" sessions to make the direction tangible. In Japan, where uncertainty avoidance, consensus and nemawashi matter, remote transformation made alignment even harder.
Barstow's approach to change management is grounded in clarity, role modelling and personal experience. She believes leaders must show the vision, explain why it matters, gain manager buy-in and give employees direct experiences of the new strategy. This is especially important in Japan, where change can feel risky because it moves people from competence into uncertainty. The challenge is not simply to announce direction, but to help people understand it emotionally and practically.
Her leadership style is also shaped by trust. She recognises that trust in Japan is hard-won, takes time and becomes even more difficult in a remote environment. She sees consistency, integrity, care and communication as central to building it. Employee engagement surveys, business performance metrics and informal feedback help her understand whether the organisation is moving, but she also recognises that Japanese survey responses can be culturally restrained. For her, improvement over time matters more than absolute scores.
Her view of leadership is ultimately humble and enabling. She sees the leader's role not as personal heroics, but as unlocking the potential of others. Sometimes the leader stands in front, showing the way. Sometimes beside people, supporting them step by step. Sometimes behind them, cheering them forward. For foreign executives in Japan, her lesson is clear: the fundamentals of leadership may be universal, but the path to alignment, buy-in and trust requires patience, listening, nemawashi and respect for how decisions are actually made.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan requires a careful balance between hierarchy and bottom-up consensus. Meghan Barstow observes that people may defer to the leader and expect direction, while also expecting decisions to emerge through wider involvement and alignment. This creates a leadership paradox for foreign executives. They must provide vision and direction without bypassing the consensus-building process that helps people feel ownership.
Japan's business culture places high value on listening, patience, nemawashi and relationship-based trust. Leaders need to spend more time preparing the ground before pushing major initiatives forward. This is not simply politeness. It is a practical requirement for gaining commitment and avoiding resistance. In Barstow's experience, one-on-one listening, roundtables and repeated communication are essential to helping people understand both the logic and emotional meaning of change.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle in Japan because they underestimate how much time alignment takes. In faster-moving Western environments, a leader may announce a strategy and expect the organisation to move. In Japan, the message may need to be repeated, discussed, localised and validated through multiple channels before people fully commit.
Barstow's own challenge was intensified by remote work. She was leading more than seventy people, yet had not met most of them face to face. That made trust-building, employee engagement and emotional connection much harder. Global executives may also misread employee engagement data, because Japanese respondents often score more conservatively than employees in other markets. Barstow therefore focuses less on comparing Japan with global averages and more on whether the organisation is improving over time.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Japan is often described as risk-averse, but Barstow's experience suggests the issue is more nuanced. The deeper challenge is uncertainty avoidance. People may hesitate when change pushes them out of a known area of competence into a new environment where they may make mistakes or lose face. This is particularly important in Japan's quality-conscious, defect-sensitive culture.
For leaders, the answer is not to criticise caution. It is to reduce uncertainty through explanation, involvement, repetition and evidence of progress. Barstow emphasises the importance of showing the vision, explaining why it matters and giving people personal experiences of the change. When employees see that a new way of working succeeds with clients or improves outcomes, the change becomes real rather than abstract.
What leadership style actually works?
Barstow's leadership style combines strategic clarity, listening, humility and persistence. She began her tenure by preserving existing communication rhythms, then spent her first months listening through one-on-ones and roundtables. After understanding what employees wanted and needed, she built a communication and engagement plan around strategy, business updates and practical learning.
She also recognises the importance of the "frozen middle" — the layer of managers who can either accelerate or block transformation. In Japan, leaders need managers to champion the change, role model new behaviours and translate strategy into daily practice. A leadership style that works is therefore not only top-down. It is distributed, repeated and reinforced through many small touchpoints.
How can technology help?
Technology can support leadership, but it cannot replace human trust. Barstow used remote platforms, written updates, engagement dashboards, survey tools and virtual roundtables to maintain communication during COVID. These tools created visibility when informal office interactions disappeared. Written communication also helped employees absorb messages at their own pace, especially in a multilingual environment.
Technology can also improve decision intelligence by giving leaders more data about employee engagement, business performance and organisational change. In the future, tools such as digital twins of organisational workflows could help leaders model bottlenecks, workload pressures or collaboration patterns. However, Barstow's experience shows that technology only helps when paired with listening, empathy and human interpretation.
Does language proficiency matter?
Language proficiency matters, but cultural fluency matters even more. Barstow's Japanese study, rural JET Program experience and repeated periods living and working in Japan gave her a deeper foundation than a short-term expatriate assignment would have provided. Her language background helped her connect with Japan, but her leadership effectiveness also comes from understanding context, patience and communication style.
She also recognises that English can be challenging in remote settings, even for capable bilingual professionals. Written updates, clear repetition and structured communication help ensure people can process complex information. For foreign leaders, language ability is valuable, but the bigger issue is whether employees feel understood, respected and included.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate leadership lesson from Barstow's experience is that leadership is about unlocking the potential and power of others. She does not see leadership as being centred on the leader's ego. Rather, it is about helping people grow, strengthening organisational capability and creating conditions where others can succeed.
Her definition of leadership is flexible. Sometimes leaders must lead from the front, showing the way. Sometimes they stand side by side, supporting people closely. Sometimes they lead from behind, encouraging and cheering others forward. In Japan, the most effective leaders combine vision with patience, courage with humility and strategy with the deep human work of trust-building.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"You have to make the effort to talk to the people who are decisive"
"You shouldn't be the ambassador or the mail boy"
"Communication is very important"
"People are not stupid. They really see immediately if people do not walk the talk"
"Be respectful and don't say no too fast"
Klaus Meder is Previous President of Bosch in Japan, leading a business that has evolved from a network of joint ventures, license relationships and specialised manufacturing operations into a major Bosch Group presence of about seven thousand associates. His Japan career began in the late 1990s, when he worked for roughly five years in a Bosch-Zexel joint venture in Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture, where he led a largely Japanese team in airbag electronic control systems while bridging technology, culture, language and headquarters relationships.
He returned to Japan in mid-2017, bringing decades of Bosch experience, deep product expertise and a practical understanding of how German and Japanese business cultures can work together. His leadership story is shaped by adaptability: learning when hierarchy matters, when direct communication is needed, when respect must come first, and how a global company can build engagement, trust and innovation in Japan.
Klaus Meder's reflections on leadership in Japan are valuable because they avoid both romanticism and stereotype. He first came to Japan in the late 1990s to work in a joint venture between Bosch and Zexel Corporation in Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture. The organisation was small, local, highly Japanese and deeply hierarchical. The seating order itself reflected the organisation chart, with senior managers placed according to rank and younger engineers progressively further away.
For a young German vice president working through a translator, the first leadership challenge was not simply language. It was credibility. Meder earned that credibility through technical expertise, connections to headquarters and a willingness to communicate with the people who actually held authority, even when communication was difficult.
He is clear that a common mistake for foreign executives is to speak only with the younger employees who have stronger English. That may feel efficient, but it bypasses the hierarchy and weakens trust. His advice is to respect the decision structure and make the effort to speak with decisive people. This is where Japan-specific concepts such as nemawashi, ringi-sho, consensus and uchi-soto become practical leadership realities rather than cultural vocabulary. A leader must understand where influence sits, how decisions are prepared and why inclusion matters before a formal decision appears.
Meder also challenges simplistic views of Japan as indirect or passive. His early experience included a very direct Japanese president who shouted at people, and Japanese colleagues who told him plainly that he was too young. The lesson is that intercultural training is useful, but reality is more complex than the stereotype. Japan combines respect, formality, hierarchy and strong customer orientation with moments of surprising directness.
When he returned to Japan in 2017, Bosch Japan had grown dramatically. The leadership challenge had shifted from surviving in a traditional joint venture to building one Bosch spirit across legacy companies, product relationships and long-standing industrial ties. Engagement, in his view, is not captured perfectly by global survey scores. A question such as whether an associate would recommend the company to a relative carries different weight in Japan because personal responsibility, employer responsibility and uncertainty avoidance are culturally stronger.
For Meder, engagement is built through communication and practical proof. During the coronavirus crisis, Bosch Japan held weekly crisis meetings, shared outcomes and used his personal blog, translated into Japanese, to explain global and local decisions. The company also ran a vaccination programme for thousands of associates and family members. Trust was not just discussed; it was operationalised. That same trust appears in working-time recording, where associates record their own hours honestly even though overtime pay is affected.
His leadership definition is anchored in approachability, conviction, walk the talk behaviour and judgement. Leaders must know when to let teams run and when to make clear decisions. In Japan, they must be respectful, slow to reject ideas, serious about language and body language, and willing to encourage people to move faster in their careers. For Meder, leadership in Japan is not about forcing a Western model onto a Japanese organisation. It is about combining respect with clarity, trust with accountability, and global ambition with cultural intelligence.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan is unique because formal structure, informal influence and respect all operate at the same time. Klaus Meder describes an earlier workplace where the seating order mirrored the organisation chart and where communication moved through clear hierarchical channels. A foreign leader who ignores that structure can easily damage trust. Effective leadership therefore requires understanding nemawashi, consensus-building, ringi-sho style preparation and the boundary between uchi and soto. Japan is not simply hierarchical for the sake of hierarchy; it is a system in which responsibility, respect and decision ownership must be carefully managed.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle because they mistake English fluency for authority. Meder warns against speaking only to younger engineers or managers who communicate easily in English while bypassing senior decision-makers. That may accelerate conversation in the short term, but it weakens alignment. Executives also struggle when they rely too heavily on stereotypes. Meder was told that Japanese leaders were indirect and quiet, yet his first Japanese president was extremely direct. The real skill is to observe, adapt and communicate with the people who matter, not with the people who are merely easiest to reach.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Meder's comments suggest that Japan is not simply risk-averse; it is responsibility-conscious. Engagement survey questions reveal this difference. When Japanese associates are asked whether they would recommend the company to a relative or friend, they may hesitate not because they are disengaged, but because they feel personally responsible for both the person and the employer. This is closer to uncertainty avoidance than lack of commitment. Leaders need decision intelligence: the ability to interpret survey data, promotion reluctance and customer requests through cultural context rather than through a single global benchmark.
What leadership style actually works?
The style that works is respectful, approachable and clear. Meder emphasises communication, trust and walk the talk behaviour. People quickly notice when leaders say one thing and do another. In stable periods, leaders can let the team operate independently. In crises, people want leaders to bring them together and make clear decisions. This flexible style matters in Japan because excessive command can suppress initiative, while excessive delegation can create uncertainty. The leader's task is to know when to let loose and when to lead.
How can technology help?
Technology helps when it creates participation, visibility and learning. Bosch uses continuous improvement, hackathons, internal start-up platforms and online training to draw ideas from associates and make them visible to management. In an advanced manufacturing environment, the same principle extends to decision intelligence, digital twins and data-informed process improvement: technology should not replace trust, but it can make problems, options and learning cycles clearer. For engagement, the platform itself can be as valuable as the eventual winning idea because associates see that their ideas are heard.
Does language proficiency matter?
Yes, language proficiency matters, but effort matters even before mastery. Meder says Japanese is difficult, yet even a few words can be appreciated because the effort signals respect. He also stresses the importance of gestures and body language. In Japanese grammar, the decisive word can come at the end, and sometimes it is not spoken at all. Leaders therefore need to read tone, silence and non-verbal cues. Language is not only vocabulary; it is a way of understanding respect, hesitation, agreement and disagreement.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate lesson is to combine respect with movement. Meder advises foreign leaders to be respectful and not say no too quickly, especially to customers or associates. At the same time, he believes Japanese careers often progress too slowly. He encourages associates to think in three-to-five-year career steps rather than staying in the same role for ten or fifteen years. Leadership in Japan therefore means honouring the culture while helping people grow beyond the limits the culture can sometimes impose.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Behind every number, there is a leader."
"If you are a player as well as a coach… that's the single best way to actually have the credibility."
"I take the blame. You know, you guys take the credit."
"To unlock creativity… protect the odd ideas."
"A true leader is somebody who can inspire individual team members to be better than themselves."
Jesper Koll has been in Japan since 1985, when he arrived as a PhD researcher studying global finance. What began as an academic year at Kyoto University became a long-term professional and personal commitment to Japan. Over the decades, he built a distinguished career as one of Japan's most recognised economic and investment commentators, including senior roles as Chief Economist and Chief Strategist at Merrill Lynch Japan and Head of Research at JPMorgan. He has also worked in hedge funds, built his own company, and moved between large institutions and smaller entrepreneurial environments. His career arc reflects a deep adaptability to Japan's business culture, an ability to interpret Japan for global markets, and a leadership style grounded in credibility, humility, local insight, and trust.
Jesper Koll's leadership philosophy is rooted in one central belief: in Japan, numbers alone never tell the full story. Behind every figure sits a leader, a team, a community, and a set of relationships that must be understood before meaningful judgement can be made. His experience leading highly skilled research teams in Japan taught him that the Anglo-American model of purely empirical, numbers-first analysis was insufficient in the Japanese context. In Japan, insight came not only from data, but from the human relationships that allowed analysts to understand the people behind the companies they covered.
Koll argues that foreign executives in Japan must not assume that global best practice can simply be transferred into Tokyo. What works in New York, London, or Hong Kong will not necessarily work in Japan. The most successful leaders understand the importance of local adaptation. They defend the Japanese way of doing things to headquarters rather than merely transmitting headquarters' orders to Japan. This is where concepts such as nemawashi, consensus-building, ringi-sho, and uncertainty avoidance become important. They are not obstacles to leadership; they are part of the operating system leaders must learn to respect and use intelligently.
His own credibility as a leader came from being both a player and a coach. As head of research, he still wrote reports, met clients, appeared on television, spoke at conferences, answered difficult questions, and risked being wrong in public. This gave him standing among a team of highly specialised, confident, and sometimes prima donna analysts. Leadership, for Koll, was not about title or positional power. It was about showing that he could perform, protect the team, make others look good, and take responsibility when things went wrong.
Trust, in his view, is created through consistency, humility, and one-on-one relationships. He believes leaders should give credit to the team and take blame themselves. He also stresses the importance of psychological safety, especially in Japan, where fear of failure can limit creativity. Koll deliberately discussed his own mistakes and encouraged analysts to examine failed reports, not as shameful episodes but as learning opportunities. This approach helped reduce defensiveness and made it easier for talented people to speak openly.
Creativity, he believes, exists in Japanese teams just as it does anywhere else. The challenge is unlocking it. In brainstorming, the leader must protect unusual ideas and the people who offer them. The outlier, the odd thinker, the person who challenges the consensus may hold the breakthrough. A strong leader prevents early judgement from killing ideas before they can evolve.
Koll also cautions against superficial engagement rituals. Going drinking with the team may work for some leaders, but only if it is authentic. People recognise insincerity quickly. Real engagement comes from emotional intelligence, individual attention, and demonstrating that the leader genuinely manages for the team rather than simply managing upward.
Ultimately, Koll defines leadership as inspiring individual team members to become better than themselves. In Japan, that means balancing global standards with local realities, protecting the team while challenging them, respecting hierarchy while creating trust, and turning one plus one into three.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan is unique because relationships sit behind performance. Koll stresses that data, analysis, and results matter, but they are never enough by themselves. In Japan, the leader must understand the people, teams, and communities behind the numbers. This is especially important because Japanese companies often do not market themselves aggressively or explain their strengths in the polished style common in the United States. The leader must therefore uncover the real story through trust, observation, and long-term relationship-building. Concepts such as nemawashi, consensus, ringi-sho, and hierarchy are not simply bureaucratic customs; they shape how trust is built and how decisions move.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives struggle when they assume that headquarters' methods can be imposed unchanged on Japan. Koll is clear that "our way or the highway" does not work. The foreign leader's natural advantage is the connection to headquarters, but that advantage can be used well or badly. If the leader simply says yes to New York or London, the local team will quickly lose trust. If the leader defends Japan's way of working and helps headquarters understand local realities, credibility grows. The best leaders translate in both directions: they make global strategy understandable locally and make local intelligence valuable globally.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Koll's comments suggest that Japan is less risk-averse than often assumed, but more sensitive to failure, judgement, and uncertainty. In analytical teams, mistakes are inevitable. A good analyst may be right only slightly more than half the time. The issue is not avoiding error, but learning from it. In Japan, where failure can carry stigma, the leader must create psychological safety. Koll did this by openly discussing his own wrong forecasts and encouraging others to analyse mistakes without shame. In this sense, the real leadership challenge is not risk avoidance but uncertainty avoidance: helping people act, learn, and improve even when outcomes are not guaranteed.
What leadership style actually works?
The leadership style that works is humble, credible, protective, and performance-based. Koll believes leaders must be player-coaches. They must show they can perform the work, face clients, take difficult questions, and contribute directly to results. At the same time, they must give credit to team members and take blame themselves. This combination is powerful in Japan because people watch leaders closely. They notice whether the leader's actions match the message. A leader who protects the team, supports dissenters, and makes others look good earns lasting trust.
How can technology help?
Technology helps when it supports better process, decision intelligence, and organisational learning, but it does not replace human judgement. Koll described how even a change in production deadlines or software systems could create major disruption because people had deeply embedded ways of working. The leadership task is to manage these transitions firmly and respectfully. In modern terms, tools such as decision intelligence, digital twins, workflow analytics, and AI-supported reporting can help teams understand trade-offs, test scenarios, and improve execution. However, technology only works when leaders respect the human side of adoption: habits, pride, expertise, and fear of disruption.
Does language proficiency matter?
Koll learned Japanese early, during his time as a student in Kyoto, and that gave him a strong foundation. However, he does not argue that every foreign leader must become fully fluent to succeed. More important is the ability to build relationships with customers, understand the local business environment, and help the team deliver results. Language helps, but humility, curiosity, and direct engagement with clients matter more. A leader who cannot speak perfect Japanese but can make the team look good, win customer trust, and represent Japan effectively to headquarters can still succeed.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate leadership lesson is that leaders exist to make others better. Koll defines a true leader as someone who inspires individual team members to become better than themselves. That requires trust, courage, humility, and emotional intelligence. It also requires the ability to select lieutenants wisely, balance different personalities, protect odd ideas, and celebrate periods when the team is simply performing well. Leadership is not constant disruption. Sometimes the right move is to recognise that the team is "in the zone" and preserve momentum. The best leader helps the team become more than the sum of its parts.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"I've always been a very democratic leader." "You have to listen to them, and you have to convince them to work with you." "It is insistence on getting the feedback that is extremely important." "Trust is a key word for doing business in Japan." "Leadership is, first of all, to stand up and raise your voice." Georg Loeer has spent much of his life connected to Japan, beginning with his birth in Tokyo in 1955 while his father served as a German diplomat. After returning to Japan as a young adult in the 1970s, he studied Japanese intensively at Sophia University and ICU before building a career across banking, investment, trade, and international business development. His career included senior roles with BHF Bank in Frankfurt and Tokyo, Deutsche Bank in Jakarta during the Asian financial crisis, Bayerische Landesbank in Tokyo and Hong Kong, and Eurohypo, where he helped establish operations in Japan. After leaving banking, he founded his own consulting company and later moved into trade and investment promotion through NRW Global Business Japan. His career arc reflects adaptability, cross-cultural fluency, and a practical understanding of how leadership in Japan requires trust, patience, curiosity, and the ability to connect global headquarters with local Japanese realities. Narrative Summary Georg Loeer's leadership story is deeply interwoven with Japan's post-war internationalisation, German-Japanese business relations, and the evolution of foreign financial institutions in Asia. Born in Tokyo and later returning as a young adult, Loeer developed an early appreciation for Japan's cultural depth, regional diversity, and business discipline. His exposure to Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, Tokyo, and later the wider Asian region gave him a long lens through which to understand leadership in Japan not as a fixed formula, but as a patient process of earning trust, interpreting context, and helping people move beyond their normal track without derailing them. His banking career began with BHF Bank in Frankfurt, where he became the "Japan guy" connecting German headquarters with Japanese relationships. When he moved to Tokyo in 1992, he entered a branch staffed entirely by Japanese colleagues and learned quickly that one of the most important roles of an expatriate leader was translation in the broadest sense. It was not only about language. It was about explaining Japanese working styles to headquarters, defending quiet but highly productive Japanese employees, and helping the local team understand global expectations. This capacity to bridge worlds became a defining theme of his leadership. Loeer worked in conservative banking environments, yet repeatedly pushed for change, including derivatives-based hedging, long-term funding strategies, and new product thinking. His view of Japan's supposed risk aversion is nuanced. He recognises that Japan values stability, hierarchy, and administrative guidance, but he also argues that leaders must test the waters, ask better questions, and create safe ways for people to challenge themselves. In this sense, Japan is not simply risk-averse; it is often uncertainty-averse. The leader's role is to reduce ambiguity, create confidence, and show a credible path forward. His experience closing BHF Bank's Tokyo branch was a bitter but formative lesson. Leadership, in that moment, meant standing between headquarters and employees, communicating a difficult decision, and supporting people into new roles. Later, during the Asian financial crisis in Jakarta, he shifted from relationship banking to workout banking, learning again that leadership is tested most severely when conditions reverse. At NRW Global Business Japan, Loeer's leadership became more entrepreneurial. He encouraged industry research, company analysis, and business proposal development, bringing a consulting mindset into a government-owned trade and investment context. This reflects decision intelligence in practice: understanding industries, identifying promising companies, analysing readiness for Europe, and helping clients create their own success stories. His leadership philosophy is democratic but not passive. He believes leaders must communicate mission, listen carefully, nudge Japanese team members to speak up, and ask two, three, or four times when silence hides valuable insight. Concepts such as nemawashi, consensus, and ringi-sho matter in Japan, but Loeer's message is that foreign leaders should not be trapped by stereotypes. They should study the market, identify opinion leaders, engage stakeholders, and come to Japan without fear. Above all, they should build trust by showing empathy, standing behind their people, and delivering results. Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is unique because hierarchy, respect, silence, and consensus often shape how people participate. Loeer notes that Japanese employees are usually well-educated, honest, open, and hardworking, yet they may not immediately speak up in meetings. In many Japanese organisations, the most senior person speaks first, while others wait, observe, and avoid causing disruption. This makes engagement a leadership responsibility. A leader cannot simply ask once, "Are there any questions?" and expect open discussion. Loeer argues that the leader must ask again, invite individuals directly, and create a safe atmosphere where feedback becomes acceptable. This is where nemawashi, consensus-building, and informal trust development become essential. Why do global executives struggle? Global executives struggle in Japan when they arrive with preconceptions. Loeer advises leaders not to come with the mindset that Japan is a difficult market. Instead, they should study the market, identify key opinion leaders, understand competitors and partners, and engage stakeholders directly. Another common struggle is managing the relationship between headquarters and the local organisation. Foreign managers must explain Japanese behaviour to headquarters and global expectations to Japanese teams. This requires patience, judgement, and cultural translation. Without that bridge, headquarters may misread quiet employees as unproductive, while Japanese teams may see global demands as abrupt or insensitive. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Loeer's answer is more subtle than the usual cliché. Japan can appear risk-averse, particularly in conservative industries such as banking, where regulation, hierarchy, and responsibility weigh heavily. Yet his career shows that Japanese teams can embrace change when leaders reduce uncertainty and clarify the reward. In the 1980s and 1990s, banks often tested boundaries under administrative guidance, and Loeer encouraged his teams to explore new products and opportunities. The better description may be uncertainty avoidance rather than simple risk aversion. Leaders need to provide context, direction, and confidence so people can move beyond their comfort zone without feeling exposed. What leadership style actually works? Loeer describes himself as a democratic leader, somewhere between top-down and bottom-up. He believes the leader must communicate mission and targets clearly, but also remain open to ideas from team members, interns, and younger colleagues. In small teams especially, everyone matters. Leadership requires listening, persuasion, and shared purpose. At the same time, it is not passive facilitation. Loeer believes leaders must stand up, raise their voice, show the path, and encourage people to think entrepreneurially. This balance of direction and inclusion is particularly effective in Japan, where consensus matters but teams still need a leader willing to define the road ahead. How can technology help? Technology was not the centre of Loeer's interview, but his approach to industry research points directly to the value of modern decision intelligence. At NRW Global Business Japan, his team analysed industries, companies, growth patterns, overseas activities, and readiness for European expansion. Today, technologies such as digital twins, data analytics, AI-driven market mapping, and decision intelligence tools can strengthen this process. They can help leaders visualise scenarios, compare markets, and reduce uncertainty before major decisions. In Japan, where careful preparation and evidence matter, technology can support nemawashi and consensus-building by giving stakeholders a clearer shared picture. Does language proficiency matter? Loeer gives a balanced answer. He has met successful executives who operated in Japan with very little Japanese, and he has also seen younger professionals succeed through excellent language ability. Sometimes, speaking perfect Japanese may not be necessary, and even broken Japanese can help build warmth without creating distance. However, Loeer strongly believes that studying Japanese language, history, economic history, and business culture is a major advantage. Language is not only a communication tool; it is a gateway into how companies, institutions, and relationships evolved. For leaders in Japan, cultural literacy matters as much as vocabulary. What's the ultimate leadership lesson? The ultimate lesson is that leadership in Japan rests on trust. Loeer says trust is a key word for doing business in Japan and is paramount when leading a team. Leaders earn trust by standing behind employees, taking responsibility when necessary, showing empathy, delivering results, and helping customers create success stories. They must also encourage people to think entrepreneurially, take considered risks, and remain guided by personal, corporate, and societal values. For Loeer, leadership means standing in front of the team, engaging them, showing the path forward, and taking that path together.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"When you show honesty or your best effort, then people finally recognise you." "You have to find a way to go directly to the consumer and get insight from them." "You respect people. You respect where they come from, the knowledge they have of the business, and you try to learn." "To be innovative, you need a driving force from the top." "Right shooting always results in a hit." Jerome Chouchan is President of Godiva Japan and a long-serving international executive with a distinctive career arc across premium brands, retail, gifting, food, and Japanese business culture. Originally from France, he first came to Japan at the age of 25 through a French programme that allowed young graduates to work overseas for private companies in export development. His first assignment was with Mellerio, a high jewellery company based on the Rue de la Paix in Paris, where he opened the Japan office and built the business through department store partnerships and shop-in-shop operations. He later moved to Lacoste, managing licensing and brand coordination, and then to Hennessy, where he was responsible for the Japan business unit while based in France and travelling regularly between France and Japan. His first fully integrated P&L leadership role in Japan came with Lladró, the Spanish porcelain figurine brand, in a joint venture involving Mitsui & Co. There, he led a team of around 70 people and developed major market innovations, including porcelain versions of traditional Japanese Boys' Day and Girls' Day figurines. At Godiva Japan, Chouchan brought together his experience in premium branding, retail channels, Japanese gifting culture, consumer insight, and bold strategic execution. Under his leadership, Godiva Japan tripled its business in seven years, expanded into new channels such as convenience stores for premium ice cream, and created high-impact campaigns such as the famous "stop giving giri choco" Valentine's message. His leadership is also deeply shaped by more than 30 years of kyudo, Japanese archery, and by the principle that correct form, discipline, and intent produce the right result.
Jerome Chouchan's leadership journey in Japan is a story of adaptability, cultural sensitivity, consumer insight, and disciplined boldness. Arriving in Japan at only 25 years old, without Japanese language ability and without a large team around him, he began his career in a challenging environment where youth and foreignness could easily have undermined credibility. His early experience opening the Japan office for Mellerio taught him a central lesson about leadership in Japan: respect is earned through sincerity, effort, and presence. In a culture where age, hierarchy, and experience carry weight, Chouchan learned that honesty and visible commitment can overcome initial scepticism. Across his career, he repeatedly entered industries where he was not the obvious candidate. Jewellery, fashion, cognac, porcelain figurines, and chocolate all appear different on the surface, yet Chouchan identified the connecting threads: brand authenticity, retail, gifting, craftsmanship, and emotional value. This ability to recognise deeper patterns helped him move successfully from one sector to another. At Lladró, he discovered that innovation in Japan does not always come from importing foreign ideas. Sometimes it comes from seeing Japanese culture with fresh eyes. By observing Hinamatsuri and Boys' Day figurines as part of the same emotional and decorative category as porcelain, he helped create a new product concept that Japanese department store buyers initially doubted, but consumers embraced. His approach to leadership has consistently centred on the gemba: the real place where customers, staff, and business reality meet. Whether selling porcelain pieces himself in department store exhibitions or visiting Godiva stores with his team, Chouchan demonstrates that leaders must understand the front line directly. This is especially important in Japan, where teams quickly sense whether a leader respects their work or merely issues instructions from above. For foreign executives, the first three months are decisive. Asking questions, visiting customers, learning the business, and showing the ability to make decisions are essential to building trust. At Godiva Japan, Chouchan inherited an established brand that many outsiders thought had limited room for further growth. Instead, he saw untapped potential. His decision to concentrate marketing investment on television for Valentine's Day challenged internal assumptions that premium brands should avoid mass media. The result was immediate growth and increased credibility. His move to sell Godiva premium ice cream through convenience stores provoked similar concerns about brand dilution, but his logic was based on consumer behaviour: if most ice cream in Japan is bought in convenience stores, premium ice cream should be where the consumers are. Perhaps his most famous move was the "stop giving giri choco" Valentine's campaign, which challenged the social obligation of women giving chocolates to male colleagues. The campaign was not anti-gifting; it was pro-authenticity. It reframed gifting as something meaningful rather than automatic. The impact extended far beyond paid media, generating television discussion, social debate, and pride among female employees. Chouchan's leadership philosophy is also shaped by kyudo. In Japanese archery, one does not obsess over the target; one focuses on correct form. For Chouchan, this became a business metaphor. Rather than anxiously chasing numbers every day, leaders should focus on the right products, the right customer insight, the right culture, and the right execution. If the form is correct, the target will be hit.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan requires close attention to trust, hierarchy, non-verbal signals, and the first impression a leader creates. Jerome Chouchan explains that Japanese teams are highly skilled at sensing whether a leader respects them or looks down on them. This judgement can happen quickly and accurately. For foreign executives, credibility does not come automatically from title or headquarters appointment. It comes from going to the gemba, asking questions, respecting existing knowledge, learning from the team, and showing a willingness to work hard alongside others. Why do global executives struggle? Global executives often struggle because they underestimate the importance of local context, consumer behaviour, and internal consensus. Japan is not a market where a leader can simply impose a global template and expect smooth execution. Concepts such as nemawashi, ringi-sho, consensus, and uncertainty avoidance influence how decisions are understood and accepted. Chouchan's experience shows that leaders must balance respect for process with the courage to decide. If a leader only seeks harmony, the business can become slow. If a leader ignores local reality, trust is lost. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Chouchan's career suggests that Japan is not simply risk-averse; rather, it is highly sensitive to poorly framed risk. Department store buyers initially doubted Lladró's Japanese festival figurines because they questioned why a Spanish brand should reinterpret a Japanese tradition. Godiva Japan staff questioned whether premium ice cream should be sold in convenience stores. These reactions reflected concern over brand positioning and uncertainty, not a rejection of innovation itself. When Chouchan reframed the decision around consumer behaviour, premium pricing, channel logic, and controlled experimentation, the risk became manageable. What leadership style actually works? The leadership style that works is respectful, decisive, optimistic, and deeply engaged with the front line. Chouchan believes leaders must give people hope and show a positive way forward. He does not advocate reckless disruption. Instead, he combines listening with conviction. He asks questions, observes the market, protects his team when pushing back against headquarters, and makes decisions when needed. He also recognises that not everyone can innovate while running the core business. This led him to create a transformation unit separate from the day-to-day machine, giving younger and more entrepreneurial people space to create new products quickly. How can technology help? Although the interview focuses more on leadership and innovation than on technology itself, Chouchan's approach aligns closely with modern decision intelligence. He uses consumer insight, data, scenario thinking, and experimentation to reduce uncertainty. His channel decision for Godiva ice cream was based on understanding where consumers actually buy ice cream. His transformation unit operates with a faster, more iterative model, closer to digital-native thinking than traditional product development. In the future, tools such as digital twins, AI-driven consumer modelling, and advanced demand forecasting could further support this kind of leadership by allowing companies to test assumptions before large-scale execution. Does language proficiency matter? Japanese proficiency helps, but Chouchan does not present fluency as an absolute requirement. His view is that learning even some Japanese opens the mind and brings a leader closer to the country. The attitude matters. A foreign leader who learns words, listens carefully, and shows interest in Japanese culture sends a positive signal. Language is not only a communication tool; it is also a gesture of respect. In Japan, that gesture can strengthen trust and engagement. What's the ultimate leadership lesson? The ultimate lesson is to focus on correct form rather than obsessing over the target. Drawing from kyudo, Chouchan explains that in Japanese archery, the archer does not aim anxiously at the target. Instead, the archer focuses on the correct mental and physical form. In business, this means concentrating on the consumer, the product, the campaign, the culture, and the execution. Numbers matter, but they are outcomes. "Right shooting always results in a hit" becomes a leadership philosophy: do the right things in the right way, and results will follow. Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"The amount of time you need to spend listening in Japan is very high."
"You have to turn up your EQ sensitivity or your EQ radar very, very high."
"No matter what, love it."
"Feedback should be ninety percent positive."
"Leadership is achieving the organisation's goal by maximising the potential of your team."
Paul Kraft is the Country Manager for Haribo in Japan and a seasoned food and beverage executive whose career has crossed global brands, entrepreneurial ventures, and distributor-led market development. His relationship with Japan began when he first visited in 1991 on a school trip after studying finance and economics, and he later returned to Osaka to teach English before building his early career in the United States as a product and brand manager in the frozen food sector. Starbucks then recruited him to establish its consumer packaged goods office in Tokyo, where his team expanded the brand beyond coffee shops into convenience store cup coffee, canned coffee, and dry coffee formats. He later launched Honey Baked Ham in Japan through an omnichannel strategy covering food service, retail, and online sales, before joining Nespresso to lead the business-to-business group serving hotels, restaurants, and off-premise clients. At Haribo, Kraft became the company's first person on the ground in Japan, guiding the distributor, shaping strategy, and acting as the bridge between the Japanese market and the global organisation. His career arc reflects adaptability in Japan: learning when to push, when to listen, when to use nemawashi, how to reduce uncertainty, and how to lead through consensus, precedent, relationship depth, and trust.
Paul Kraft's leadership journey in Japan is a practical study in how global executives must adapt ambition, speed, and commercial logic to a business culture that places deep value on patience, consensus, trust, and emotional intelligence. His connection with Japan began in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Japanese business influence was highly visible internationally. Toyota, Japanese management methods, and major Japanese investments overseas created a sense that understanding Japan was essential for future business leaders. Kraft studied finance and economics, visited Japan for the first time in 1991, and fell in love with the country. After graduating, he returned to Osaka to teach English before moving back to the United States and entering the food business.
His early food career gave him broad commercial exposure. He worked as a product and brand manager for a privately held frozen food company, handling brands across categories such as ice cream, pizza, and frozen egg rolls. He also gained experience in research, brand management, and mergers and acquisitions. The turning point came when Starbucks recruited him to return to Japan and set up a consumer packaged goods office in Tokyo. Within three months, he sold his cars, sold his house, gave away his tools, and moved to Japan. It was a decisive commitment to the market.
At Starbucks, Kraft's team was responsible for everything outside the coffee shops, including convenience store cup coffee, canned coffee, different drinks, and packaged coffee products. Japan's vast convenience store network meant the business could scale dramatically. At one point, he believed Starbucks may have been selling more cups of coffee outside the stores than inside them. Yet the opportunity came with culture shock. Kraft encountered long, meandering meetings with Japanese partners where the purpose was not necessarily to decide, but to discuss. Coming from a Western business environment that valued agendas, pre-reads, data, speed, and explicit outcomes, he found this difficult. Partners might resist data, avoid firm conclusions, or reject new ideas because they had no precedent.
This introduced one of Kraft's central leadership lessons: frustration management is a business skill in Japan. He admits that in his early years he sometimes relied too much on visible frustration or forceful leadership. He learned that anger in Japan is not usually interpreted as strength. It is often seen as weak self-control, poor maturity, low self-awareness, and a failure to read the group. In a culture shaped by uncertainty avoidance and consensus, the leader who becomes known as a hothead loses influence.
Kraft's next major chapter, Honey Baked Ham, tested his entrepreneurial instincts. He cold-called the CEO of the American family-owned chain and convinced the company to support a Japan launch. The concept was unfamiliar in a market where honey-baked ham did not have obvious precedent. Kraft built an omnichannel model covering food service, a physical store, and online sales. He worked with local financial backers, freelancers, part-time staff, and a very lean team. The leadership challenge was not just selling a product, but selling belief. To attract employees and customers, he had to tell the story of the brand, offer the product directly, and reduce the perceived risk of joining or buying into something new.
In Japan, he found that new ideas often need a "Japanese stamp of approval". For Honey Baked Ham, that stamp came from the New Otani Hotel. Once the product was accepted by a respected, traditional, luxury Japanese hotel, the market could interpret it differently. It was no longer merely a foreign idea. It had local legitimacy. This is decision intelligence in a Japanese setting: understanding that data alone is not enough if social proof, trust signals, respected reference points, and emotional confidence are missing.
At Nespresso, Kraft moved from entrepreneurial uncertainty into a highly structured global organisation. Nespresso, as part of Nestlé, had strong processes, operational discipline, monthly reviews, and clear accountability systems. Kraft led the business-to-business group, serving hotels, restaurants, and off-premise clients. There, he focused on weekly one-on-ones, feedback, and structure. He maintained regular conversations with direct reports, taking notes, sharing updates, listening to their updates, and discussing future deliverables. He also saw the value of monthly operational reviews where commitments were visible and specific: who would do what by when. Red, yellow, and green status tracking created accountability, but it also required leaders to prevent people from setting themselves up to fail.
At Haribo, Kraft now leads largely through influence. Haribo had existed in Japan for decades through distributors, but Kraft became the first person representing the company directly on the ground. His role is to guide the distributor, shape strategy, interpret the Japanese market for the global organisation, and influence outcomes without necessarily controlling every lever. This is leadership through relationship rather than hierarchy. For Kraft, the answer lies in patience, small-group influence, and nemawashi. Large meetings with many distributor representatives are rarely where minds are changed. The real work happens in smaller conversations, offline follow-ups, and repeated explanations of why something matters.
Across the interview, Kraft's leadership philosophy is consistent. He advocates weekly one-on-ones, positive feedback, careful listening, written notes, high EQ, and learning Japanese. He believes leaders should look for people doing things right and tell them specifically. He also believes leaders should encourage initiative, especially in Japan, where proposing an idea can itself be a courageous act. Ultimately, Kraft defines leadership as achieving the organisation's goal by maximising the potential of the team. In Japan, that means leading with EQ rather than ego, using structure without crushing people, building consensus without losing accountability, and understanding that influence is earned through patience, presence, and trust.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan is unique because authority alone is rarely enough to move people, partners, or organisations. Kraft's experience shows that Japan places heavy emphasis on consensus, precedent, trust, and the emotional readiness of the group. A meeting may not be designed to make a decision in the Western sense. It may be designed to exchange views, test reactions, identify resistance, and prepare the ground for a later decision. This can frustrate executives who arrive expecting agendas, data, pre-reads, and immediate outcomes. However, in Japan, the visible meeting is often only one part of the decision-making process. The real work may occur before and after the formal meeting. This is where nemawashi becomes essential. Rather than forcing a decision in front of a large group, effective leaders work privately with stakeholders, listen to their concerns, explain the reason behind the proposal, and create alignment before asking for visible agreement. In some organisations, this may connect to formal mechanisms such as ringi-sho, where written proposals circulate for approval. Even when ringi-sho is not used formally, the underlying cultural logic remains: people want to avoid surprises, protect relationships, and reduce uncertainty before committing.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives struggle in Japan when they assume that leadership methods which worked elsewhere will automatically work here. Kraft describes coming from a Western environment where meetings were purposeful, decisions were expected, and data played a central role. In Japan, he encountered long discussions without agendas, partners who were not prepared to discuss data, and resistance to ideas because they had never been done before. For a Western leader, this can look inefficient or evasive. For Japanese counterparts, it may reflect caution, uncertainty avoidance, and the desire to avoid exposing the group to visible failure. Another reason global executives struggle is emotional pacing. Kraft admits that his own frustration management was a multi-year learning process. Early in his Japan career, he sometimes believed that a leader had to pound the table, push harder, or force things to happen. Over time, he realised that visible anger usually weakens credibility in Japan. It may be interpreted as poor self-control, low maturity, insufficient self-awareness, or an inability to operate inside the group. Leaders who become known as hotheads lose influence.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Kraft's experience suggests that Japan is not simply risk-averse; it is highly sensitive to uncertainty, precedent, and failure visibility. People may resist new ideas not because they dislike innovation, but because they cannot forecast the outcome, cannot point to a precedent, or cannot see how failure will be managed. His Starbucks orange mocha example illustrates this clearly. Even with data and enthusiasm, Japanese counterparts resisted because they could not forecast something that had never been done before. The absence of precedent made the idea difficult to accept. At Honey Baked Ham, Kraft had to reduce uncertainty on multiple fronts. He needed employees to believe in a small start-up-like venture, customers to accept an unfamiliar product, and business partners to see legitimacy in the concept. He did this through storytelling, product sampling, financial backing, and visible local validation. The New Otani Hotel became a crucial Japanese stamp of approval. Once a respected Japanese institution accepted the product, the perceived risk fell. This is a useful lesson for leaders: in Japan, risk is often managed through social proof, credibility markers, and trusted reference points. Decision intelligence in Japan requires more than analysis. It requires understanding how people feel safe enough to act.
What leadership style actually works?
The leadership style that works in Japan is patient, structured, emotionally intelligent, and specific. Kraft repeatedly returns to the importance of weekly one-on-ones. He used them not as casual check-ins, but as disciplined leadership routines. He wrote down the person's name, the date, his update, their update, the future focus, and the deliverables. Over time, this built trust and created a rhythm of communication. In Japan, where employees may hesitate to speak up in larger forums, one-on-ones provide a safer space for concerns, ideas, and coaching. Kraft also emphasises feedback, especially positive feedback. He argues that feedback should be ninety percent positive. This does not mean avoiding problems. It means noticing specific behaviours that should continue and reinforcing them. At Nespresso, Kraft also saw the value of structured accountability. Monthly operational reviews asked who would do what by when, using red-yellow-green status tracking. This helped cut through ambiguity and group responsibility. The most effective style is not soft consensus or hard command. It is a combination of empathy, structure, clarity, and support.
How can technology help?
Technology can help leadership in Japan when it reduces uncertainty, improves shared understanding, and supports better decision-making. Kraft's career points repeatedly to the importance of data, forecasting, operational reviews, and structured follow-up. At Starbucks, he wanted data-driven conversations with partners. At Nespresso, process and dashboards made accountability visible. At Haribo, he works in a market where convenience stores are highly sophisticated and retail execution depends on understanding channels, forecasts, and consumer behaviour. Modern tools such as retail analytics, AI-supported forecasting, digital twins, scenario planning dashboards, and decision intelligence platforms can be powerful in Japan because they allow teams to test ideas before committing. In a high-consensus culture, technology can create a shared factual base. It can help people compare options, visualise consequences, and reduce the fear of the unknown. Digital twins, for example, can allow leaders to model supply chain, distribution, retail placement, or product launch scenarios without requiring immediate real-world commitment. This can lower emotional resistance and make decisions feel safer. However, technology cannot replace trust. In Japan, data may be necessary, but it is rarely sufficient. Leaders must still explain the why, conduct nemawashi, listen to objections, and create confidence among stakeholders.
Does language proficiency matter?
Language proficiency matters in Japan because it signals respect, commitment, and seriousness. Kraft says leaders should try to learn Japanese, even if they do not become fluent. Fluency helps a leader catch nuance, understand emotional tone, and communicate directly with employees, partners, and distributors. It also helps reduce the distance that can exist between a foreign executive and a Japanese team. In a market where trust is built slowly, the effort to learn the language can itself become a stamp of approval. That said, Kraft does not suggest that language ability alone makes someone an effective leader. A fluent but impatient leader can still fail. A non-fluent but humble, consistent, and respectful leader can still build trust. The key is effort. Trying to learn Japanese shows that the executive is not merely passing through. It shows they are willing to adapt to the local context, not simply demand that the local context adapt to them.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate leadership lesson from Kraft's experience is that leaders in Japan must maximise people's potential by building trust, reducing uncertainty, and communicating with discipline. His definition is clear: leadership is achieving the organisation's goal by maximising the potential of the team. That requires more than setting targets. It requires creating the conditions in which people can contribute, speak up, try ideas, receive feedback, and accept accountability without fear of humiliation. Kraft's career shows that Japan rewards leaders who can operate as bridges. At Starbucks, he bridged global brand ambition and Japanese retail realities. At Honey Baked Ham, he bridged an unfamiliar American food concept and Japanese legitimacy signals. At Nespresso, he bridged global process discipline and local team development. At Haribo, he bridges headquarters, distributor partners, retailers, and the Japanese market. The best leaders in Japan do not abandon ambition. They adapt how ambition is communicated and implemented. They listen longer, give more positive feedback, use smaller meetings, manage their frustration, explain the why, and build consensus before demanding action.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Leadership is really like leading by example." "I come in. I listen a lot." "Do what you say." "You need to gain the trust of the people and show that you actually care." "Everything can be trained."
Wolfgang Bierer is the President of Endeavor SBC and a long-term Japan business builder whose career has moved across engineering, consulting, retail, fashion, medical devices, software, and interim executive leadership. Originally from Germany, he studied electrical engineering at the University of Stuttgart and first came to Japan through a German government youth leader exchange program. That early exposure led to an internship at Hitachi Software Development Centre in Totsuka, which became a full-time role after he completed his master's thesis at Mercedes in Germany.
At Hitachi, Bierer experienced Japanese corporate life from the inside, including living in a men's dormitory and working as one of the few foreigners in the organisation. He later moved into consulting, working with Swiss and German consulting firms and spending several years back in Germany, where he completed an executive MBA with the St. Gallen Business School. Regular assignments back to Japan eventually convinced him to return and build his own company.
He founded Endeavor SBC after moving to Japan with his wife, two suitcases each, and €100,000 in savings. His first major consulting opportunity came through Adidas, where he helped rescue a troubled SAP project in Japan. From there, he built a reputation in performance-based consulting, inventory optimisation, process improvement, retail operations, and Japan market entry. Over time, he became involved in running, setting up, acquiring, or representing multiple companies, including German and European brands in software, fashion accessories, shoes, bags, and premium retail.
Bierer's adaptability in Japan comes from his willingness to get close to the work itself. He has sold products in stores, reorganised warehouses, built back-office systems, negotiated with department stores, hired staff, secured medical device licensing, and acted as interim president for companies entering or restructuring in Japan. His leadership is defined by hands-on execution, listening, process discipline, cross-business synergies, and earning trust through action rather than title.
Wolfgang Bierer's leadership story in Japan is not the conventional tale of an expatriate executive parachuted into a single subsidiary with a fixed playbook from headquarters. It is the story of a German engineer who entered Japan through curiosity, learned the operating reality of Japanese companies from the inside, and built a portfolio of businesses by combining process discipline, entrepreneurial risk-taking, and deep practical engagement with people.
His first serious experience in Japan came through Hitachi, where he worked in software development and lived in a traditional men's dormitory. That early exposure gave him more than technical experience. It gave him a grounded understanding of hierarchy, group dynamics, implicit communication, endurance, and the daily operating rhythm of Japanese corporate life. Rather than observing Japan from the outside, he experienced the systems and expectations that shape behaviour inside Japanese organisations.
Bierer's later move into consulting sharpened his ability to diagnose business processes. His work with Adidas in Japan, particularly around SAP and business process reform, became a launching point for Endeavor SBC. He developed a methodology centred on keeping systems standard wherever possible and changing the process rather than endlessly customising the software. That practical discipline reflects a key leadership question in Japan: how does a leader introduce change without creating unnecessary resistance? His answer is not to force transformation through slogans, but to make the process visible, measurable, and understandable.
A recurring theme in his career is the difference between risk and uncertainty. Bierer accepts risk when he understands the process, the numbers, and the levers available to him. His performance-based consulting model, where compensation is tied to improved results, would seem risky to many executives. Yet for him, the uncertainty is reduced through data, inventory analysis, decision intelligence, and a clear view of waste. In industries such as fashion, sports, retail, and accessories, he sees inventory not as a static asset but as a source of hidden cost, operational drag, and strategic danger.
His leadership style is highly hands-on. When entering a struggling company as interim president, he does not begin with distance, hierarchy, or command-and-control. He listens, studies the team, identifies cost drivers, and quickly looks for operational improvements. He believes leaders in Japan must be close enough to the work to understand it and close enough to the people to earn trust. This is where concepts such as nemawashi, consensus, and uncertainty avoidance become practical rather than theoretical. People need to see that the leader understands the business, respects the team, and will not abandon them when conditions become difficult.
Technology matters in Bierer's world, but only when tied to process and decision quality. SAP, IT cost reduction, websites, digital workflows, checklists, and potentially tools such as digital twins all matter because they help leaders see the system. Yet technology cannot replace judgement, trust, or leadership presence. The leader still has to go to the warehouse, visit the store, meet the customer, and understand what is happening on the floor.
Ultimately, Bierer's model of leadership in Japan is built on credibility through proximity. He leads by example, pays staff before himself, rewards contribution regardless of age, and expects people to go the extra mile because he does the same. His story shows that leadership in Japan is not about mastering every cultural term or speaking perfect Japanese. It is about building trust, learning the business deeply, communicating with care, and showing through action that people can believe what the leader says.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is unique because trust is built through proximity, consistency, and careful attention to how people interpret instructions. Bierer's experience shows that Japanese teams often listen closely, weigh the leader's words carefully, and work hard to match expectations. This makes clarity essential. Leaders cannot rely on vague direction and assume the team will independently interpret the strategic intent in the same way as a Western organisation might.
Japan's leadership environment is also shaped by consensus, nemawashi, ringi-sho thinking, and uncertainty avoidance. People often want to understand the process, reduce ambiguity, and confirm that the group is aligned before moving forward. Bierer's approach is to get close to the team, understand the operational detail, and build credibility by showing that he is not merely issuing instructions from above. For him, leadership in Japan requires showing care, being approachable, and proving competence through action.
Why do global executives struggle? Global executives struggle when they assume that European or American leadership approaches will automatically work in Japan. Bierer notes that some international leaders become frustrated when teams do not operate in the way they expect. They may see hesitation or heavy checking as weakness, when in reality the team may be trying to interpret instructions carefully and avoid mistakes.
Another struggle is distance. Executives who remain in an "ivory tower" or manage only from the top miss the operational detail that matters in Japan. Bierer argues that leaders need to sit with people, learn the business, and understand how work is actually done. Without that, they may misread the team, misdiagnose performance problems, and fail to gain trust.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Bierer's story suggests that Japan is often better understood as uncertainty-averse rather than simply risk-averse. Risk can be accepted when the process is clear, the data is strong, and people understand the decision pathway. In his own career, Bierer took significant risks: founding Endeavor SBC, accepting performance-based consulting, buying inventory, opening retail spaces, acting as interim president, and acquiring or representing brands in Japan.
The difference is that he reduces uncertainty through analysis. He studies inventory, purchasing patterns, cost structures, and operational processes. This is decision intelligence in practice. Rather than gambling, he turns risk into a structured calculation. In Japan, this matters because teams and partners often need to see the logic, not just the ambition.
What leadership style actually works? The leadership style that works for Bierer is hands-on, direct, fair, and close to the work. He describes leadership as leading by example. That means going to the warehouse, selling in the store, joining the team during busy periods, checking processes personally, and showing people that no task is beneath the leader.
He also values listening. When he enters a company, he studies the team and the business before imposing change. He looks for people who understand his direction and can become part of his trusted core team. At the same time, he recognises that underperformance must be addressed. His approach combines patience, coaching, process clarity, and accountability.
How can technology help? Technology helps when it improves visibility, discipline, and decision quality. Bierer's work with SAP, IT systems, websites, back-office processes, and cost reduction shows that technology can support leadership when it is connected to the business model. He is especially focused on standardising systems and improving processes rather than allowing unnecessary customisation or inflated costs.
In a modern context, tools such as decision intelligence, digital twins, inventory analytics, and process dashboards could strengthen the same principles he already applies. They can help leaders simulate outcomes, identify waste, monitor cash flow, and understand operational bottlenecks. However, Bierer's example also shows that technology must not become a substitute for human closeness. Leaders still need to meet people, listen, and understand the floor-level reality.
Does language proficiency matter? Language matters, but Bierer does not believe foreign executives should assume they can quickly master Japanese to the level required for nuance. His advice is to invest in someone who can act as a communication bridge. This person helps the leader communicate intent clearly and understand what is happening beneath the surface.
The larger lesson is that communication is not only vocabulary. It is interpretation, expectation setting, cultural reading, and trust-building. Leaders need to know whether the team has truly understood the message, whether concerns are being hidden, and whether instructions are being interpreted too literally. Language support can reduce uncertainty and prevent misalignment.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? The ultimate leadership lesson from Bierer is that people trust what leaders consistently do, not what they claim. He pays staff even when he misses his own salary. He supports temporary workers during downturns. He rewards performance regardless of age. He gives young people responsibility and creates opportunities for those who may not fit traditional Japanese corporate environments.
His leadership lesson is also practical: get close to the people, get close to the process, and do what is promised. In Japan, where trust, credibility, and consistency carry enormous weight, this approach gives leaders the foundation to make change possible.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Very few people in finance can make a declarative sentence."
"If you can scale your message from thirty seconds to three minutes, you've got it made."
"We want to only do legal business, it has to be rewarding, and it has to be fun."
You have to sit on your hands in Japan — silence doesn't mean failure."
"The Japanese want to be recognised as individuals, not as 'we Japanese'."
Frank Packard is the Founder and President of AAA Partners Japan, a Tokyo-based firm specialising in fund placement and financial advisory. Born in Japan and educated in the United States, including at Princeton University, Packard began his career on Wall Street before returning to Japan during the 1980s financial boom. His career spans major institutions including Payne Webber, Drexel Burnham, Bankers Trust, Bank of America, and HSBC, with leadership roles across Tokyo and Hong Kong. Over nearly four decades, he has built deep expertise in project finance, private equity, and cross-border investment. Known for his practical leadership philosophy and adaptability, Packard has navigated multiple financial cycles, regulatory changes, and cultural environments, ultimately building his own entrepreneurial platform in Japan.
Frank Packard's leadership journey is a study in adaptability, communication clarity, and cultural navigation. Growing up in Japan before returning as a finance professional during the 1980s boom, he experienced firsthand the intersection of global capital and Japanese business practices. His early insight—that the ability to communicate clearly is a competitive advantage—became a cornerstone of his career. In industries filled with technical complexity, Packard differentiated himself by simplifying ideas and delivering them with precision.
His leadership style evolved through exposure to different markets. In Tokyo, he challenged hierarchical norms by adopting open-plan team structures decades before they became standard. Sitting alongside his team rather than above them, he fostered collaboration and transparency, disrupting traditional expectations of authority. This approach reflected a broader philosophy: leadership is not about position, but about proximity and shared accountability.
Packard also developed a nuanced understanding of Japanese workplace dynamics. He recognised that beneath the perception of uniformity lies strong individuality. Rather than forcing Western-style engagement, he adapted by allowing relationships to develop organically. This aligns closely with practices like nemawashi and consensus-building, where trust is cultivated gradually rather than asserted.
His experience across Tokyo and Hong Kong highlighted the importance of context in leadership. While Japan required patience and sensitivity to silence and ambiguity, Hong Kong demanded navigation of cultural tensions and competitive dynamics among multinational teams. These contrasting environments reinforced his belief that leadership must be situational, not formulaic.
Entrepreneurially, Packard demonstrated resilience by pivoting through financial crises and regulatory shifts. The introduction of Japan's Financial Instruments Exchange Law reshaped his business model, pushing him toward a highly compliant, dual-licensed structure that allowed flexibility in revenue streams. His mantra—legal, rewarding, and fun—guided decision-making and client selection, reinforcing both ethical standards and cultural fit.
A defining element of his leadership is empowerment. By pushing team members to gain qualifications and take ownership of client relationships, he expanded their capabilities and engagement. This reflects elements of decision intelligence, where informed individuals contribute to better outcomes rather than relying solely on hierarchical direction.
Ultimately, Packard's career illustrates that success in Japan requires more than technical expertise. It demands cultural fluency, patience with ambiguity, and a commitment to building trust over time. His approach blends Western directness with Japanese sensitivity, creating a hybrid leadership model suited to an increasingly globalised business environment.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is shaped by subtlety, patience, and a strong emphasis on consensus. Unlike Western environments driven by urgency and individual assertion, Japanese organisations often rely on processes like nemawashi and ringi-sho to build agreement. Packard highlights the importance of silence, noting that pauses in conversation are not signs of failure but part of the decision-making rhythm. Leaders must resist the urge to fill gaps and instead allow space for reflection.
Why do global executives struggle? Many global executives struggle because they misinterpret cultural signals. The assumption that Japan is homogeneous leads to missed opportunities to connect on an individual level. Additionally, Western communication styles—particularly sarcasm or vague commitments—can undermine trust. Packard emphasises the need for precision in language and expectations, as ambiguity can create misunderstanding in cross-cultural contexts.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Packard challenges the stereotype of Japan as risk-averse. While decision-making may appear slow, it is often thorough rather than cautious. Once consensus is achieved, execution can be swift and decisive. He points out that change in Japan can be sudden, with shifts in attitudes toward startups, crypto, and international careers occurring rapidly after long periods of stability.
What leadership style actually works? A hybrid leadership style works best—combining Western clarity with Japanese sensitivity. Packard's approach includes flattening hierarchies, fostering open communication, and empowering individuals. He also places strong emphasis on diversity, particularly the inclusion of women, which enhances team dynamics and decision-making. Trust is built through consistency, transparency, and respect for cultural norms.
How can technology help? Technology plays a supporting role in enabling flexible work and communication. The shift to remote work during the pandemic highlighted both opportunities and challenges, including issues like remote harassment and privacy concerns. Packard's adoption of cloud-based tools and flexible work policies demonstrates how technology can enhance productivity while respecting individual preferences.
Does language proficiency matter? Language proficiency is important but not decisive. While fluency can facilitate communication, Packard emphasises clarity over complexity. The ability to convey ideas simply and effectively is more valuable than perfect language skills. This aligns with his broader belief in the power of declarative communication.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? The ultimate lesson is adaptability. Leaders must continuously adjust to changing environments, cultural expectations, and team dynamics. Packard's career demonstrates that success comes from blending different approaches, learning from experience, and maintaining a clear ethical framework. His mantra—legal, rewarding, and fun—captures the essence of sustainable leadership.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012).
As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture.
He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"The team's the most important thing."
"I didn't listen very well."
"I thought I had most of the answers when I didn't even know the problem."
"Treat them as they want to be treated."
"If I screwed up, it's also my job to go to the team and say, 'Hey, I screwed up and we're going to change.'"
Jim Weisser is President and co-founder of SignTime in Japan, a serial entrepreneur, angel investor and long-time participant in the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. He arrived in Japan in 1993 after studying chemical engineering and briefly working in a chemical plant, then began his career in the country as an English teacher in Yokohama before moving into computer consulting and internet infrastructure.
During Japan's early internet era he worked across multiple roles at an internet service provider, later joined Enron's broadband business, and then built a consulting practice that led to the launch of PBXL, a hosted business telephony company that was eventually acquired in 2015 by a business that later became part of Cisco.
After helping his team transition through that acquisition, he returned to entrepreneurship and co-founded SignTime, an electronic signature platform designed around Japanese workflows, including hanko culture, ringi-sho approval flows and practical adoption at the gemba.
His career arc reflects unusual adaptability in Japan: from English teacher to technical operator, founder, exit entrepreneur, investor and software builder, with each stage sharpening his view that leadership in Japan depends less on forceful direction than on judgement, humility, consensus-building and patient execution.
Jim Weisser's leadership philosophy was not formed in a classroom. It was forged through a series of reinventions in Japan: from English teaching to internet infrastructure, from startup failure to acquisition, from operational leadership to SaaS product design. That lived range gives his perspective unusual credibility. He does not romanticise leadership, and he does not pretend he got it right the first time. In fact, one of the most striking themes in the interview is how bluntly he describes his early mistakes. He admitted that he did not listen well, overestimated the value of his own answers, and underestimated how much weight a leader's words carry in a Japanese workplace. That self-awareness becomes the foundation of the larger lesson: effective leadership in Japan is not about becoming less decisive, but about becoming more inclusive, more deliberate and more accountable.
His account of Japan pushes back against simplistic stereotypes. The country can look highly hierarchical from the outside, yet execution often depends on alignment far below the top. A president's approval does not automatically move an idea into reality. Decisions are shaped through nemawashi, quiet pre-alignment, and through the practical logic of ringi-sho style circulation, where the proposal is stress-tested across functions before it becomes formal. For foreign executives, that can feel slow, indirect or even evasive. Weisser interprets it differently. He sees it as a system optimised for social durability and operational legitimacy. In that sense, what appears to be risk-aversion is often disciplined uncertainty management. Japanese organisations do not necessarily reject change; they reject poorly socialised change.
That distinction matters because it reframes why global leaders struggle. Many arrive with a hero model of leadership: define the vision, make the call, push execution. Weisser has enough self-knowledge to recognise that he once behaved that way himself. Over time, however, he learned that command without context fails in Japan. Employees need room to interpret, absorb and support the direction. They also need psychological safety. In a defect-sensitive environment, even a mildly negative comment from the boss can be amplified. The leader who wants innovation must therefore reward initiative, model learning and publicly own mistakes. His example of apologising to a team member after sending an email in the wrong tone captures this beautifully. Accountability is not weakness; it is cultural permission for others to act.
His current venture, SignTime, becomes a practical case study in decision intelligence and local design. Rather than forcing a Western e-signature model onto Japan, he and his team built around the lived realities of hanko, sequential approvals, gemba resistance, paper habits and contract storage needs. He also looks ahead: blockchain-based smart contracts, AI-generated contract summaries, reminder systems and digital twins of approval workflows all point to a future in which technology helps organisations make better decisions without violating the social logic of how work is actually done. For Weisser, the ultimate lesson is clear. Leadership in Japan is not about overpowering uncertainty. It is about reading it well, involving people early, translating vision into natural process, and having the humility to say, when necessary, that the leader was wrong and the team will adjust together.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan is shaped by a paradox: it looks hierarchical, yet outcomes depend heavily on broad internal alignment. Weisser argues that senior approval alone rarely settles execution. Real progress comes through nemawashi, ringi-sho style circulation, and practical buy-in at the gemba. Leadership is therefore less about dramatic authority and more about socialising ideas until they feel workable, legitimate and low-friction across the organisation.
Why do global executives struggle?
Many global executives import a Western hero model into Japan. They expect clear top-down momentum once a senior sponsor agrees. Weisser warns that this approach often collides with the Japanese preference for consensus, face preservation and careful groundwork. Foreign leaders also underestimate how intensely a boss's comments are felt. What sounds direct or efficient in one culture can feel damaging or unsafe in another.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Weisser does not see Japan as simply risk-averse. He sees a society that manages uncertainty carefully. The distinction is important. Japanese companies may resist abrupt change, but often because they want operational confidence, stakeholder alignment and social durability before moving. This is less about fear and more about uncertainty avoidance. In modern terms, it reflects a form of organisational decision intelligence: not refusing action, but wanting stronger proof, smoother process and wider consensus before committing.
What leadership style actually works?
The most effective leadership style in Japan combines clarity with humility. Leaders still need to set direction, but they must do so in ways that invite contribution and reduce resistance. Weisser's own growth came from realising that he had to listen more, ask better questions and stop assuming he had the answer before fully understanding the problem. He now emphasises accountability, reflection and behavioural modelling. When leaders admit mistakes and adjust openly, they create permission for others to think, act and learn.
How can technology help?
Technology helps when it respects natural workflow rather than trying to bulldoze it. That insight sits at the core of SignTime. Instead of treating Japan as a delayed copy of Western markets, Weisser built around hanko habits, sequential approvals, gemba realities and repository needs. He also points to future possibilities including blockchain-based contracts, AI-generated business summaries, renewal reminders and digital twins of approval processes. These tools can reduce friction and improve visibility, but only if they support how people actually make decisions.
Does language proficiency matter?
Language matters, but not only in the narrow sense of vocabulary. What matters more is social fluency: understanding the pacing, implications and decision rituals behind what is being said. A leader may function with limited Japanese if they deeply grasp nemawashi, ringi-sho logic, face concerns and the emotional effect of authority. Conversely, fluency without cultural judgement can still fail. Weisser's lesson is that leadership credibility in Japan comes from behavioural understanding as much as linguistic skill.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate lesson is that leadership is not about always being right. It is about building a team and a process that can keep moving when reality changes. Weisser repeatedly returns to the value of the team, the need to treat people as they want to be treated, and the importance of owning mistakes. In Japan especially, where subtle signals carry great weight, the leader's humility becomes a strategic asset. It strengthens trust, supports innovation and makes consensus more than procedure; it makes it productive.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Trust is really the only currency that is the beginning and the end of pretty much every human relation."
"You give trust first, before you get trust."
"I want to make sure that the least empowered person in the room can have a great idea and the best idea will win."
"You need to be the fuel for their sparks."
"If you give them permission and you will never punish them for honesty."
Brief Bio
Wolfgang Angyal is President of Riedel Japan and one of the rare foreign executives who has built a long leadership career in Japan from the ground up. Originally from Austria and trained in the hospitality industry, he first came to Japan in 1985 as part of Austria's delegation to the Skill Olympics, where he won a gold medal in hotel and restaurant service. That early success left him with a strong affinity for Japan, shaped by childhood exposure to judo and an early fascination with Japanese values such as humility, respect and discipline.
After returning to Japan in 1988 to teach at a hospitality school in Osaka, he experienced the kind of early cross-cultural mistakes that many foreign professionals make, later describing himself as an elephant in a porcelain shop. He then moved into sales, promotion and business development, first with Riedel's importer in Japan, then within a large Japanese corporate distribution environment, and later across Asia-Pacific from Sydney, where he helped expand the brand into multiple markets. In 2000, he returned to Japan to establish Riedel's wholly owned local operation, beginning with a JETRO rental office and one secretary. Over time, he built the business, integrated acquisitions, developed talent, and led Riedel Japan into one of the company's most important markets. His career arc reflects adaptability, patient localisation, and a deep commitment to understanding how leadership actually works inside Japanese organisations.
Wolfgang Angyal's leadership story in Japan is not the story of a foreign executive arriving with a polished playbook. It is the opposite. His path began with technical excellence in hospitality, but his real advantage turned out not to be technique. It was trust. As a young Austrian competitor at the Skill Olympics in Japan, he noticed that while technically stronger rivals insisted on doing everything themselves, he relied on local assistants. That instinct to trust others, even across a language barrier, helped him win gold and gave him an early lesson that would later define his leadership philosophy in Japan.
That insight deepened when he returned to Japan and made the classic mistakes of an outsider who does not yet understand the culture around him. Rather than romanticising those failures, he treats them as foundational. They taught him that leadership in Japan is rarely about force, status or personal brilliance. It is about reading context, slowing down, and building the kind of consistency that makes other people feel safe. In a culture shaped by consensus, nemawashi, ringi-sho thinking and strong uncertainty avoidance, the leader who moves too abruptly may get compliance on the surface but withdrawal underneath.
His commercial career reinforced the same lesson. Selling Riedel in Japan was not straightforward. Wine culture was still emerging, homes were small, and the product category itself was unfamiliar. He had to educate the market experientially, often in Japanese, one relationship at a time. Later, when he worked inside a large Japanese corporate group, he discovered that change first had to be sold internally before it could be sold externally. That is a classic Japan lesson: before the market says yes, the organisation itself must align. Consensus is not bureaucracy for its own sake. It is often the mechanism by which commitment becomes durable.
When he eventually returned to launch Riedel Japan as a stand-alone operation, his challenge shifted from market development to leadership at scale. He had to recruit for an unknown foreign brand, absorb acquired teams, move from a family-sized company to a tribe-sized one, and learn to be comfortable being the boss. His language around this is strikingly unpretentious. He does not describe leadership as charisma. He describes it as getting comfortable with accountability while keeping the soft side of human connection intact.
His most distinctive contribution is his view that leadership in Japan begins with trust given in advance. Rather than waiting for loyalty, he extends it first. He believes Japanese teams often respond strongly when trust is explicitly communicated, not merely assumed. From there, he builds predictability, psychological safety and honest feedback. He is willing to kill his own ideas publicly so better ideas can win, especially from less empowered people. That is not weakness. It is disciplined ego management. In a culture where employees may hesitate to speak up, the leader's job is to create the conditions in which sparks appear. The ultimate task is not to be the source of every answer, but to become the fuel for other people's ideas.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan is uniquely shaped by context, hierarchy and the social mechanics of alignment. Decisions often emerge through nemawashi and ringi-sho processes rather than confrontation in the meeting room. For Angyal, this does not mean Japanese leadership is slow or passive. It means that trust, predictability and consensus are prerequisites for execution. Leaders who understand this see that commitment is built before the formal decision, not after it.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle because they arrive with technically correct ideas but insufficient cultural calibration. Angyal's own early mistakes in Japan taught him that expertise alone is not enough. Many foreign leaders move too quickly, communicate too directly, or mistake silence for agreement. They underestimate how much uncertainty avoidance shapes behaviour and how strongly teams respond to tone, consistency and perceived safety. Without that understanding, even good initiatives fail to gain traction.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Angyal's experience suggests that Japan is less risk-averse than uncertainty-averse. Teams do not necessarily reject innovation; they resist unframed ambiguity. Once the context is clear, the purpose is understood, and the interpersonal trust is in place, Japanese teams can be highly committed and creative. The issue is not whether change is possible. The issue is whether the path feels socially and operationally safe enough to pursue. Consensus reduces uncertainty, and that makes commitment possible.
What leadership style actually works?
The leadership style that works is calm, observant, explicit and human. Angyal emphasises getting to know people individually, understanding motivational drivers, adapting communication styles, and giving trust first. He also models intellectual humility by inviting criticism, using 360-degree feedback, and publicly dropping his own ideas when better ones emerge. In practice, this creates psychological safety and allows the least empowered person in the room to contribute. In Japan, that is often the difference between surface harmony and real engagement.
How can technology help?
Technology helps when it reduces uncertainty rather than adding complexity. In the Japanese context, decision intelligence matters more than digital theatre. Tools that clarify options, visualise outcomes, support structured feedback, and create shared visibility can reinforce consensus. In a modern setting, digital twins, workflow dashboards, collaboration platforms and feedback systems can support nemawashi by making implications easier to see before action is taken. Technology is useful when it strengthens alignment, not when it tries to bypass human trust.
Does language proficiency matter?
Language proficiency matters, but not in a simplistic way. Angyal learned enough Japanese to make appointments, build relationships and work inside complex Japanese organisations. That gave him access, credibility and nuance. Yet his deeper point is that language alone is not enough. A leader also has to understand how people see the foreign executive, what they expect, and what kind of value that outsider can bring. Speaking Japanese opens the door; understanding the human and organisational code keeps it open.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate lesson is that trust is the operative currency of leadership in Japan. Not abstract trust, but demonstrated trust. The leader must often pay it forward, communicate it explicitly, and protect honesty once it appears. That means being predictable, creating safety, following through, and resisting the ego impulse to dominate the room. Angyal's leadership lesson is both simple and demanding: the leader's role is not merely to direct, but to create the conditions in which others can contribute, challenge and grow.
"the most important thing, I mean in Japan, for business, is to hire the right people" "the keyword is gaining trust" "you need to allow people to make mistakes" "the personal relationship in Japan are extremely important" "learn the language" Lorenzo Scrimizzi is the President of Carpigiani Japan and an Italian executive whose career in Japan spans more than two decades across multiple industries. Originally trained as an engineer, he first arrived in Japan on a two-year assignment connected to precision equipment for the automotive sector. What began as a temporary posting evolved into a long-term career after he became captivated by Japan, changed jobs twice, married, and built his professional life in the country. After his first role in manufacturing, he moved into a startup focused on consumer accessories such as handbags and suitcases, then joined a trading company importing mainly organic food products from Italy.
He credits that trading-company period with sharpening many of his core business skills. In 2002, he was recruited to lead Carpigiani Japan during a pivotal transition from joint venture to fully owned subsidiary. A native of Bologna, where Carpigiani is a well-known company, he stepped into the CEO role at a moment that required adaptability, cultural sensitivity, and resilience. His experience reflects a rare mix of technical training, commercial pragmatism, and long-term adjustment to Japanese business expectations.
Lorenzo Scrimizzi's view of leadership in Japan is grounded less in abstract theory than in lived experience. Over twenty-six years in the country, he has learned that success is rarely determined by strategy alone. It comes instead from earning trust, reading context accurately, and building organisations around people rather than forcing people into rigid structures. His story illustrates how foreign executives in Japan often arrive thinking they are managing a market, only to discover they are really managing relationships: with staff, customers, headquarters, and the culture itself.
One of his strongest themes is recruitment. In Japan, he argues, leadership begins with hiring the right people, yet this is also one of the most difficult tasks. Foreign firms can be seduced by surface signals such as strong English ability, only to discover that language fluency does not always correlate with judgement, commitment, or execution. By contrast, some of the strongest contributors may speak little English but deeply understand the business and the customer. That insight leads to a broader principle: effective leadership in Japan requires looking beneath appearances and recognising substance.
Scrimizzi is equally candid about the challenge of engagement. He sees relatively low engagement in Japan not as a simplistic character flaw, but as a structural and cultural issue shaped by education, hierarchy, and social expectations. Japanese employees often value pride in the company and belonging to a team more strongly than many Western executives realise. If that emotional connection is weak, engagement falls. For a foreign-owned company, this becomes even more important. People need not only job security but also a reason to identify with the organisation.
His remarks on decision-making reveal a nuanced understanding of Japanese business practice. He does not portray Japan as irrationally conservative. Rather, he describes a system shaped by uncertainty avoidance, consensus, and the reluctance to step outside established boundaries. In practice, this resembles the wider logic of nemawashi and ringi-sho: before action comes alignment, and before initiative comes social permission. That can slow innovation, but it can also improve quality and internal cohesion when managed well.
What stands out most is his belief that leaders must create safety for action. If people are punished for every mistake, they will neither innovate nor surface problems early. Allowing room for error, encouraging reporting, and keeping communication channels open are central to his management approach. In that sense, his leadership style combines consistency with flexibility. He believes in clear expectations, but also in adjusting roles to fit talent. In a small organisation, that agility becomes a competitive advantage.
Ultimately, Scrimizzi presents leadership in Japan as an exercise in disciplined empathy. Language matters, but so do body language, observation, patience, and humility. The foreign executive who succeeds is neither the outsider who refuses to adapt nor the outsider who tries too hard to become Japanese. The one who succeeds is the one who remains authentic, respectful, and alert enough to understand what is really happening beneath the surface.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Scrimizzi sees leadership in Japan as fundamentally relational. Results depend on trust with employees, customers, and headquarters. Personal relationships carry unusual weight, and leadership cannot rely on formal authority alone. Consensus matters, and the process behind a decision can be just as important as the decision itself. In that respect, Japanese leadership environments are shaped by practices aligned with nemawashi and ringi-sho, where alignment is built carefully before action is taken.
Why do global executives struggle? Many overseas leaders underestimate how much of Japan's business logic is cultural rather than procedural. They may assume that a capable professional will naturally speak up, take initiative, or challenge assumptions. In Japan, however, hesitation can stem from education, hierarchy, and fear of blame rather than lack of ability. Global executives also misread recruitment, overvalue English ability, or fail to appreciate how much employees want to feel proud of the company they serve.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Scrimizzi suggests the issue is less risk than uncertainty. Japanese organisations often display strong uncertainty avoidance: people prefer structure, clarity, and social agreement before moving. Employees may avoid stepping outside the box because mistakes carry reputational consequences. The result is not a total absence of initiative, but a higher threshold for acting without consensus. Leaders who reduce fear and normalise learning from mistakes can unlock much more initiative than stereotypes suggest.
What leadership style actually works? His preferred style is consistent, respectful, and flexible. Employees need to know what to expect from the leader, especially in difficult moments. At the same time, roles should sometimes be adjusted to fit individual strengths rather than forcing everyone into fixed boxes. He also places strong emphasis on informal relationship-building through meals, travel, conversation, and regular one-to-one contact. In Japan, credibility grows through repeated human contact, not only through policy.
How can technology help? Technology can support communication and visibility, especially when teams are dispersed, but Scrimizzi is careful not to overstate it. Reporting systems, regular meetings, and structured information flow help prevent problems from being hidden. In a modern context, this could expand into stronger decision intelligence, shared dashboards, and even digital twins of operations that make emerging issues visible earlier. Yet he implies that tools only work when people trust the environment enough to speak honestly.
Does language proficiency matter? He considers language essential. Learning Japanese is not just about vocabulary; it is about understanding mentality, nuance, and the unspoken layers of communication. He also stresses body language. Japanese counterparts do not always state their true feelings directly, so leaders must read expressions, hesitation, and tone. Language proficiency therefore becomes a strategic advantage because it sharpens judgement and deepens cultural understanding.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? The core lesson is that trust is the true operating system of leadership in Japan. Trust with customers, trust with staff, and trust with headquarters all need to be cultivated deliberately. The leader must stay curious, remain humble, and keep learning. Even after decades in Japan, Scrimizzi believes surprise is part of the job. That mindset of continuous learning may be the most important leadership capability of all.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Japan is different and hard."
"It's consistency, it's sustainability of the vision and the theme that's going to matter."
"You couldn't be the super-God sits up in the ivory tower."
"Leadership is about inspiring people to go somewhere that they wouldn't necessarily go on their own."
"Respect the history and the culture that is Japan."
Brief Bio
Bob Noddin is the CEO of AIG Japan and a long-time Asia business leader whose career reflects deep adaptability across cultures, industries, and operating environments. His connection with Japan began in 1982 as a college exchange student at Kansai Gaidai in Osaka, where early exposure to Japanese psychology, history, language, and society gave him an unusually strong foundation for later leadership in the country. After returning to the United States, he joined Citibank with ambitions for an international career, but when a planned transfer to Japan fell through, he moved to AIG instead — a decision that shaped the next three and a half decades of his professional life.
His AIG career took him across Asia on a series of increasingly complex assignments. What began as a short-term posting evolved into leadership roles in the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan, giving him broad exposure to different operating cultures while sharpening his ability to lead through ambiguity, restructuring, and growth. He later returned to the United States as Global Head of Operations and Technology for AIG's property casualty business, overseeing a vast international footprint before asking to return to Asia during the financial crisis. Back in Japan, he took on major leadership responsibilities during a period of merger integration, organisational reform, and national crisis, eventually leading one of the company's most important markets worldwide. Across that journey, he developed a leadership philosophy grounded in visibility, trust, resilience, and the need to adapt global expectations to Japan's distinctive business culture.
Bob Noddin's leadership story in Japan is not one of a parachuted-in foreign executive trying to impose a template from head office. It is the story of a leader who spent decades earning the right to run one of the most complex roles in AIG's global portfolio, while learning that Japan rewards patience, consistency, and human connection far more than slogans or imported management theory. His perspective is shaped by a rare combination of early academic immersion in Japan, long operational experience across Asia, and direct accountability for large-scale businesses in crisis, integration, and transformation.
What stands out most in his account is the distinction he draws between knowing that Japan is different and actually leading effectively inside that difference. He describes a country and corporate environment shaped by structure, seniority, collaboration, and extremely high standards of quality. Those strengths helped build modern Japan, but they can also create friction when an organisation needs speed, innovation, or bold change. In that context, the challenge is not simply strategic clarity. It is how to move a system conditioned by nenko-style seniority, uncertainty avoidance, and deeply embedded consensus habits without triggering organisational antibodies.
Noddin identifies the real obstacle not as frontline employees, but as what he calls the "thermal layer" of middle management. This layer absorbs direction from above, filters it, softens it, delays it, and often protects the existing culture from disruption. In Japan, where seniority and harmony remain powerful forces, this buffering function can become a major drag on change. His response was not dramatic confrontation, but patient cultural triage: identify the people already leaning towards a more proactive leadership style, invest in those who could develop into that style, and separate them from those who were simply dead wood or actively cancerous to progress.
His approach to change is strikingly practical. He introduced role-play into management development, studied how Japanese executives in other industries handled transformation, and used visible examples to normalise reflection, experimentation, and ownership. He also changed recruitment, insisting that professional-track hires speak at least one additional language, not because English alone mattered, but because exposure to another language and culture expands thinking. That decision reflects a core belief running through the interview: that leadership in Japan requires widening mental models, not merely importing foreign practices.
Technology and innovation appear in his thinking not as abstractions but as tools that must be paired with psychological safety. People will not propose better systems, digital improvements, or new customer models unless they believe failure will not destroy them. In a culture where a mistake can carry a disproportionate social cost, he made a point of publicly taking responsibility when experiments did not work and praising courage even when outcomes fell short. That is a subtle but powerful form of decision intelligence: separating the quality of a decision from the certainty of an outcome.
Perhaps the strongest theme in Noddin's interview is that trust in Japan is built through presence. He argues that leaders cannot sit in an ivory tower. They need to be visible, approachable, and unmistakably human. That means town halls, travel, direct emails, birthday cakes, karaoke, drinks with staff, and honest conversations with agents and employees alike. In Japan, where formal roles can conceal strong emotion, trust is not built through authority alone. It is built when people feel the leader can be touched, tested, and believed. For Noddin, the ultimate lesson is clear: respect Japan's history, stay resilient when the ivy-covered brick wall appears, and focus relentlessly on shared objectives rather than issuing instructions that produce compliance without ownership.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Bob Noddin sees leadership in Japan as uniquely shaped by history, structure, and social expectations. He points to a business environment that values seniority, teamwork, incremental improvement, and order. These are not superficial preferences but expressions of deeper cultural patterns that emerged from national rebuilding and collective effort. Concepts such as nemawashi, consensus, and uncertainty avoidance remain highly relevant because organisations often prefer broad alignment and risk containment over speed or individual heroics.
What makes Japan distinctive is that these qualities can be both strengths and constraints. They support quality, discipline, and reliability, but they also create resistance when a leader is trying to drive innovation or break with tradition. The foreign executive who mistakes Japan's politeness for easy agreement is likely to fail. Leadership here requires reading the context beneath the formal surface and understanding that the visible meeting is often only one part of the real decision process.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often struggle because they underestimate how much translation is required between headquarters expectations and Japanese reality. Noddin says head office may intellectually understand that Japan is different, but repeated explanations eventually sound like excuses unless the local leader can convert that difference into results. Executives sent to Japan for short rotations can also become trapped by a buffering layer of local management that protects the system from meaningful change.
He argues that many foreign leaders fail because they arrive with urgency but without enough seasoning, continuity, or local credibility. Japan is not a market that can be reset in three years through force of personality. It requires sustained presence, consistency of message, and a willingness to stay long enough for people to believe the leader is not simply passing through. Without that, local teams wait out the foreign boss and preserve the old logic underneath.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Noddin believes Japan is not simply risk-averse in a crude sense. It is better understood as highly sensitive to the consequences of failure. In a system where there is perceived to be one right way to proceed, shaped by education, hierarchy, and social accountability, the downside of getting something wrong is far greater than the upside of trying something new. That makes people cautious, especially if they fear isolation or reputational damage for standing out.
His answer is not to lecture people about risk-taking, but to separate risk from recklessness. In practical terms, that means showing people that thoughtful experimentation will be supported, that leaders will absorb the blame when outcomes fall short, and that lessons learned matter. In this sense, better leadership creates better risk literacy. It helps employees distinguish manageable uncertainty from unacceptable exposure.
What leadership style actually works?
The style that works, in his view, is visible, human, and resilient. He rejects the distant, untouchable executive model. Leaders in Japan need to be accessible, to travel, to engage directly, and to demonstrate humility. Trust grows when employees see the leader as a real person rather than a remote authority figure. That human connection becomes especially important in a culture where emotions are often controlled in formal settings but remain powerful underneath.
At the same time, effective leadership is not about giving detailed instructions. Noddin draws a clear line between management and leadership. Management allocates tasks; leadership inspires people to go somewhere they would not necessarily choose on their own. The most effective leader in Japan aligns people around an objective, tests understanding from multiple stakeholder viewpoints, and then gives teams ownership over how to deliver.
How can technology help?
Technology helps when it supports better ways of working rather than simply automating existing silos. Noddin's examples show that innovation in Japan needs a protected environment. His venture-style internal project, which pulled people out of the normal structure and allowed different work patterns, dress codes, and idea development cycles, created space for creativity that the regular organisation would have smothered. In a modern sense, this is close to building a digital twin of the operating culture: a parallel environment where new behaviours can be tested before wider deployment.
Technology also becomes powerful when combined with decision intelligence. Data, systems, and new processes are useful only if people feel safe enough to question assumptions, propose improvements, and learn from imperfect launches. Without that cultural layer, digital transformation becomes cosmetic.
Does language proficiency matter?
Yes, but not in the narrow sense of passing language tests. Noddin values language because it signals cultural exposure and cognitive flexibility. His recruiting shift towards candidates fluent in another language was really a shift towards people who had lived beyond a single worldview. In a global company operating in Japan, that broader perspective is essential.
He also suggests that language matters because it reveals how people have been trained to think. His example of learning kanji stroke order captures a larger point: if people are educated that there is one correct sequence and one correct form, then innovation at work becomes psychologically difficult. Language learning, cultural immersion, and broader experience help leaders appreciate that mental model and work with it more intelligently.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate lesson is to respect Japan deeply while refusing to be defeated by its inertia. Noddin advises new leaders to honour the country's history, social cohesion, and achievements rather than dismissing them. At the same time, they must stay resilient, because they will encounter hidden resistance, delays, and beautiful ivy covering solid brick walls.
His final message is that leadership in Japan succeeds when it combines respect with resolve. Leaders need to focus on the objective, not just the task list; build trust through presence; and create systems where people own outcomes rather than merely comply with instructions. That is how change becomes durable rather than cosmetic.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Everyone wants to play for a winning team." "You've got to go to war with the army you've got, not the army you wish you had." "In Japan, talk is cheap. Nobody really pays attention to what people say. They pay attention to what people do." "My philosophy is every employee should be a shareholder in the firm." "This is a marathon, not a sprint."
Mike Alfant is the CEO of Fusion Systems and one of the more established foreign founders in Japan's technology sector. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he studied computer science and spent roughly a decade on Wall Street in technology roles before being sent to Japan by Security Pacific during the late-1980s bubble era. What began as a short assignment became dozens of return trips, a permanent move to Tokyo, and eventually the launch of his first company, Fusion Systems, in 1992. That original firm built software for trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, grew without outside capital, and was sold in 1999, creating meaningful upside for management and employees alike. Bound by a five-year non-compete in fintech, he broadened his experience by launching or backing businesses across Japan, mainland China, Hong Kong, Australia, and the United States. Over three decades in Japan, he has built a reputation for adaptability, entrepreneurial stamina, and community leadership, including senior roles in major business and civic organisations. His career reflects an ability to adjust to Japan without pretending to become Japanese, while still creating organisations that local employees, partners, and clients can trust.
Mike Alfant's leadership story in Japan is not a neat theory assembled in a boardroom. It is a long, practical exercise in adaptation, stamina, and self-awareness. Arriving from New York with a strong technical background and Wall Street experience, he initially assumed that good ideas, hard work, and energy would be enough. Japan quickly showed him otherwise. In the early 1990s, a foreign entrepreneur trying to recruit Japanese staff into a start-up during an economic downturn faced not only market scepticism, but deep social uncertainty. The challenge was not merely business risk. It was uncertainty avoidance at a human level: employees and their families were being asked to leave established structures for an unknown future led by a non-Japanese founder.
What changed the trajectory was not a dramatic reinvention, but a gradual sharpening of judgment. Alfant learned that leadership in Japan depends less on verbal persuasion and more on visible consistency. In his framing, people watch what leaders do, not what they say. That makes credibility cumulative. Every hiring choice, every response under pressure, every act of fairness or impatience becomes part of the operating environment. In a culture shaped by consensus, nemawashi, and the quiet influence that often precedes formal ringi-sho approval, trust is built through behavioural reliability rather than rhetoric.
He also learned that the motivation architecture inside a Japanese organisation differs from what many Western executives expect. In New York, he had been used to obvious competition for promotion and reward. In Japan, that ambition was less overt. Rather than complain about the team he wished he had, he built with the team he had, combining mission-driven foreign hires with process-oriented Japanese professionals. That hybrid became a practical leadership model: articulate the destination, build a process strong enough to support execution, and keep moving.
Perhaps the most distinctive element in his philosophy is ownership. Alfant believes employees should share in enterprise value. He deliberately dilutes himself over time, not out of sentimentality, but because aligned commercial upside creates seriousness, loyalty, and repeat relationships. He wants people to feel they are not simply working for a founder, but for themselves, their colleagues, and their clients. That belief sits alongside a realistic understanding that founders must still protect the company through governance, repurchase rights, and disciplined hiring.
He is equally clear that ideas alone are overrated. Customers, not internal brainstorming theatre, are the most reliable source of innovation. Leadership therefore becomes less about performance and more about disciplined listening, decision intelligence, and execution. Technology matters, but only when it solves a real client problem. Digital twins, process visibility, workflow systems, and other tools can sharpen organisational judgment, but they do not replace it. In that sense, Alfant's Japan story is not about becoming local in a superficial way. It is about staying authentic, respecting Japanese business culture, and committing to the long game with enough resilience to earn trust over time.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan stands apart because legitimacy is earned through conduct more than declaration. Alfant's experience suggests that Japanese teams respond less to grand speeches and more to behavioural consistency, visible effort, and emotional steadiness. A leader is observed constantly, and small signals matter. This fits a business environment where consensus carries weight, nemawashi often precedes formal action, and a ringi-sho process may crystallise agreement only after extensive informal alignment. For outsiders, the key difference is that leadership authority must be demonstrated repeatedly in practice.
Why do global executives struggle? Many global executives struggle because they arrive with urgency, scale, and proven credentials, but underestimate how different Japan is in rhythm and expectation. They may assume that logic alone should win support, or that a direct transplant of their home-market methods will work. Alfant argues that frustration is often self-inflicted. Japan is not going to change for the foreign executive. Leaders who spread themselves across too many initiatives, expect immediate traction, or interpret caution as lack of ability usually end up with half-finished agendas. The struggle is less about competence than about impatience and misreading context.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Alfant's account points to a more useful distinction between risk and uncertainty. Japan can appear risk-averse, but what leaders often encounter is a structured response to uncertainty. Employees, families, boards, and clients all want to understand whether a new path is credible, stable, and fair. Once that credibility is established, people can be remarkably committed. His early recruiting experience showed that joining a foreign-led start-up in the 1990s felt socially and professionally uncertain. Later, once Fusion looked like a winning team, referrals and retention became easier. The issue was not fear of effort. It was the need for trust before commitment.
What leadership style actually works? The leadership style that works is neither purely charismatic nor purely procedural. Alfant found success in a hybrid model. He supplied direction, energy, and mission clarity, while building a strong enough process for Japanese teams to execute with confidence. In other words, heroic leadership by itself is insufficient, but so is technocratic distance. Leaders in Japan need to show up, stay visible, and make decisions, while also creating structure, predictability, and room for careful execution. They must listen more than they speak, avoid defensiveness, and resist the temptation to dominate every interaction.
How can technology help? Technology helps when it sharpens execution rather than becoming a substitute for judgment. Alfant's view is notably practical: customers reveal what is worth building. That mindset fits modern tools such as decision intelligence, workflow analytics, digital twins for operational modelling, and other systems that let firms test process changes before imposing them on clients or teams. Yet his underlying point remains simple. Technology is valuable only when tied to a genuine market need. Internal idea generation without commercial discipline produces noise. Listening carefully to customers, then using technology to solve what they will actually pay for, is the more durable path.
Does language proficiency matter? Language matters, but not in the simplistic sense that fluency alone unlocks leadership. Alfant warns foreigners against trying to become Japanese. Their value lies partly in being outsiders who bring a different perspective. What matters more is respect: understanding manners, business customs, and the subtleties of communication, while remaining authentic. Leaders who chase surface imitation often become awkward or ineffective. Leaders who understand context, show humility, and communicate clearly can succeed even without perfect Japanese. In that sense, cultural literacy, listening skill, and consistency matter more than performative fluency.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? The ultimate lesson is that Japan rewards endurance, self-knowledge, and authenticity. Alfant repeatedly returns to the idea that leadership is a marathon, not a sprint. Foreign executives need thick skin, narrow priorities, personal discipline, and the humility to learn from every interaction. They also need the confidence not to overreact when progress feels slow. Leadership in Japan is not about forcing change through personality alone. It is about building trust patiently, aligning interests honestly, and creating an environment where people want to join, stay, and win together.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"this job is really primarily a people job"
"if you get the right people, you don't have to spend a lot of time micromanaging; get out of their way and let them do their thing"
"you have to be the type of boss that people are not afraid to bring bad news"
"you all have everything you need to be successful at Dow"
"if you treat Japanese people with integrity, trust, respect, like you would want to be treated like anywhere else in the world, you're going to be fine"
Brief Bio Peter Jennings is President of Dow in Japan and Korea, overseeing a multi-billion-dollar business and thousands of employees across both markets. He joined Dow as an attorney and spent twenty-seven years in legal roles before being unexpectedly tapped for senior business leadership. Before moving to Japan in 2012, he served in Hong Kong as general counsel for Dow Asia Pacific and later returned to the United States for several senior assignments. His transition from legal counsel to country president reflects a career shaped by adaptability, deep institutional knowledge, and a strong people-first philosophy. In Japan, he became Dow's longest-serving president in the market's history, leading cultural renewal, leadership development, diversity initiatives, and a more open, internationally minded operating model inside a long-established Japanese organisation.
Peter Jennings presents a compelling case that leadership success in Japan does not begin with technical mastery, perfect language, or rigid adherence to stereotype. It begins with trust. When he arrived in Japan in 2012, one year after the Tohoku earthquake, he came not as a traditional commercial operator but as a long-serving Dow lawyer with deep corporate knowledge and international experience. That unusual path could easily have created distance between him and a highly experienced Japanese leadership team. Instead, it became an advantage because he did not arrive pretending to know everything. He arrived listening.
His early approach was simple and disciplined. He met leaders individually, asked about their biggest issues, wrote everything down, and focused on how he could help. In a market where nemawashi, ringi-sho, consensus-building, and careful internal alignment still shape decision-making, that restraint mattered. Rather than impose a foreign leadership template, Jennings worked to understand how trust and respect are earned locally. He recognised that formal authority in Japan means little unless people feel safe enough to speak candidly.
Over time, the proof of progress was behavioural. Senior staff started challenging him privately after meetings. Employees began dropping by for coffee or lunch. More importantly, people brought bad news earlier. For Jennings, that was a decisive signal of culture change. He argues that if people fear punishment, information gets buried. In a high uncertainty avoidance environment, leaders must reduce the interpersonal risk of honesty before they can improve decision quality. That is where leadership and decision intelligence meet: better outcomes come from better information flow, not louder authority.
He also reshaped the leadership bench. Over several years, Dow Japan moved from a more traditional senior male model towards a younger, more diverse, bilingual, bicultural team. Jennings takes particular satisfaction not in personal advancement but in seeing talented people, especially women, promoted into larger roles. He frames leadership as removing obstacles, securing resources, and backing capable people rather than controlling them. That is a significant shift away from hierarchical supervision and towards empowerment.
Another major insight concerns engagement. Rather than accept low survey scores as a fixed Japan problem, Jennings replaced abstract annual questionnaires with thirty small-group focus sessions built around four direct questions. This surfaced practical barriers that a standardised survey missed. In effect, he moved from broad sentiment tracking to grounded organisational sensing. That approach resembles a more human version of modern management tools such as digital twins or data-led diagnostic systems: the aim is not data volume, but usable insight.
Jennings remains optimistic about Japan's future because he sees a new generation less constrained by inherited conventions. He believes many younger professionals want accelerated careers, global exposure, flexibility, and merit-based opportunity. His lesson is clear: leadership in Japan works best when it combines respect for consensus with encouragement for initiative, local sensitivity with global openness, and humility with conviction.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is shaped by context more than cliché. Jennings suggests the distinctive challenge is not that Japanese teams are uniquely difficult, but that trust must be earned carefully and consistently. Consensus matters, and leaders must respect the logic behind nemawashi and ringi-sho rather than dismiss them as slow. People observe behaviour closely before deciding whether a leader is safe, credible, and worth following. Titles alone do not create followership. In practice, leadership in Japan requires patience, consistency, and a visible commitment to fairness.
Why do global executives struggle? Many global executives struggle because they arrive overconfident or over-programmed. Jennings argues that outsiders often assume prior Asia experience transfers automatically into Japan. It does not. Japan requires a different cadence, especially around rapport, internal alignment, and decision support. Executives also fail when they underestimate how long trust-building takes. Jennings says it took two to three years before he felt his influence had truly taken root. Leaders who expect quick wins often misread silence as agreement and hierarchy as commitment.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Jennings does not deny caution exists, but he reframes the issue as uncertainty rather than simple risk aversion. In environments with strong uncertainty avoidance, employees can hesitate because the social cost of error feels high. That does not mean they lack ambition or imagination. It means leadership must lower the penalty for speaking up, experimenting, and surfacing problems. When employees believe bad news will be handled constructively, innovation becomes more possible. The issue is less about national character and more about psychological safety.
What leadership style actually works? The style that works is people-centred, transparent, and supportive. Jennings repeatedly returns to one principle: leadership is a people job. He believes leaders should ask good questions, listen well, help teams secure resources, and avoid micromanagement. They should also model openness by welcoming challenge and by rewarding honesty instead of punishing it. This style aligns well with consensus cultures because it does not destroy harmony; it strengthens it through trust. Effective leaders also create points of light by visibly backing talented people into bigger roles.
How can technology help? Technology can support leadership, but it cannot replace human judgment. Jennings' critique of standard engagement surveys shows that data without context often misleads. Better systems should improve signal quality, not merely produce dashboards. In that sense, tools associated with decision intelligence, workforce analytics, or even digital twins of organisational processes can help leaders identify bottlenecks, bias, and friction. Yet Jennings' own example shows the real breakthrough came from direct conversation. Technology is most useful when it sharpens listening rather than substitutes for it.
Does language proficiency matter? Language proficiency helps, but Jennings suggests it is not decisive. He openly acknowledges not speaking Japanese, yet built credibility through authenticity, gratitude, and respectful conduct. He believes leaders can succeed without perfect language if they behave with integrity, remain accessible, and work through strong local talent. Language matters less than whether people believe the leader is genuine, fair, and willing to learn. Cultural arrogance is far more damaging than imperfect fluency.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? The ultimate lesson is that people rise when leaders combine belief with opportunity. Jennings insists that employees already possess the education and ability to succeed; what often separates performance is confidence, encouragement, and the chance to act. Great leadership in Japan is therefore not about overpowering culture but about unlocking potential within it. When leaders blend respect, transparency, empowerment, and resilience, they create an organisation where people are willing to speak, grow, and lead.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"The key thing is that the leader needs to be able to identify where those turning points or tipping points are so that they don't become a bottleneck in that process."
"In most cases, I feel like I only have about 30% of the necessary information to make me comfortable to make that decision."
"Consensus in a Japanese sense is that a little bit of everyone's idea is taken and included in the final solution so that everyone feels that they've been part of the final solution."
"If you want to be successful in business in Japan… it's patience, persistence, and politeness."
"In Japan you can do anything. It's just that it will end up taking twice as much time and ended up costing you twice as much money."
Brief Bio Ross Rowbury was President of Edelman Japan, a leading local business through a decade of rapid growth from roughly 20 people to more than 80, making it one of the largest foreign PR operations in the market. He first arrived in Japan as a Rotary exchange student in high school and later returned after university to build his career across banking and securities, spending around nine years at a major Japanese broker before moving to foreign brokerages. After a short attempt at entrepreneurship, he shifted into the communications industry by leveraging his finance background in financial PR, eventually moving into senior leadership and today running the Japan business of Edelman, one of the world's largest PR firms.
Ross Rowbury's leadership story in Japan is shaped by longevity, humility, and a practical acceptance that "certainty" is often a luxury leaders do not get. Having first come to Japan as a teenage exchange student and later returning to start his professional life in finance, he learned early that competence alone does not automatically translate into followership in a Japanese workplace. His first major leadership role arrived in his early thirties, when he was tasked with turning around a loss-making department. The performance goal was simple—make it profitable—but the cultural context was not.
Every team member was at least a decade older, and the age hierarchy that can silently govern influence and legitimacy became a daily force. Resistance was not only about ideas; it was about identity, pride, and perceived loss of face. The experience produced intense stress, yet it also forged an enduring lesson: authority must be earned through results, relationships, and an ability to read the room—what many describe as kuuki.
His move into PR introduced a different leadership terrain. Unlike finance, where outcomes can feel "black and white," consulting work is creative, negotiated, and relational. Rowbury found it easier to lead by showing value through client work and solutions, particularly as experience and seniority reduced the friction of hierarchy. As Edelman Japan grew, his leadership challenge shifted again—from personal execution to organisational design. He describes the organisation as a living thing whose needs change over time, and he highlights a classic scaling trap: the leader becomes the bottleneck. In early growth, he joined every pitch; later, he stepped back to create space for others. The transition hurt—losing 15 pitches in a row tested resolve—but it ultimately built a stronger, more independent team.
Rowbury's current phase is defined by complexity: the industry's digital disruption, the need to hire specialists from different backgrounds, and the cultural integration required when "the same words can mean very different things." Even simple labels—like "project manager"—carry multiple definitions depending on whether someone comes from PR, advertising, or operations. In that environment, leadership becomes a translation exercise: aligning language, expectations, and pace, while creating a shared operating system that preserves commercial standards. His approach leans on repeated "fierce conversations," explicit apology when he missteps, and a deliberate embrace of diversity in working styles.
Across generations, he observes that expertise no longer belongs to tenure alone. Digital channels can invert authority, as younger team members may see the modern pathway to attention and amplification more clearly than traditional leaders. That reality raises the bar on transparency and trust. Employees want to understand why decisions are made, and they want to participate—pressures that pull Western-led organisations toward Japanese-style inclusion, closer to nemawashi and ringi-sho thinking, even when speed still matters. Ultimately, Rowbury frames leadership in Japan as patience with ambiguity, persistence without aggression, and politeness that protects relationships—paired with the courage to make decisions with incomplete information and to keep learning, even after decades in the country.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Rowbury highlights that leadership legitimacy in Japan is often influenced by unspoken social structures—particularly age hierarchy and the atmospherics of kuuki. Early in his leadership journey, being significantly younger than his team triggered resistance that was less about competence and more about perceived status and face.
He also distinguishes Japanese "consensus" from a Western interpretation: rather than persuading everyone to choose option three, Japanese consensus often blends elements of multiple views so people feel represented. That approach resembles nemawashi in practice—broad, pre-aligned input gathering—and can be operationalised through ringi-sho style circulation, but it demands time and careful social calibration.
Why do global executives struggle? He argues that many executives arrive expecting clarity and control, yet Japan operates in "funny grey" where the boundaries between yes and no can be contextual. Managers used to speed may become frustrated by the slower cadence of alignment and the additional cost of coordination. Rowbury's rule of thumb is blunt: in Japan, almost anything is possible, but it often takes twice the time and twice the money. The executives who struggle most are those who interpret delay as incompetence, rather than as a different system of risk management, quality, and relational assurance.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Rowbury reframes the question as one of uncertainty avoidance. In his view, Japan is not incapable of bold outcomes, but it seeks to reduce ambiguity before acting—often through broader consultation and incremental commitment. He also cautions against simplistic "mistakes are welcome" messaging in a hyper-connected media environment where a small error can cascade into reputational harm. The practical stance becomes bounded experimentation: encourage small, controlled risks that improve process and creativity, while drawing bright lines around compliance, client reputation, and legal exposure.
What leadership style actually works? His answer combines consistency with adaptability. Leaders should not chase universal approval; they should maintain a coherent decision logic, communicate it repeatedly, and then adjust quickly when reality proves them wrong. He emphasises the importance of not becoming a bottleneck as organisations scale—delegation is both a growth strategy and a trust-building signal. He also recommends linguistic and cultural framing: avoid phrases that trigger fear ("that's your responsibility") and choose language that invites ownership ("I'll leave it up to you"). In practice, the effective style blends Western decisiveness with Japanese inclusion—decision intelligence over impulse, and structured consultation over vague agreement.
How can technology help? Rowbury points to digital disruption as the central driver of change in communications. Attention is scarce, narratives must land in seconds, and amplification requires integrated planning across social, events, and media. Technology can support leaders by creating clearer information flows as organisations grow—reducing the gap between what the leader needs internally and what the market demands externally. He also describes using AI-enabled engagement surveys to detect patterns and prioritise action. In a more advanced framing, leaders can borrow from decision intelligence concepts—dashboards, scenario planning, and even "digital twin" thinking for organisations—to test operational changes (like remote work and wellness policies) before scaling them.
Does language proficiency matter? Rowbury suggests that success is less about perfect fluency and more about disciplined communication and cultural translation—understanding how the same words can mean different things across industries and backgrounds. The key is building a shared language inside the organisation, clarifying definitions, and repeating messages through multiple channels until they stick. That repetition is not redundancy; it is trust-building in a skeptical environment. Leaders who listen carefully, consult respectfully, and communicate consistently can bridge gaps even when language skills are not flawless.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? His core lesson is that leadership is continuous learning under conditions of imperfect information. He describes decision-making comfort as rare—leaders may only have 20–30% of what they wish they knew, yet they must still decide. The discipline is to keep moving, remain curious, and recover quickly from missteps. For newcomers to Japan, he distils it into the "three Ps": patience, persistence, and politeness. In the long run, that mindset—paired with humility about culture, respect for the grey, and a commitment to keep learning—defines sustainable leadership in Japan. Timecoded Summary
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"The trust part is very important." "Change was a dirty word." "Anything controversial was normally me." "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity." Paul Hardisty is a finance-trained executive (CPA) who began his career in Melbourne and became CFO of a group of fashion brands across Australia and New Zealand, including Davenport, with licensing and distribution experience across brands such as Calvin Klein and Carhartt.
In 1999, he joined adidas, initially slated for Indonesia just as Jakarta's riots erupted, before ultimately leading adidas Indonesia for five years. He then spent six months in India addressing corruption issues, before moving to South Korea for more than six years, scaling the business significantly.
Hardisty's long-held ambition was Japan, and he relocated with his family to lead adidas Japan, where he spent around a decade and helped drive major growth. His career arc reflects repeated adaptation across markets, cultures, and organisational scale, culminating in leading one of adidas's most sophisticated and strategically scrutinised country operations.
Paul Hardisty's leadership story is a study in scale, trust, and the mechanics of change inside a complex, matrixed multinational. Having built a finance foundation in Australia and then taken on consecutive country leadership roles across Indonesia and South Korea, he arrived in Japan with a reputation for delivery and a clear-eyed sense that every market has its own "bucket of challenges".
Japan's challenge was not drama; it was magnitude. The jump in organisational size, headcount, and global attention required him to rethink how a leader stays close to the business without drowning in it. Hardisty's early focus was listening: diagnosing issues, filling structural gaps, and building a strategy that could plug into global direction without losing local relevance.
He frames trust as the non-negotiable foundation — not uniquely Japanese, but especially powerful in Japan when earned through consistency and "walking the talk". This trust, once established, becomes the lubricant for cross-functional cooperation and the antidote to silent compliance. He is candid about engagement measurement and how it can mislead headquarters. Rather than treating scores as a simplistic international comparison, he focused on patterns, feedback, and the real operational drivers behind sentiment — restructures, headcount freezes, and incentives.
His most controversial move was transparency: explaining the scoring system, challenging extremely low scorers to reconsider fit, and even enabling anonymous external applications. The point was not punitive; it was cultural clarity — engagement matters, but so does the integrity of the team environment.
Hardisty also leaned into pride as a motivational engine. In sport, brand affiliation and national moments (such as major tournaments) can transform "company" into "identity". He institutionalised that energy through internal competitions, event tickets, surprise guests, and subsidised sports clubs, making motivation tangible and social.
Where his approach becomes especially instructive is in diversity and global mobility. He resisted the idea that Japan must be led only by Japanese, or that Japanese leaders must stay in Japan. By placing non-Japanese local hires throughout the organisation and building pathways for Japanese talent to take overseas roles (including shorter three-month rotations), he pushed the company beyond passive consensus into practical internationalisation — a form of organisational nemawashi performed through staffing architecture rather than meeting-room persuasion.
On innovation, he names the core friction: uncertainty avoidance and the comfort of repeating proven routines. To counter that, he used incentives, anonymity, and then a structural breakthrough — a business development function reporting directly to him, acting as an internal project-management and strategy engine. It reduced "not my job" resistance, spread ownership, and accelerated decision flow in a ringi-sho world where approvals can slow momentum.
Ultimately, Hardisty's Japan lesson is not that Japan is "impossible". It is that Japan rewards leaders who operationalise trust, make change safe to attempt, and build systems that carry strategy through the middle layers to the front line.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Hardisty sees Japan as different in flavour, not in degree. The distinguishing feature is the strength of trust and loyalty once credibility is earned. In a consensus environment shaped by nemawashi and ringi-sho processes, alignment is powerful, but it must be cultivated deliberately and communicated repeatedly at scale.
Why do global executives struggle? He argues many leaders struggle because they over-index on stereotypes and get "brainwashed" by received wisdom — what cannot be done, what must be done, and why Japan is supposedly exceptional. That mindset can cause unnecessary caution, poor decisions, and a failure to see the "bucket load of good things" that make Japan workable and rewarding.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? He frames the issue less as risk and more as uncertainty avoidance. People protect reputation by staying within proven patterns, which can look like risk aversion. His antidote is to reframe experimentation as responsible learning, supported by incentives, clear ownership, and leadership cover when outcomes are not perfect.
What leadership style actually works? His style is direct, transparent, and human. He uses openness to build trust, shares personal context to reduce distance, and creates forums where information flows both ways. He is also willing to be "controversial" when cultural drift undermines performance or engagement.
How can technology help? While he does not position Japan as a technology problem, his operating model maps well to decision intelligence: creating a central function that gathers intel, runs meetings, manages projects, and accelerates cross-functional execution. In modern terms, leaders can use analytics, scenario planning, and even digital twins of the business to test change before rollout, reducing perceived uncertainty and speeding consensus without bypassing it.
Does language proficiency matter? He acknowledges language as a major early hurdle and treats capability-building as an investment. Translation support, English training, and mixed-nationality teams can slow meetings, but they also expand opportunity and shift mindsets. Language is not only communication; it is a gateway to global mobility and a catalyst for new thinking.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Hardisty's core lesson is that repeating the same actions while expecting different results is organisational self-deception. In Japan, change requires systems, structure, and trust — and leaders must design the pathways that make change executable from the top to the shop floor.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture.
He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Everybody having a shared sense of purpose and shared values… is just absolutely imperative."
"I trust you, and I start from the perspective of trust."
"I would always caution Western leaders… to not just fill up empty space."
"Getting buy-in from a Japanese team is really hard. But… once you get buy in… you absolutely over-perform."
"Identify who are the biggest obstacles… and move them immediately and publicly."
Harry Hill is an American entrepreneur whose career in Japan began by chance and grew into one of the country's most recognised direct marketing success stories. His connection to Japan started in college after discovering Shorinji Kempo, which sparked an interest in Japanese culture and language. After studying Japanese for two years, he moved to Japan and worked as an English teacher, including a posting in Gifu Prefecture. A major turning point came when he worked as an international coordinator for a regional expo, building relationships with businesses across Gifu, Nagoya, and the wider Chubu region.
After a short stint in New York as a bond trader, Hill returned to Japan in 1990 and began building businesses by spotting "holes in the market," including work as a sports agent and grassroots exchange initiatives. In Nagoya, he co-founded a relocation and real estate services company for multinationals. His most significant chapter came with Oaklawn Marketing and Shop Japan, where he spent around two decades shaping Japan's TV shopping and direct marketing landscape. Under his leadership, the business grew dramatically—expanding from roughly 15 billion yen to nearly 70 billion yen in annual sales, with around 1,000 employees. In 2009, NTT DoCoMo acquired 51% of the business, placing Hill in the rare position of leading a high-growth company inside a large, formal Japanese corporate structure. Now active in new ventures, Hill remains known for adaptability across industries and for a leadership approach shaped by building culture, empowerment, and sustained performance in Japan.
Harry Hill's leadership story in Japan reads like a case study in adaptability—starting with accidental encounters and evolving into deliberate, high-stakes decisions across entrepreneurship, corporate growth, and cultural navigation. His early fascination with Shorinji Kempo led to a deeper interest in Japan's mindset: discipline, hierarchy, and the quiet social architecture that shapes how people organise themselves. That curiosity eventually turned into action—learning Japanese, moving to Japan, teaching English in Gifu, and then shifting into business after exposure to the Chubu region's commercial networks during a major expo.
Hill's defining strength is an instinct for recognising market inefficiencies and cultural leverage points. He describes his work in terms of finding "holes in the market" and building solutions that fit the local context without fetishising Japanese exceptionalism. His belief that "people are people" becomes a strategy: focus less on what is uniquely Japanese and more on universal human needs—then customise execution with local sensitivity. This approach carried through to the growth of Shop Japan, where direct marketing and TV shopping became a platform for shaping entirely new product categories, particularly in home fitness.
Yet the interview's most valuable leadership content emerges not from growth numbers, but from Hill's hard-won understanding of culture and execution under pressure. He recounts the challenge of building sustainable performance in a call centre environment—an area often defined by churn, stress, and transactional management. When turnover ran as high as 15–20% per month, the business could still be profitable, but it was unstable and costly. Hill's solution was cultural engineering: building shared purpose, professionalism, and empowerment so the work became meaningful, not merely repetitive.
That emphasis on meaning also becomes a decision system. Hill talks about integrity as something employees can only judge through transparency and consistent action—particularly in Japan, where leaders are often physically and symbolically removed. He also flips a common managerial assumption: rather than demanding people "earn trust," he starts by giving trust and uses accountability as the mechanism that sustains it.
For cross-cultural leadership, Hill offers a practical warning: Western executives often rush to fill silence, mistaking reflection for disengagement. In Japan, silence is frequently where thinking happens—where consensus-building and informal alignment (nemawashi) begin. The result is a leadership style that prioritises listening, synthesis, and decision clarity—then insists on execution. He frames this through his acronym VICES—vision, integrity, competency, efficiency, and sustained success—designed both as a checklist and a caution against ego. Across startups and conglomerates, Hill's core lesson remains consistent: leadership in Japan is less about charisma and more about building a culture that can perform through highs and lows, while removing obstacles before they poison the system.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is shaped by comfort with hierarchy and role clarity, alongside a decision culture that values alignment before action. Japanese teams often expect leaders to manage the social process that precedes execution—consensus, context sharing, and careful calibration of group comfort versus productive discomfort. This dynamic connects closely to nemawashi and the ringi-sho style of organisational agreement, where the "decision" is often the final formal step after substantial informal work has already occurred.
Why do global executives struggle? Global executives often struggle because they over-prioritise speed and verbal dominance. Hill cautions against filling silence, which can shut down participation and block honest input. Many leaders focus on getting things done without building the cultural environment that makes execution sustainable. Without that base, teams may comply with processes but withhold emotional commitment—leading to fragile performance and passive resistance.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Hill frames the issue less as risk aversion and more as uncertainty avoidance. Teams may resist actions that feel socially destabilising or poorly aligned, even when the underlying idea is sound. Once buy-in is achieved, however, Japanese teams can "absolutely over-perform," because commitment becomes collective and execution standards rise. The challenge is that alignment requires patience, credibility, and consistency—especially in environments where leaders rotate every three to five years.
What leadership style actually works? The most effective style combines listening with decisiveness. Hill prefers to "set the table," step back to let others mediate, then synthesise and decide. This approach respects group process while maintaining leadership authority. It also supports a healthier culture: shared purpose, professionalism, empowerment, and clear standards. He emphasises that leaders must "walk the talk," because consistency is the difference between a winning culture and a chaotic one.
How can technology help? Hill points to major media and technology shifts—digital TV, mobile, and smartphones—as forces that reshape business models. In leadership terms, technology can support decision intelligence by improving visibility into performance, customer sentiment, and operational bottlenecks. Tools such as digital twins, predictive analytics, and structured feedback loops can help leaders stress-test decisions before rollout, reducing uncertainty and accelerating alignment without undermining consensus.
Does language proficiency matter? Language matters, but Hill's emphasis is more on behaviour than fluency. Leaders must demonstrate engagement beyond the inner circle, show curiosity about everyday work, and build trust through presence. Practical actions—wandering the organisation, listening to frontline voices, and respecting the social dance of decision-making—often matter as much as linguistic sophistication. Cultural literacy is the real multiplier.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Hill's ultimate lesson is that culture drives sustained performance. Start with trust, listen first, and build shared purpose so employees believe their work matters. Then be unflinching about obstacles: identify cultural "cancers" and remove them quickly and publicly, because the organisation already knows who they are. Finally, celebrate small wins to reduce fear of mistakes and to keep momentum alive—sustained success comes from maintaining morale and standards through both gains and setbacks.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"First thing I'd say is do it… just throw yourself into it." "Spend the first ninety days getting to know the people… listening… before acting." "Communication here is more high context… there's a lot of reading between the lines." "Trust is doing what you say you would do." "A leader is someone who takes a strategy and a vision breaks that down into habits… and empowers people to execute."
Grant Torrens is an Australian recruitment leader and long-tenured Hays executive who became Managing Director of Hays Japan after a two-decade, multi-country journey with the firm. He joined Hays in London in 2006 through its graduate program—initially as a jobseeker who "fell into recruitment" like many in the industry—working a demanding hedge-fund desk in the City. After navigating the Global Financial Crisis, he took a career break to travel across Southeast Asia, where a short visit to colleagues in Singapore turned into a relocation, leveraging Hays' global internal mobility and his transferable financial-services recruitment expertise. ]
Years later, he was offered the Japan role—but COVID-era border restrictions meant he effectively "ran Japan from Singapore" for about 15 months, relying heavily on his Japan leadership team and building data-driven management systems to lead remotely. When he finally relocated to Tokyo, he focused on deep listening, high-clarity communication, and change management—while guiding Hays Japan through a strategic shift toward stronger service for Nikkei clients and hiring more Japanese nationals, including team members who don't work in English.
Grant Torrens' leadership story is built on three threads: global mobility, remote-first problem solving under pressure, and culture-building at the intersection of Hays' global norms and Japan's high-context communication.
He joined Hays "by accident" in London—starting in financial services at a moment when the City rewarded performance and speed, then learning to survive and adapt through the post-2008 shock. The early lesson that carries forward is pragmatic: when conditions change, your approach must pivot too. That mindset shows up repeatedly in his later Japan leadership—especially when COVID delayed his physical move and forced him to lead Japan from outside the country.
During that "remote with a capital R" period, Torrens deliberately upgraded the mechanics of decision-making: he turned raw sales and activity data into usable management information, taught himself Excel at a much higher level, and used those insights to create sharper, more useful conversations over video calls. It's a very modern leadership move, but grounded in a classic idea: if you can't rely on presence, you rely on clarity—data clarity, expectation clarity, and communication clarity.
Once on the ground in Japan, his operating principle remained "listen first." He emphasizes that many leaders arrive, see processes that look "wrong," and try to replace them with headquarters logic—only to discover later those practices existed to serve customers and local realities. His antidote is explicit: spend the first ~90 days learning, not executing change. In Japan specifically, he adds two important nuances: (1) communication tends to be high-context—direct bluntness that feels "normal" in Australia/UK can land badly in Japan, and (2) trust is tightly linked to process—nemawashi and broad involvement matter, even if it slows decisions compared to London-style speed.
On culture, Torrens frames "Grant culture" as mostly aligned with Hays culture after 20 years inside the firm—but he still sees leadership latitude inside the umbrellas of global standards and Japanese expectations. His chosen lever is change: he wants a culture where change is less feared and more celebrated. That includes giving people "permission" to try, treating mistakes as learning data (especially early), avoiding public blame, and celebrating wins so innovation feels worth the effort. He also highlights the practical friction of language and meaning: even company values can translate oddly, so global messaging must be adapted carefully to remain faithful—especially as Hays Japan expands its Nikkei-facing business and hires more Japanese-only speakers.
Q&A Summary
Why did you choose recruitment—and how did Japan happen? Recruitment wasn't the plan; it was an opportunity in London when he was unemployed and out of options. Japan was always in the background (he studied Japanese), but Singapore became the stepping stone because it was an easy transition into Asia—English-speaking, same company, and the financial services sector was transferable.
How did you lead Japan while stuck in Singapore during COVID? Two pillars: a supportive Asia boss and a strong Japan management team. Personally, he built better reporting/insight systems—turning "raw data" into actionable information—so he could manage outcomes without relying on physical visibility.
How do you build trust in Japan? He treats trust as universal but harder-won in Japan if you ignore high-context communication and consensus processes. Practically: reciprocate trust, be fair, do what you say you'll do, and follow verbal messages with written confirmation to reduce misunderstanding—especially across language boundaries.
How do you get bottom-up ideas in a high-context culture? He uses second-level (and broader) conversations—while explicitly asking permission and explaining intent so it doesn't feel like bypassing managers. The goal is pattern recognition: common themes that reveal what the organization should improve, not "who said what about whom."
What advice would you give a leader moving to Japan? Do it (don't overthink yourself into regret). Then: listen before acting (including to customers), communicate with extra clarity (avoid slang/idioms), and intentionally build a culture where change is normal and safe—because the organization will look different in 3–10 years no matter what.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts multiple weekly podcasts and YouTube shows, including Japan's Top Business Interviews.
"Don't be the loud foreigner who just says we do this and this and this." "It's okay to make mistakes if you identify them, if you learn from them in the future." "If you have an open mind, just listen first." "You cannot spend enough time on just talking and communicating with people." "For me, right now a leader is somebody who helps employees to achieve the potential, their mission." Beat Kraehenmann is a Swiss-born electrical engineer who moved to Japan to change the trajectory of his life and immerse himself in Asia. After studying at a technical university and working in network engineering at Swiss Railways, he relocated to Japan independently, began full-time language study, and built early career momentum through contract roles before securing permanent employment as a network engineer. A long-time university friend working at Levitronix connected him to the company when the Swiss headquarters needed someone who could bridge Japan and Switzerland across language, culture, and technical detail.
He joined Levitronix Japan around twelve and a half years ago and became Managing Director roughly a year later—his first formal management role. Under his leadership, the organisation expanded from four people in one location to a thirteen-person team spread across five offices (from Tokyo through Ogaki, Kyoto, Fukuoka and Kumamoto), supporting demanding customers in semiconductor and life sciences manufacturing with magnetic levitation pump technology designed to reduce particle contamination in ultra-fine production environments.
Beat Kraehenmann leads Levitronix Japan at the intersection of Swiss engineering precision, Japan's uncompromising quality expectations, and the realities of scaling a specialist business across multiple regional offices. Levitronix is a Swiss company producing fluid control devices—especially pumps for semiconductor manufacturing and life science production—where particle avoidance is mission-critical. As chip structures push deeper into nanometre ranges, even microscopic contamination can become catastrophic, and the firm's magnetic levitation approach is positioned as a practical advantage in an industry that prizes stability and repeatability. Kraehenmann's leadership story begins with a deliberate personal disruption: he chose Japan because it felt safe enough to navigate while still offering a gateway to broader Asia, and he committed to language learning on the ground. That same pattern—commit, learn, adapt—shapes his approach as Managing Director. He describes leadership less as command-and-control and more as enabling others: providing the means, information, and training so employees can succeed without dependency on him.
In Japan, where consensus-building (nemawashi, ringi-sho) and uncertainty avoidance often influence decision velocity, he emphasises communication discipline: listening, checking understanding, and creating the time to align—especially across non-native English environments where misunderstandings compound quickly. He also frames long-term commitment as a trust accelerator, both for customers and for employees: staying power matters in Japan, and reliability is read as intent.
A defining cultural bridge in his management is psychological safety around learning. Levitronix's stance that mistakes are acceptable when identified and learned from runs counter to "no defect" instincts that can dominate Japanese quality mindsets. Kraehenmann doesn't dismiss that instinct; instead, he contextualises it with real-world examples of fast growth, supplier constraints, and even customer admissions that quality issues are a daily struggle. The message is not "mistakes don't matter," but "learning matters more than denial"—a practical compromise that maintains credibility with Japanese expectations while keeping a smaller, faster-moving organisation functional. As the company expanded geographically, he encountered the classic distributed-team problem: "frogs in wells" with limited visibility into each other's context. His solution is deliberately flexible—more meetings when communication gaps appear, fewer when the system stabilises—paired with careful hiring for autonomy.
He also differentiates customer engagement from template-driven "Japanese" presentations, pushing teams to stand out through demonstrations and tactile proof, while still respecting relationship norms. And while AI dominates headlines, he notes semiconductor's conservatism: innovation must serve stable mass manufacturing, not disrupt it for fashion—though decision intelligence, digital twins, and data-driven reliability will increasingly shape how suppliers prove value without threatening uptime.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is shaped by long-term orientation, relationship continuity, and high expectations for reliability. Consensus processes (nemawashi, ringi-sho) can be invisible to outsiders yet decisive in outcomes, and leaders must work with cultural uncertainty avoidance rather than against it. For Kraehenmann, the practical implication is time: time to listen, time to confirm understanding, and time to build trust through consistent behaviour.
Why do global executives struggle? Many global executives arrive expecting headquarters logic to translate directly, then get frustrated by different rhythms of decision-making, communication, and customer expectations. Kraehenmann's warning is straightforward: don't arrive as "the loud foreigner." Respect is conveyed through curiosity, patience, and willingness to adapt the approach to local reality—especially before trying to "fix" anything.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan often appears risk-averse because the cost of defects is treated as existential, particularly in high-precision industries. But Kraehenmann frames the nuance: once trust exists and the learning story is clear, improvement is expected and experimentation is possible. Risk is not rejected; it is managed through process, narrative clarity, and demonstrated commitment to not repeating errors.
What leadership style actually works? A credible, team-embedded style works: being "part of the team," leading from the front, and doing whatever needs doing. Kraehenmann positions himself as a counsellor and mentor—helping employees prepare, equipping them with case studies, training, and presentation skills—rather than obsessing over targets and directives. This balances authority with approachability and reinforces "same boat" solidarity.
How can technology help? Technology helps when it improves stability and learning without threatening continuity. In conservative manufacturing environments, tools that support reliability—analytics, decision intelligence, simulation, and digital twins—tend to be more acceptable than disruptive experimentation. AI may have value, but only when it strengthens repeatability, quality, and uptime rather than becoming a buzzword project.
Does language proficiency matter? Yes, because language is trust and speed. Kraehenmann notes that multilingual environments are often "non-native on both sides," which increases misunderstanding risk. Investing time in communication—speaking, listening, re-checking meaning—matters as much as vocabulary. Japanese proficiency also improves daily work enjoyment and strengthens customer and employee rapport, even if fluency takes years.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? The ultimate lesson is enabling others: leadership is helping employees fulfil their potential and mission, and doing the quiet work of communication and trust-building that makes that possible. In Japan, that means commitment, humility, and consistent follow-through—paired with a learning mindset that treats mistakes as data, not shame.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"If we can sell it in Japan, we can sell it also in other countries." "The first thing I believe is honesty, especially in difficult situations." "The word "musukashi" is not allowed anymore in our company." "When an engineer is working at the customer and he cannot solve the problem… even if time is up, he would not walk away." "You need to give them… a safety rope."
Joerg Bauer is the Representative Director of Heidelberg Japan, leading a business that provides industrial printing and packaging solutions across software, machinery, and consumables. Trained in electronics and data processing, he joined Heidelberg early and built his career at the intersection of engineering, customer service, and operational transformation. He first came to Japan as a young engineer—curious about Japanese manufacturing and culture—and expected a three-to-five-year stint that became a decade. After returning to Germany for several years, he relocated again to Japan in 2008 and has remained since, spending the majority of his professional life in-country.
Over nearly four decades with Heidelberg (including his student period), Bauer progressed from technical roles to sales support, then into major integration work as a project manager during corporate merger and SAP rollout, later becoming IT business manager. Back in Japan, he led initiatives such as introducing an online shop for consumables—initially resisted internally as "not possible in Japan"—before moving through service leadership and sales leadership. In November 2019, he became the top executive in Japan, drawing on long-term relationships, practical bilingual experience, and a clear view of how global standards must be delivered through local Japanese expectations.
Heidelberg is not a desktop-printer brand; it is an industrial backbone for companies producing packaging, books, and brochures—machines that can stretch 30–40 metres, weigh dozens of tonnes, and require deep integration of mechanics, electronics, and software workflows from PDF to professional output. In Japan, where customer expectations for precision and service are famously demanding, Joerg Bauer describes the market as a proving ground: if a solution succeeds here, it can succeed almost anywhere. That mindset shapes not just product quality, but operating tempo—such as rapid call-back expectations and a service culture that must feel uncompromisingly Japanese to the customer.
Bauer's leadership story is inseparable from cultural translation. He sees genuine overlap between German and Japanese monozukuri—high-precision engineering and pride in build quality—yet emphasises that working methods diverge. In his view, Japanese competitors historically excelled by targeting operators' pain points and incrementally automating "the hardest parts" of a process. Heidelberg's approach leaned more holistic, sometimes slower, aiming for a unified system rather than a patchwork of quick fixes. That contrast becomes a leadership lesson: Japan often rewards kaizen and immediate usability, while global headquarters may prioritise system architecture and standardisation. The leader's job is to bridge both without triggering organisational paralysis.
He also treats Japan's "zero defect" instinct as both strength and tension. Perfection is culturally persuasive, but defining "perfect" is complex—especially in areas like colour, where human perception varies and measurement systems (LAB values) can create a more rational definition of quality. Bauer frames this as an executive's communication challenge: aligning printing companies, their clients, and internal teams around what quality means in measurable terms, without dismissing the cultural preference for flawless outcomes.
Internally, he is candid about the real constraint: uncertainty avoidance. When teams say "muzukashii," they often mean risk, status loss, channel conflict, or fear of being linked to failure. His response is practical: find early adopters, run controlled trials, protect participants from reputational downside, and then scale what works. As the top executive since 2019, he anchors trust in honesty—especially during difficult periods involving financial pressure and restructuring—while resisting the temptation to hide behind "Japan is different" as an excuse. For Bauer, effective leadership in Japan is not softness; it is clarity, preparation (nemawashi), and a consistent safety rope that makes innovation feel survivable.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is uniquely shaped by consensus-building, nemawashi, and a deep preference for harmony that reduces surprises. Bauer's experience suggests that outcomes improve when stakeholders are aligned before formal decisions—similar to ringi-sho logic—because it lowers execution risk and face-loss. The practical implication is that leaders must invest earlier in communication, even when it feels like "over-communication" to global executives.
Why do global executives struggle? Bauer highlights isolation as a core failure mode: arriving as president without language, relationships, or a trusted internal power base leaves leaders cut off from the real data and informal context. Teams may answer only what is asked, not what is relevant. Without the ability to ask precise questions—and verify through multiple sources—leaders can drift off-track while believing they are informed.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Bauer treats "risk aversion" as uncertainty avoidance rather than laziness. "Muzukashii" often signals fear of failure, channel conflict, or reputational cost. The workaround is not motivational speeches; it is risk design: small pilots, visible executive sponsorship, and protection for participants. In decision intelligence terms, leaders must reduce perceived downside, increase clarity, and make learning safe.
What leadership style actually works? His emphasis is direct: honesty in difficult situations, plus a clear rationale for change. He can be "very German" in being frank and direct, but he pairs that with structured buy-in and visible modelling of how to communicate with headquarters. He argues that near the customer, the organisation must behave Japanese—language, documents, yen-based business norms—while headquarters discussions sometimes require unusually direct boundary-setting.
How can technology help? In Bauer's domain, technology is not abstract transformation theatre; it is operational leverage. Software workflows, automation, measurement standards (such as colour metrics), and modern service systems can reduce ambiguity and speed decisions. Applied well, digital twins and predictive maintenance concepts can also shift service from reactive "fix it now" pressure to planned reliability—supporting both customer expectations and internal resource planning.
Does language proficiency matter? Bauer implies language is a major accelerator for trust and accuracy. Without Japanese proficiency, leaders rely on interpreters who may lack business judgment, or on English speakers who may not be organisational power players. Language competence improves question quality, speeds nemawashi, and reduces misalignment between intent and interpretation.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Bauer's core lesson is that leadership is bridge-building under uncertainty: earn trust through honesty, reduce fear with a safety rope, and translate between cultures without letting either side become an excuse. In Japan, sustainable performance comes from combining consensus with clarity—bringing people along while still insisting on profitability, accountability, and forward movement.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"The purpose of my business is not only bake and sell, because we are introducing… culture or food habits of France to the Japanese people." "Japanese people don't buy baguettes because they don't know how to eat it." "After twenty shops, I needed to change my mentality to be the new type leaders." "I have responsibility for the life of the workers."
Shu Kimura is the founder of Boulangerie Maison Kayser Japan and a fellow Rotarian. Born into the Kimura family, whose ancestors helped introduce bread-making techniques to Japan via Nagasaki (Dejima) in the 1600s, he chose to build a separate path rather than continue the established family business. He studied law at university, then worked in insurance for six years in market development before deciding to become a baker. He trained in the United States in Kansas, studying wheat science and fermentation chemistry, then worked as a baker at Amy's Bread in New York City. He later went to France to train closely with artisanal baker Eric Kayser living near his home as a private trainee before being invited to become a business partner to bring the brand concept to Japan. Kimura built the company in 2000 and opened the first Japan store in Takanawa in 2001. Over time, he grew the business to dozens of locations across Japan, leading hundreds of employees while navigating Japan's distinctive customer habits, service expectations, and people-management realities.
Shu Kimura's leadership story is a case study in translating a food culture—not merely selling a product—into a market with different habits, assumptions, and decision styles. He entered baking after a first career in insurance, then rebuilt himself through technical study of fermentation and wheat science in Kansas, practical craft in New York, and high-intensity apprenticeship in France. That blend of science, craft, and commercial pragmatism shaped how he approached Japan: with conviction about quality, but equal focus on "how to sell" in a society where bread is often treated as a one-hand snack rather than part of a shared table.
His early strategic insight was not that Japanese consumers disliked baguettes, but that many simply lacked a usage framework. That is a leadership lesson in market education: changing behaviour requires storytelling, context, and repeated micro-demonstrations. Sampling hundreds of baguette slices daily, Kimura used seasonal moments—Christmas and New Year's gatherings—to help customers discover bread as a centrepiece of hospitality. The result was not incremental improvement but a demand inflection point: the product did not change; the meaning did.
As the company expanded, Kimura's definition of leadership evolved in stages: hands-on labour at one to three shops, charisma and founder-driven momentum from four to twenty, and then a deliberate shift from "activist and baker" to architect of systems, accountability, and culture. This transition mirrors a broader Japan leadership truth: scale forces leaders to move from doing to enabling, from individual mastery to organisational capability.
Kimura also highlights a practical contrast between European-style top-down authority and Japan's preference for shared understanding and bottom-up execution. Rather than merely issuing task-level directives, he argues that people in Japan need the whole picture first—the total view—before work can be broken into puzzle pieces. This aligns with consensus dynamics such as nemawashi (pre-alignment) and ringi-sho (circulating approval), where clarity of purpose and social alignment can matter as much as speed. In an uncertainty-avoidant environment, trust is built through repeated communication: purpose, targets, role clarity, and recognition systems that show personal growth.
Technology appears in his leadership thinking not as novelty, but as operational resilience—sales planning, ordering, loss control, and cross-application data transfer. The strategic point is decision intelligence: reducing waste and stabilising performance through better signals, with the potential to build digital-twin-like visibility into demand, production, and staffing over time. Yet Kimura remains grounded: culture, education, and human motivation are the levers that keep quality consistent across many locations.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Kimura frames Japan as a context where leadership effectiveness depends on shared understanding, not merely authority. He contrasts European "boss is boss" top-down control with a Japanese style that works better when leaders explain the total view of the company first, then break it down into actionable pieces. In practice, that means investing heavily in communication of purpose, targets, and role boundaries—an approach consistent with consensus-building patterns such as nemawashi and ringi-sho.
Why do global executives struggle? He implies the struggle often comes from applying familiar command-and-control habits in a market that expects alignment, context, and relationship-based coherence. Leaders who only provide "do this, do that" instructions may fail to create commitment. Without the larger narrative—why the work matters—people drift, and brand consistency erodes across locations.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Kimura's experience suggests "risk-averse" is often a shorthand for "uncertainty-avoidant." The baguette challenge was not fear of trying something new; it was uncertainty about how to use it. When he taught customers how to eat baguette and anchored it to family occasions, behaviour changed rapidly. The leadership implication: reduce uncertainty with education, examples, and social proof.
What leadership style actually works? He describes a staged evolution: doer-leader at small scale, charismatic founder at mid-scale, then system-builder after twenty shops. The effective style becomes one of delegation with accountability—pushing responsibility down to store and area leaders while reinforcing philosophy and standards through education. Trust is sustained through fair, frequently improved HR systems that recognise growth and provide future pathways.
How can technology help? Kimura points to connected planning for orders and sales, and systems to manage loss control and operational accuracy. He also discusses using systems to support smaller independent bakeries with HR and payroll calculations. This is technology as operational leverage—moving toward decision intelligence and potentially digital twin capabilities—while acknowledging cost constraints and the reality that some AI applications may still be premature.
Does language proficiency matter? He treats language as a tool rather than the essence: interpretation can solve comprehension, but the substance of what a leader communicates is decisive. In other words, clarity of message, philosophy, and intent carries more weight than linguistic perfection.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? For Kimura, leadership is responsibility for people's livelihoods: failure affects hundreds of jobs, not just the founder's personal assets. That sense of stewardship drives his focus on communication, education, continuous system improvement, and the creation of a "happy life with bread" shared by bakers, shop staff, and customers alike.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture.
He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"I listen and I also am always very transparent." "Who cares about what people think about me?" "If my boss, my future boss, thinks that I'm capable, I must be." "Leadership is really defining where we're going, whether it's the end state or whether it's a goal."
Mika Matsuo is a Japan-based executive and former AIG Japan CHRO known for repeatedly stepping into unfamiliar roles and delivering change. Born and raised in Japan but educated in an international school environment in Yokohama, she took an early decision to build a global career, studying at Tufts University in Boston and completing an MBA at the University of San Francisco. She began her career at Citibank Japan during the build-out of its retail business, where exposure to strong, international leaders shaped her standards for integrity, preparedness, and opportunity-taking. After earning Six Sigma Master Black Belt credentials, she moved into an internal consulting role at JPMorgan Chase during the post-merger integration period, then joined Tokyo Star Bank as Head of HR without prior HR experience—learning labour law, restructures, and culture change in real time. She later expanded her scope as Head of HR for Asia Pacific at Moody's and returned to Tokyo Star Bank to lead the retail business, navigating crisis leadership after the March 2011 earthquake. She joined AIG to help integrate AIU and Fuji Fire & Marine, later serving nearly a decade and attributing successful integration to clear leadership direction and a "build a new company" mindset. Today, she contributes through board and advisory work, drawing on a career defined by adaptability in Japan's complex corporate environment.
Mika Matsuo's career arc reads like a deliberate challenge to the usual Japanese corporate script: international education, overseas degrees, and then a sequence of high-stakes roles where she often began as an outsider to the function, the business line, or both. Rather than treating those gaps as liabilities, she used them as leverage—asking questions early, leaning on strong teams, and creating trust through transparency. The result is a leadership style that is calm under uncertainty, candid about limitations, and built around listening as a strategic discipline rather than a soft skill.
Her formative years in global finance gave her two lasting advantages. First, mentors who rewarded capability over status helped her internalise a belief that many professionals—especially women—struggle to adopt: if the organisation has decided she can do it, she can. Second, she saw how quickly culture shifts when leaders normalise openness, practical delegation, and continuous learning. Those lessons mattered most when she moved into Japan's banking transformation era, where legacy norms around hierarchy, gender expectations, and "we've always done it this way" thinking still dominated.
At Tokyo Star Bank, she helped introduce practices that would be routine in many gaishikei firms but were disruptive inside a traditional Japanese bank context—removing women's uniforms, supporting spousal transfers to preserve women's careers, and encouraging leave for study and volunteering. The aim wasn't cosmetic modernisation; it was building a more transparent, sustainable system that could attract and retain talent. That commitment to sustainability becomes a recurring theme in her advice: organisations that still depend on extreme overtime, weekend obligations, and performative busyness are not structurally built for the future workforce Japan needs.
A defining moment of her leadership development came during the March 2011 earthquake response, when she saw high-performing teamwork replace individual heroics. With a Sendai branch that had to reopen under Ministry of Finance expectations, her role shifted to decision-making, prioritisation, and supporting a team that was independently executing critical actions. That experience reinforced her belief that leadership is not doing everything—it is creating clarity, building trust, and letting capable people run.
Across roles—from HR transformation to business leadership to post-merger integration—she returns to the same core: authenticity paired with respect, vulnerability as a trust-builder, and an open mind that actively checks bias. In Japan, where consensus-building (nemawashi) and formal approval flows (ringi-sho) often shape outcomes, her approach offers a practical bridge: respect the process, accelerate it through clarity, and build followership by being transparent about goals, trade-offs, and constraints.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is uniquely shaped by the need for trust, respect, and collective alignment. Decision-making often relies on consensus-building through nemawashi and formal pathways such as ringi-sho, meaning leaders must manage time, stakeholders, and expectations while maintaining harmony. Matsuo's emphasis is that respect for Japanese ways of doing business is non-negotiable, but understanding the process helps leaders make it faster and more effective once they know how the pieces fit together.
Why do global executives struggle? Global executives often struggle because they misread capability through the lens of English fluency and underestimate how much "invisible coordination" is happening beneath the surface. They may also push for rapid decisions before alignment has formed, mistaking slower Japanese pacing for resistance. Matsuo's warning is blunt: don't be deceived by language skill, and don't accept "not possible in Japan" as a default answer—often it means someone simply doesn't know how to do it legally, respectfully, and in an organised way.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan is frequently labelled risk-averse, but a more accurate framing is uncertainty avoidance. Leaders may appear cautious because they are working to reduce ambiguity and prevent downstream disruption. Once a decision is made, execution can move quickly—especially if the leader has done the groundwork to secure buy-in.
What leadership style actually works? The leadership style that works is clarity plus trust. Matsuo's playbook is listening deeply, being transparent (including about personal constraints), and staying respectful regardless of personal affinity. She also models vulnerability—admitting what she doesn't know, asking teams to teach her, and reframing "not knowing" as a normal condition in modern complex work.
How can technology help? In environments overloaded with information and stakeholder constraints, technology can support better leadership decisions by improving visibility and scenario planning. Approaches such as decision intelligence can help leaders prioritise key risks and opportunities, while tools like digital twins can model operational impacts before changes are rolled out—reducing uncertainty and supporting consensus-building without relying on endless meetings.
Does language proficiency matter? Language helps, but it is not decisive. Making the effort can signal commitment, and language learning can accelerate cultural understanding, but many successful leaders in Japan remain effective without high Japanese proficiency. The critical requirement is respect for culture, discipline in stakeholder management, and the ability to avoid confusing language ability with professional capability.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Leadership is defining the destination clearly and moving the whole team along a believable path. Whether leading from the front or supporting from behind, the leader's job is to simplify the goal, align the top team, and create the conditions for the organisation to move together—especially in times of uncertainty.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"I think curiosity is very important. When you're curious about something, you listen." "You have to be at the forefront, not the back. You can't, hide behind and say, 'hey, you know, guys solve it', right?" "When they trust you, beautiful things happen." "Ideas are welcome. You know, ideas are free. But it's got be data driven."
Tomo Kamiya is President Japan at PTC, a company known for parametric design and CAD-driven simulation that helps engineers model, test, and refine complex products digitally before manufacturing. He began his career in sales at Bosch, covering Kanagawa and Yamanashi with a highly autonomous, remote-work style that was ahead of its time, learning early that trust and relationship continuity—not brand alone—move outcomes in Japan.
He later joined Dell during its disruptive growth era, moving from enterprise sales into marketing and broader regional responsibility, including supporting Korea marketing and later leading the server business, where his team hit number one market share in Japan.
After a short consulting stint connected to Japan Telecom, he joined AMD to grow the business in Japan, then relocated to Singapore to run a broader South Asia remit and strategic customers. He subsequently led a wide Asia Pacific portfolio at D&M Holdings across multiple markets, navigating shifting consumer behaviour as subscription and streaming changed the fundamentals of product value.
That experience led naturally into Adobe during its historic shift from perpetual software to subscription, where he led the Digital Media business in Japan (including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat) for almost a decade. Across this cross-industry arc, he has repeatedly adapted to business model change, regional cultural differences, and the practical realities of leading people in Japan—especially the need to listen deeply, build trust patiently, and step forward decisively when problems hit.
Tomo Kamiya's leadership story is, at its core, a story about compressing complexity—first in products, then in organisations. At PTC, he sits at the intersection of engineering reality and digital abstraction: the ability to take something massive—a ship, an engine, an entire manufacturing system—and "frame" it into a screen so it can be simulated, stress-tested, and improved before any physical cost is incurred.
That same instinct shows up in the way he talks about people and performance. In his earliest Bosch years, he learned that Japan's reliability culture does not eliminate the need for continuous trust-building; even a global brand can stall if the relationship energy disappears. His answer was to create value where the buyer's uncertainty lives—showing up, demonstrating, educating, and, as he put it, "sell myself," because credibility travels faster than product brochures.
That bias for action stayed with him through Dell's high-velocity era, where "latest and the greatest" rewarded leaders who could anticipate market timing and organise teams around speed without losing discipline. Later, running regional remits outside Japan, he saw the contrast between Japan's "no defect" mindset and emerging markets that prioritised pace.
Rather than treat one as right and the other as wrong, he learned to search for the productive middle ground: the discipline that prevents future failure, paired with the pragmatism that prevents paralysis. It is a useful lens for Japan, where uncertainty avoidance and consensus expectations can slow decisions unless the leader builds momentum through listening and clear intent.
In his most practical leadership shift, an executive coach forced a hard look at his calendar: too much time on objectives, not enough time on people. The result was a deliberate reallocation toward one-on-ones, deeper listening, and clearer delegation—creating what amounts to a management operating system that improves decision speed because the leader knows what is really happening.
He sees ideas as abundant but insists that investment requires decision intelligence: data points, ROI thinking, and a shared logic that gives teams confidence to commit. In Japan's consensus environment—where nemawashi and ringi-sho-style alignment often determine whether execution truly happens—his approach is to build trust through presence, make it safe for the "silent minority" to contribute, and then move decisively when critical moments arrive.
Technology, including AI as a "co-pilot," can help leaders think through scenarios and prepare responses, but he remains clear that empathy and execution in the worst moments cannot be outsourced. The leadership standard, as he defines it, is simple and demanding: when things go south, step to the front.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is shaped by trust-building, restraint, and the practical demands of consensus. Even when products are high quality and risk reduction is strong, outcomes often hinge on relationships and continuity. Japan's consensus culture—often expressed through nemawashi and ringi-sho-style alignment—means leaders must invest time in listening, building internal confidence, and demonstrating respect for the context that teams and customers protect.
Why do global executives struggle? Global executives often arrive with a headquarters lens and try to "fix" what looks inefficient before understanding why it exists. When they change processes or people without learning the customer rationale, they trigger resistance and lose credibility. The gap is not intelligence; it is context. Japan requires deliberate time in the market and inside the organisation to decode what is really being optimised—often customer trust, stability, and long-term reliability. Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Japan can appear risk-averse, but much of the behaviour is better described as uncertainty avoidance. The goal is to reduce surprises and protect relationships, not to avoid progress. Kamiya's early sales experience shows that buyers will pay for reliability when the cost of failure is high. The leadership challenge is to move forward while lowering uncertainty—through data, clear rationale, and predictable communication—rather than forcing speed without alignment.
What leadership style actually works? The style that works is visible, empathetic, and action-oriented. Trust grows when leaders walk the floor, create everyday touchpoints, and listen in detail—especially because many Japanese employees will not speak up easily. At the same time, Kamiya argues that in critical moments—big decisions, business model shifts, major complaints—the leader must be "at the forefront," not hiding behind delegation. Delegation matters, but stepping forward in the hardest moments is what earns trust.
How can technology help? Technology helps leaders compress complexity and make better decisions. In product terms, simulation and digital-twin style approaches reduce risk by testing before manufacturing. In leadership terms, data-driven thinking improves idea selection, investment confidence, and ROI clarity. AI can function as a co-pilot for scenario planning—offering options and framing responses—but it does not replace human judgement, empathy, or the social work of building consensus.
Does language proficiency matter? Language matters because it shrinks distance. Full fluency may take years, but even small efforts signal respect and closeness, making it easier to build rapport and trust. Language is not just vocabulary; it is an everyday bridge that reduces friction with teams and increases the leader's ability to read nuance—critical in a culture where people may be reserved. What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
The ultimate lesson is that trust is built through time, listening, and decisive presence. Leadership is revealed when trouble hits: the leader who listens, takes action, and stands in front earns durable commitment. Once trust is established, the organisation can move faster—because consensus forms more naturally, delegation improves, and decisions carry less uncertainty.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Leading a team is every time challenging, to be honest." "We need to make a small success every time." "There is no official language of the company. The most important is communication." "It's not if we will do or not. It is how we will do it." "Only people who are not doing nothing are not taking risk."
Benjamin Costa is the Representative Director and Managing Director of La Maison du Chocolat Japan, overseeing a luxury chocolate brand founded in Paris in 1977. Trained in civil engineering, he moved early into action sports retail, becoming a pioneer in European e-commerce and customer trust-building systems during the internet's formative years. After senior roles growing multi-sport retail and online operations in France, he relocated to Japan with his Japanese wife, driven by a long-standing personal connection to the country developed through annual travels over two decades. In 2015, he became General Manager of the French Chamber of Commerce's Osaka office, then co-founded an international business development firm supporting market entry for European and Japanese companies across sectors including luxury, high-tech, culture, and food and beverage. He joined La Maison du Chocolat Japan in January 2020 to lead a strategic transformation—reconnecting with Japanese consumers, strengthening alignment with headquarters, and reshaping internal ways of working—while managing an all-Japanese team as the sole foreigner in the subsidiary.
Benjamin Costa's leadership story in Japan is built on an unusual combination: an engineer's analytical structure, an entrepreneur's appetite for experimentation, and a deep respect for the social mechanics that underpin Japanese workplaces. As Managing Director of La Maison du Chocolat Japan, he is not merely "running the shop"; he is running change—balancing the expectations of a French luxury heritage brand with the uncompromising standards of Japanese customers. His approach begins with a clear premise: in luxury, "not perfect" is still not acceptable. For him, Japan is not a constraint on excellence; it is the benchmark that can lift the whole organisation. If a product, service, or process meets Japanese expectations, he argues, it will travel well globally.
Costa treats trust as an operational asset, not a soft concept. Internally, he speaks about building credibility through "small success every time"—a practical rhythm that mirrors nemawashi and ringi-sho dynamics, where progress is stabilised through incremental validation and consensus. He also recognises that trust must be built in two directions: with the local team and with headquarters. In subsidiaries, he notes, distance and lack of informal contact can weaken confidence and slow decision-making. His solution is to tighten the relationship through evidence, responsiveness, and direct communication between functional experts—so Japan is not an isolated "castle," and headquarters is not an untouchable authority.
He leads with a deliberately flat management style. Ideas can come from anywhere, and he is comfortable letting his original concept be reshaped into something better by the team. At the same time, he rejects the paralysis that can come from over-consensus. When deadlines are short, he reframes the discussion: the debate is not whether to do the project, but how to do it. That combination—openness paired with decisiveness—becomes his method for working with Japan's uncertainty avoidance without letting it harden into inaction.
Risk, for Costa, is inseparable from growth. He encourages experiments, protects people when outcomes are imperfect, and focuses on learning to prevent repeat mistakes. Yet he is also candid: some people thrive in the former business model and struggle to keep pace with transformation. He treats that as fit, not failure. Ultimately, Costa defines leadership as elevating others—creating conditions where the team can move alongside the leader, not behind him, and where capability expands through responsibility, clarity, and shared wins.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Costa emphasises that trust and credibility tend to be earned in small, visible steps. Rather than grand announcements, progress is reinforced through incremental wins that allow people to align safely—an approach closely related to nemawashi and ringi-sho style decision-making, where consensus is built before execution. He also highlights Japan's high expectations for quality and reliability, which shape how teams think about accountability and reputational risk.
Why do global executives struggle? He points to a common clash: headquarters urgency versus local reality. Executives arrive as change agents under pressure to deliver quickly, but Japan's organisational habits—consensus-building, precision, and risk sensitivity—slow the apparent pace. His advice is to listen first, move thoughtfully, then return to HQ with a strong, evidence-based case for what will work and why it will take time.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Costa sees risk aversion as real, but not absolute. Japan's uncertainty avoidance often expresses itself as a desire for clarity of responsibility and avoidance of public failure. His workaround is to create psychological safety: he takes responsibility for outcomes, reframes "failure" as collective learning, and builds confidence through repeatable wins. Over time, people take more initiative because the consequences feel manageable and fair.
What leadership style actually works? He blends empowerment with selective firmness. He runs flat, encourages ideas from the team, and keeps his door open for long, individual conversations until an agreement is reached. But he also breaks silos by design—treating inventory, priorities, and performance as "one Japan" rather than separate departmental territories. When speed is required, he makes the decision structure explicit: the question becomes "how," not "whether."
How can technology help? Costa is cautious about AI adoption, arguing that tools can save time but still require verification of sources and critical thinking. In practice, leaders can use decision intelligence concepts to improve judgement, scenario planning, and trade-offs, and they can explore digital twins to test operational changes virtually before rolling them out—while still maintaining human accountability for decisions and customer experience.
Does language proficiency matter? He values Japanese ability, but he prioritises communication over perfection. He notes there is "no official language" if the team leaves the room aligned. His experience is that effort matters: speaking Japanese—even imperfectly—invites support, and colleagues often help translate intent into precise business language.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Costa defines leadership as raising others. The leader is not the genius; the leader creates the conditions for strong people to contribute, grow, and own outcomes. The best outcome is a team capable of moving the business forward with confidence—because trust, responsibility, and momentum have been built together.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"If you trust people, your life is very nice."
"The bringing people together with one common objective needs to be carefully thought out and defining the processes very carefully needs to be thought out and don't imagine that the process will be figured out by the people themselves."
"They are looking for a leader who is responsible, who can make the decision."
"Be transparent."
Brief Bio Armel Cahierre is a French-trained engineer who built a multi-country career across R&D, turnaround management, consulting, private equity-adjacent deal work, and consumer retail.
After early technical work in Japan (including R&D exposure through Thomson during Japan's 1980s electronics peak), he returned to Europe for an MBA at INSEAD and moved into industrial leadership roles, taking on high-responsibility turnaround assignments in his late 20s across France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland.
He later helped open a European office for a US firm pioneering semantic analysis for qualitative market research, working with major global brands. That experience led to entrepreneurship in eyewear (ski goggles and sunglasses), a subsequent exit to an Italian group, and executive-level work tied to licensing and Western European markets.
After a period in California doing pre- and post-M&A consulting (including carve-outs linked to the Vivendi break-up), he returned to Japan, became President of Paris Miki, and later pivoted after a Cerberus transaction collapsed on the day of the Lehman shock.
He then founded B4F in Japan, building a members-only, online flash-sales model that sources only through official brand channels and emphasises simplicity of operations, trust, and process discipline.
Armel Cahierre's leadership story, is less a straight line than a sequence of deliberately chosen reinventions anchored by one constant: clarity of purpose and an intolerance for unnecessary complexity. As Founder and President of B4F, he operates a members-only flash sales platform focused primarily on fashion and lifestyle brands, with time-limited sales and controlled visibility designed to protect brand equity.
The proposition is simple for customers and brands alike: members access discounts without prices being exposed to the wider web, and brands clear excess inventory without training the mass market to wait for markdowns. Operationally, the model leans toward discipline—no grey market sourcing, no parallel imports, and minimal exposure to foreign exchange or customs friction by buying and selling in yen.
That preference for simple systems was shaped long before e-commerce. Early in his management career, Cahierre was sent into difficult turnaround situations and learned that the fastest route to recovery often begins with information-sharing and dignity.
In one formative case, he arrived at a unionised boiler manufacturer with a catastrophic defect cycle and discovered frontline employees had never been told the company's true position. Once he made the economics and the problem visible, alignment followed—less because of charisma, more because people could finally see the same "game board".
In Japan, he argues, the same outcomes are possible, but the route is slower and more socially coded. Ideas rarely appear instantly in open forum; trust must be earned, roles must be read correctly, and influence may sit away from formal hierarchy.
Where some foreign leaders push targets and individual incentives, he sees higher leverage in process: process KPIs, well-defined routines, and a shared understanding of "how work is done"—a philosophy that maps cleanly onto kaizen, consensus-building, and the reality that nemawashi often precedes the formal ringi-sho.
He also warns against confusing "culture" with "excuses": claims that "Japan can't do X" frequently hide uncertainty avoidance, fear of accountability, or simple inertia rather than any immutable national constraint.
On technology, Cahierre is pragmatic and a little provocative. If AI is framed as replacing white-collar work, the CEO should not imagine immunity. The agenda, in his view, is training and judgement: equip teams to use AI well (as companies should have done with Excel and PowerPoint years ago), understand where it accelerates work, and retain human decision intelligence where context, responsibility, and ethics matter.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Cahierre frames Japan's leadership challenge as less about "mystical difference" and more about how alignment is formed. Teams often respond best to clearly defined processes and shared routines, rather than blunt target pressure. Consensus is frequently built informally first—akin to nemawashi—before decisions become visible through formal approval mechanics (the ringi-sho mindset), meaning leaders must manage the unseen steps, not just the outcome.
Why do global executives struggle? He sees many global leaders bringing a KPI-and-bonus playbook that freezes people rather than mobilising them. When targets are pushed without an equally clear process map, staff can become defensive, quiet, and risk-minimising—especially in environments where standing out carries social cost. He also calls out a "guru layer" of advice that over-indexes on etiquette and language theatre while ignoring business fundamentals.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? His view is more nuanced: behaviour can look risk-averse, but it often reflects uncertainty avoidance and accountability anxiety. Autonomy can feel like exposure. The leader's job is to reduce ambiguity with system clarity, make responsibility safe, and remove the fear that initiative will be punished.
What leadership style actually works? He advocates clarity-first leadership: leaders must know why they are in Japan, be able to "cover" for head office rather than hiding behind it, and set simple, easy-to-grasp goals. The style is firm on direction, generous on trust, and disciplined on processes. Praise is handled carefully: group praise in public is often safer, with individual recognition delivered in ways that do not isolate the person.
How can technology help? Technology (including AI) is framed as a productivity multiplier when paired with training. Cahierre argues organisations underinvest in capability-building, then pay the price in wasted hours. AI can support decision intelligence, scenario work, and even "digital twins" of operations if used thoughtfully—but banning it is usually counterproductive, especially when younger workers adopt it as a learning partner rather than a shortcut.
Does language proficiency matter? Language and cultural literacy help, but Cahierre's sharper point is that leaders should not let "Japan is different" become a shield for poor execution. Credibility is built more through transparency, consistency, and the ability to explain goals and trade-offs than through performative cultural fluency.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? He returns to trust as a strategic choice. Trust creates speed, openness, and a healthier workplace, even if it occasionally leads to disappointment. Distrust creates paralysis. In Japan especially, he argues that trust must be paired with a simple system: clear rules, clear processes, and a leader willing to be transparent about risks without being ruled by worry.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Leadership is staying ahead of change without losing authenticity".
"Trust is the real currency of sales, teams, and Japan's business culture".
"Zeiss's foundation model is a rare advantage: patient capital reinvested into R&D".
"Japan is less "risk-averse" than "uncertainty-avoidant" when decisions lack clarity and consensus".
"Language is helpful for connection, but not the primary qualification for leading in Japan".
Brief Bio Vincent Mathieu is the CEO of Carl Zeiss Japan, leading a multi-division portfolio spanning semiconductors, medical devices, microscopy, industrial quality solutions, ophthalmic lenses, and imaging optics. Originally from the south of France near the Basque Country, he studied business in Toulouse, then spent several years travelling and working across Morocco, Denmark, Ireland, Chile, and South America—discovering along the way that his core strength was building trust in sales. He first came to Japan in 2001 to launch and grow a new division, learning the realities of hiring, selling, and leading without fluency in Japanese. After returning to Europe for global and country leadership roles—including navigating a corporate receivership in the UK—he was recruited to Zeiss and returned to Japan for a second stint. There, he led a turnaround in the vision care business by rebuilding the team, premium positioning, and distribution strategy, then expanded to broader regional responsibilities before taking the top role in Japan, leading a larger organisation through compliance, regulatory, structural change, and remuneration reform.
Carl Zeiss is often mistaken as "just cameras", yet the company's real gravity sits elsewhere: precision optics, industrial measurement, medical equipment, and the advanced semiconductor ecosystem that powers modern computing. Vincent Mathieu, CEO of Carl Zeiss Japan, uses that breadth as both a strategic advantage and a leadership test—because leading a portfolio business demands credibility across wildly different technical domains, from microscopy used by Nobel Prize-winning researchers to X-ray inspection systems supporting EV battery quality control. He also points to a structural difference that shapes Zeiss's long-term posture: the company operates as a foundation rather than a classic shareholder-led public entity, enabling sustained reinvestment into R&D and the patience required to develop complex innovations that may run at a loss for years before they become indispensable. In semiconductors, that mindset shows up in partnerships and breakthrough optics supporting lithography and EUV pathways tied to ever-smaller chips and AI-era demand.
Mathieu's personal story mirrors the adaptive leadership he advocates. He describes an early uncertainty about career direction, a formative period of travel and "odd jobs", and a gradual shift into commercial roles where trust, not extroversion, became his sales engine. His first Japan assignment was a tough entry: conservative hiring conditions, limited language ability, and the slow build of distributor confidence—where one relationship took years to convert. Returning later via Zeiss, he expected a smoother "global" environment and instead found a familiar friction point: leadership without a shared language, competing internal politics, and the need to earn followership through visible effort. His approach was practical and gemba-oriented—going into the field with salespeople, learning enough Japanese to observe and debrief well, and leading by example rather than relying on title or hierarchy.
In his current role, the leadership challenge is no longer a small turnaround team but a larger organisation navigating regulatory scrutiny, compliance expectations, talent gaps, and a shift from "box-moving" to workflow and digital solutions. He frames Japan's organisational reality as deeply sensitive to trust, transparency, and consistency—especially when change touches taboo areas such as pay. Whether the topic is performance-based remuneration, AI adoption, or organisation redesign, Mathieu returns to the same idea: leadership is change management plus authenticity. The most durable influence, in his view, comes from understanding who the leader is, then showing up coherently—because Japanese organisations may not offer immediate feedback, but they do evaluate whether words and actions match.
Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is uniquely shaped by trust, time, and social proof. Decision-making often relies on nemawashi (pre-alignment), the ringi-sho approval flow, and a preference for consensus that reduces future friction. Feedback can be indirect, and the "real signals" may appear later, after relationships deepen.
Why do global executives struggle? Global leaders often struggle when they arrive expecting predictable "rules" about Japan, or when they assume a corporate title will create followership. Without local credibility, language bridges, and contextual awareness of honne/tatemae dynamics, even good strategies can stall. Impatience can be read as shitsukoi (pushy), yet excessive patience can also lead to inertia—forcing leaders to balance consistency with restraint.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan is frequently labelled risk-averse, but a more useful lens is uncertainty avoidance. When ambiguity is high, organisations increase process and consensus to control outcomes. Once clarity exists—shared numbers, shared logic, shared stakeholders—Japanese teams can execute decisively and at high quality, often outperforming more improvisational cultures.
What leadership style actually works? A field-based, trust-building style works: lead by example, show operational commitment, and invest in relationships. Mathieu's experience suggests credibility is built through visible contribution—being present with customers, coaching sales behaviours, and demonstrating consistency. Authenticity matters: employees may accept difficult change if the leader is transparent, coherent, and reliably delivers on commitments.
How can technology help? Technology helps when framed as decision intelligence rather than novelty. AI tools, automation, and even "digital twins" for process and manufacturing can reduce reporting burden, strengthen compliance, and redirect scarce talent towards analysis and customer value. The warning is "AI for AI's sake": capability must be learned, prompts must be mastered, and use cases must be chosen with discipline.
Does language proficiency matter? Language matters for connection and cultural nuance, but it should not be the primary criterion for leading in Japan. A leader can choose English for clarity at scale—especially when communicating strategy—while still building trust through effort, respect, and selective Japanese usage in day-to-day engagement.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? The ultimate lesson is that leadership is managing change while staying true to oneself. As confidence grows, leaders feel less pressure to perform to other people's expectations and more capacity to act with authenticity. That inner coherence becomes a stabiliser for teams navigating uncertainty, consensus-building, and transformation.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Come as you are works in Japan when leaders are also willing to read the air and meet people where they are".
"Japan isn't as risk-averse as people think; it is uncertainty avoidance and consensus norms like nemawashi and ringi-sho that slow decisions".
"In Japan, numbers are universal, but how people feel about those numbers is where real leadership begins".
"For foreign leaders, kindness, patience, and genuine curiosity are far more powerful than charisma or title".
"Women leaders who embrace their own style, instead of copying male role models, can quietly transform Japanese workplaces".
Joanne Lin is Senior Director, APAC, for Deckers Brands, the American company behind UGG, HOKA, and Teva. Born in Taiwan and raised in Canada, she later completed her MBA at Boston University and began her career in Boston, working in a trading company and then at Merrill Lynch Investment Company. In 2000, she moved to Japan for family reasons and has since built a 25-year leadership career in this complex market.
In Japan, Joanne first held senior finance roles, including Head of Finance for Reebok Japan and CFO for Aegis Media, where she worked on mergers and acquisitions. She joined Deckers over thirteen years ago as CFO for Japan and was later asked to step in as interim Country Manager for Deckers Japan. Today she is back in an APAC-wide role, responsible for finance and strategy across 15 markets, including Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. Her remit covers subsidiaries and distributor markets alike, requiring constant adaptation across cultures.
Throughout her journey, Joanne has learned to reconcile a direct, North American style with Japan's more implicit, consensus-driven culture. Often mistaken for Japanese because of her appearance, she calls herself the "invisible gaijin", using that ambiguity to observe carefully, read body language, and bridge cultural expectations. Her leadership story is one of resilience, curiosity, and the quiet confidence to lead as herself in a country that often expects conformity.
Joanne Lin's leadership journey began far from Japan. Born in Taiwan and raised in Toronto, she grew up immersed in North American directness, meritocracy, and straight-talking feedback. After completing an MBA at Boston University, she started her career in Boston, first at a trading company and then at Merrill Lynch Investment Company, building a strong foundation in finance. Numbers, ratios, and cash flows were her native business language long before she ever heard the phrase kūki o yomu — "reading the air" — in Japan.
In 2000, she moved to Japan for family reasons, expecting to build a career but not realising how deeply the culture would challenge her assumptions about leadership. She entered the corporate world here without Japanese language skills and without local experience. Physically, many colleagues assumed she was Japanese, or at least of Japanese descent, and treated her accordingly. She jokes that she became an "invisible gaijin": expected to understand unspoken rules despite never having grown up with them.
Early on, she discovered that in Japan, silence often speaks louder than words. Concepts akin to nemawashi — the quiet groundwork of building consensus before meetings — and the unspoken pressure to align with the group meant that decisions rarely came from a single, charismatic leader. Instead, she had to watch faces, posture and micro-reactions around the table. While she came from an environment where people said "yes" or "no" clearly, in Japan phrases like "I'll think about it" could mean "no" 80% of the time. Learning to interpret these signals became as important as reading the P&L.
Her career advanced steadily through senior finance roles: Head of Finance for Reebok Japan, CFO for Aegis Media leading M&A, and later CFO for Deckers Japan. Over thirteen years at Deckers, she helped steer the growth of brands such as UGG and the fast-rising performance brand HOKA in one of the world's most competitive footwear markets. Eventually, she was asked to serve as interim Country Manager for Deckers Japan, an opportunity that tested her ability to go beyond numbers and lead entire functions including sales, marketing, HR and retail.
Joanne's leadership philosophy is grounded in being genuine and transparent. She believes in explaining the "why" behind decisions, giving context, and aligning people rather than simply seeking agreement. She spends time helping non-finance colleagues understand what gross margin, discounts and operating income mean in practical terms, translating finance into everyday language rather than using it as a gatekeeping tool.
Engagement surveys, where Japan often scores modestly compared with global benchmarks, have been a recurring theme in her work. Rather than blaming culture, she looks at how questions are worded, how norms shape responses, and then uses those insights to design practical remedies — from "lunch and learn" sessions to cross-functional gatherings and new-joiner lunches with senior leaders.
As a woman leader, Joanne has wrestled with impostor syndrome yet chosen to step forward anyway. She sees many high-potential women in Japan holding back, waiting to be "perfect" before raising their hand. Her message to them is clear: trust yourself, recognise your natural strengths in communication and empathy, and accept that no leader — male or female — is ever fully ready. In the end, her story is about blending global experience with local nuance, leading with kindness and clarity, and proving that one can honour Japanese culture while still bringing a distinct, authentic leadership style to the table.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
For Joanne, leadership in Japan is defined by what is not said. The real meeting often happens before and after the official meeting, through nemawashi, where stakeholders quietly shape outcomes. In the room, kūki o yomu — reading the air — is critical: leaders must observe body language, side glances and subtle hesitations to interpret what people truly think. Formal tools like ringi-sho workflows, built on stamped approvals and consensus, reinforce a collective approach to decision-making. Japanese employees often assume the leader should already know their needs without them having to say it. That expectation of intuitive understanding, combined with a strong norm of harmony, makes empathetic listening and patience indispensable leadership skills.
Why do global executives struggle?
Global executives often arrive with a Western template: clear targets, rapid decisions, direct feedback. In Japan, that can clash with a culture that prizes stability, seniority and group consensus. Leaders may misinterpret indirect communication as indecisiveness or lack of ambition, when in fact people are carefully weighing the impact on the group. Engagement surveys then show Japan at the bottom of global rankings, and headquarters misreads this as disengagement, rather than a reflection of conservative scoring norms. Many foreign leaders also underestimate how much time must be invested in trust-building, one-on-one conversations, and slow-burn relationship work before people feel safe to share ideas or challenge the status quo.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Joanne sees Japan as more uncertainty-avoidant than risk-averse in the pure financial sense. As a finance professional, she knows that commercial risk can be quantified — through scenarios, ratios and forecasts. But in Japan, the social and reputational risks loom equally large: who will be blamed if this fails, what will it do to group harmony, how will customers react? These uncertainty factors slow decisions more than the numbers themselves. Leaders who introduce tools like decision intelligence platforms, scenario simulation or even digital twins of supply chains can help Japanese teams see risk in a structured way, reducing the emotional fear around uncertainty and making experimentation feel safer.
What leadership style actually works?
The style that works for Joanne is grounded in transparency, modesty and consistency. She leads by example, explaining not only what must be done, but why, and what it means for individuals and teams. She tries to give her people "airtime", resisting the urge — common to many finance leaders — to jump straight to the solution. In practice, that means listening to ideas without immediate judgement, thanking people publicly for their input, and celebrating small wins as much as big milestones. She maintains high standards but increasingly recognises that not everyone should be held to the same work rhythm she sets for herself. Alignment, not forced agreement, is the goal: people may disagree but still commit to the path once they feel heard.
How can technology help?
Technology, in Joanne's world, is not just about efficiency; it is a bridge between data and human behaviour. Advanced analytics, dashboards and decision-support tools can make trade-offs between margin, volume and investment more tangible for non-finance teams. AI-driven text analysis of engagement comments can surface themes that traditional surveys miss, helping leaders understand sentiment behind Japan's modest scoring patterns. Scenario modelling and digital twins of operations can turn abstract risks into concrete options, making it easier for consensus-driven teams to move forward. At its best, technology supports nemawashi by giving everyone a shared, data-informed picture, rather than replacing dialogue.
Does language proficiency matter?
Joanne arrived in Japan with no Japanese language ability and was forced to become an intense observer of body language and context. That experience convinced her that leadership is possible without fluency — but far more sustainable with it. Learning Japanese shows respect, reduces distance, and makes informal conversations and humour possible. Even basic proficiency helps leaders understand nuance in ringi documents, hallway chats, and customer feedback. She encourages foreign leaders to invest in language learning not as a checkbox, but as a signal of commitment to the market and to their teams.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
Her core lesson is simple yet demanding: be kind, be open, and be yourself. Leaders should stop expecting perfection from themselves and from others, especially in a country where external shocks like currency swings, tariffs and pandemics can derail even the best-laid plans. Instead, they should focus on doing their best, communicating clearly, and treating people with respect. For women leaders especially, Joanne's message is to step forward even when self-doubt whispers otherwise — to recognise that their strengths in empathy, communication and cultural sensitivity are not "soft" add-ons but central to effective leadership in Japan. In the long run, success here is less about heroics and more about steady, human-centred leadership that people genuinely want to follow.
Timecoded Summary
[00:00] The conversation opens with an introduction to Deckers Brands, the American company headquartered in Santa Barbara and best known in Japan for UGG, HOKA and Teva. Joanne explains that Deckers historically functions as a holding-style company, acquiring and growing footwear brands, and that Japan is a key market where three major brands are active. She outlines her current role as Senior Director, APAC, overseeing finance and strategy across 15 countries, including both subsidiaries and distributor markets.
[05:20] Joanne traces her career arc: Taiwanese by birth, raised in Canada, MBA from Boston University, then finance roles in Boston with a trading company and Merrill Lynch Investment Company. In 2000 she relocates to Japan for family reasons, later becoming Head of Finance for Reebok Japan and CFO for Aegis Media, working on M&A. She joins Deckers over thirteen years ago as CFO for Japan and eventually steps into an interim Country Manager role, before returning to a wider APAC mandate based in Japan.
[12:45] The discussion shifts to cultural adjustment. Because she "looks Japanese", colleagues initially assume she understands Japanese norms. She describes becoming an "invisible gaijin", held to local expectations without having grown up here. She learns to read the air, focusing on facial expressions, body language and context. Phrases like "I'll consider it" often conceal a "no", and she gradually becomes adept at interpreting such indirect communication. Her direct North American instincts must be tempered by Japanese expectations for restraint and harmony.
[19:30] Finance and human reactions to numbers come into focus. Joanne notes that while sales, gross margin and SG&A appear objective, different functions interpret them in varied ways: finance may celebrate high margins while sales may worry they are under-investing. She stresses the importance of explaining financial concepts in simple terms, almost as if speaking to a 10-year-old, so that everyone can understand consequences. Her temporary shift from CFO to GM broadens her empathy for non-finance views and deepens her appreciation for cross-functional tension.
[26:10] Attention turns to team engagement and communication. Japan's engagement survey scores routinely trail global averages, a pattern she attributes partly to cultural modesty and translation issues. Instead of accepting low scores as fate, she focuses on post-survey action: leaders are asked to talk openly with teams, understand expectations, and co-create remedies. Concrete initiatives such as "lunch and learn" sessions and new-joiner lunches with directors help break silos, humanise leadership and create informal nemawashi-like spaces where people can ask questions and share concerns.
[33:40] Joanne discusses culture-building under the umbrella of Deckers' "Come as you are" value. She supports self-expression — even store staff in gender-fluid fashion — as long as it's tasteful and customer-appropriate. Her own leadership style is to be genuine, transparent and open about vulnerabilities. She balances the efficiency of top-down directives with the long-term benefits of participation: while consensus-building and alignment take time, they reduce turnover, re-training costs and disengagement.
[40:15] Gender and leadership come into sharper focus. Joanne recounts her own bouts of impostor syndrome and the temptation, earlier in her career, to doubt her readiness for bigger roles. She notes that many women hesitate to raise their hands until they feel almost 100% qualified, while men may step up with far less. She encourages aspiring women leaders to recognise their strengths in empathy and nuanced communication, to "give it a try" even when not fully confident, and to view setbacks as learning rather than final verdicts.
[47:30] The interview closes with advice for foreign leaders coming to Japan. Joanne emphasises being open, respectful and kind — to oneself and to others. She urges leaders to accept that Japan's deep-rooted culture will not change in a short posting, and that success depends on adapting rather than trying to remodel the country. Learning Japanese, even imperfectly, is both a sign of respect and a practical tool for building trust. Ultimately, she argues, effective leadership in Japan is about balancing data and humanity, global standards and local nuance, ambition and empathy.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
Deliver the win, then ring the bell.
Make small mistakes fast; make big learnings faster.
Think global, act local — but don't go native.
Do the nemawashi before the meeting, not during it.
Your salary is earned in the stores: go to the gemba.
A 28-year Domino's veteran, Martin Steenks began at 16 as a delivery expert in the Netherlands. He rose to store manager, multi-unit supervisor, then franchisee, building his operation to eight stores by 2019. After selling his stores, he became Head of Operations for Domino's Netherlands, then CEO of Domino's Taiwan in 2021, and subsequently CEO of Domino's Japan. Previously he was Chief Orchestrator in Japan, focusing on operational excellence, culture, and scalable execution in one of Domino's most exacting service markets. He is known for hands-on store work, cross-training, "Friday F-Up" learning rituals, the Grow & Prosper bell for micro-wins, and quarterly "Go Gemba" days that connect HQ functions with frontline realities.
Martin Steenks' leadership arc runs from a three-minute job interview at 16 to orchestrating Domino's Japan — one of the brand's most demanding markets for service quality. The connective tissue is execution discipline: he has run stores, supervised regions, built and exited an eight-store franchise, owned national operations, and led two country P&Ls. That breadth gives him pragmatic empathy for franchisees and HQ alike, which he leverages to align incentives, simplify operations, and insist that every back-office salary is ultimately "earned in the stores."
Japan sharpened his leadership. Coming from low-context, fast-moving Dutch and Australian business styles into high-context Japan, he learned that meetings signalling agreement can still stall without prior nemawashi — the groundwork with middle management and other stakeholders. He now invests in pre-alignment, translating intent into culturally legible action: fewer big-room debates, more quiet lobbying, more ringi-sho style consensus building for irreversible decisions, and a clear bias to test-and-learn for reversible ones. Rather than trying to "change the culture," he adjusted himself — becoming more patient while preserving speed by separating decision types and sequencing alignment before action.
His operating system is human and tangible. He set a weekly rhythm of learning with a "Friday F-Up" session, where leaders share mistakes and what was learned — a radical move in a high uncertainty-avoidance culture. He celebrates micro-wins with the Grow & Prosper bell to make progress visible, sustaining morale during long transformations. He bridged HQ–store gaps with Go Gemba: each quarter, every function works a store shift; IT discovers why a workflow fails at the point of sale, marketing sees campaign friction at Friday night peak, finance hears cost-to-serve realities. He personally worked in stores four to five days a month, especially during crunch periods like Christmas, leading by example and rebuilding trust through competence.
Marketing localisation is equally pragmatic. Deep discounting can signal poor quality to Japanese consumers; "customer appreciation weeks" preserve value perception while rewarding loyalty. Community building is pushed to the store level — managers engage local clubs and schools to turn footfall into fandom. Cross-training makes delivery experts confident product explainers at the door, restoring a human touch in a world where >90% of orders arrive online.
Ultimately, Steenks' playbook blended cultural fluency with decision intelligence. He aligned stakeholders through nemawashi, codified learning rituals, chose language and campaigns that respected local signals, and keeps strategy tethered to the edge where pizzas are made, boxed, and delivered hot. The title "Chief Orchestrator" wasn't just whimsy; in a business of many specialists, he conducted tempo, harmony, and timing — the difference between noise and music.
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Japan's high service standards and high-context communication demand leaders who are both exacting and empathetic. Success depends on pre-work: nemawashi with middle managers, thoughtful ringi-sho style consensus for high-impact choices, and visible demonstrations of respect for the frontline. Uniforms (like Domino's iconic race jacket for store managers) and rituals create shared identity that motivates in a group-oriented culture.
Why do global executives struggle? Low-context leaders often misread meeting "yeses" as commitment. Without groundwork, nothing moves. Impatience backfires in high uncertainty-avoidance environments; public criticism shuts people down. Leaders must separate reversible from irreversible decisions, secure alignment offline, and then move decisively. They should also avoid copy-pasting global marketing: in Japan, steep discounts can be read as "lower quality," eroding trust.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan is less risk-loving than many markets, but teams will take smart risks when safety and learning are explicit. Stanks normalises small, fast experiments, celebrates micro-wins, and protects people when bets misfire. This reframes risk as controlled uncertainty with upside — a shift from avoidance to improvement.
What leadership style actually works? Lead from the front and the shop floor. Work stores every month. Tie HQ metrics to store impact. Use rituals — Friday F-Up, the Grow & Prosper bell — to institutionalise learning and momentum. Celebrate teams more than individuals, and praise privately when cultural norms warrant it. Think global, act local, but don't "go native": retain an outsider's clarity about pace and standards.
How can technology help? Digital tools amplify decision intelligence when paired with gemba reality. Store-level dashboards, route optimisation, and digital twins of peak-hour operations can test scenarios before rollouts; telemetry from ovens, makelines, and delivery routes can reveal bottlenecks that nemawashi then resolves across functions. Tech should reduce operational complexity, not add it.
Does language proficiency matter? Fluency helps, but intent matters more. Demonstrating effort — basic greetings, store-floor Japanese, and culturally aware email etiquette — earns trust. Tools that translate bidirectionally unlock participation, but leaders still need to read context and invest time with the middle layer.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Do the cultural homework, orchestrate alignment before action, and keep your hands in the dough — literally. When people see you respect their craft, protect their learning, and tie strategy to execution, they'll go all-in.
Timecoded Summary [00:00] Origin story: hired at 16 as a delivery expert in the Netherlands; stayed through school; first — and only — job interview; early leadership as store manager, then multi-unit supervisor. [05:20] Entrepreneurship chapter: buys a struggling store; builds to eight locations with his wife's support; sells in 2019 to become Head of Operations for the Netherlands, trading entrepreneurial freedom for strategic impact. [12:45] Asia leadership: becomes CEO Taiwan in 2021, then moves to Japan; discovers that despite common Domino's DNA, markets differ; Japan's service bar is the highest. [18:10] Cultural recalibration: early meetings show apparent agreement but slow follow-through; learns nemawashi and middle-layer alignment; patience becomes a leadership muscle; adopts "Chief Orchestrator" title to reflect cross-functional reality. [24:00] Store-first operating system: cross-training (makeline ↔ delivery ↔ service); >90% of orders online makes the delivery interaction critical; community outreach by store managers; hands-on leadership with 4–5 store days per month and peak-period shifts. [31:30] Learning rituals: Friday F-Up meeting reframes failure as fuel; Grow & Prosper bell celebrates micro-wins to sustain momentum; public recognition calibrated to cultural comfort; Domino's manager jacket signals identity and pride in Japan. [38:05] Marketing localisation: avoid pure discounting (quality signal risk); position as "customer appreciation"; test premium, limited campaigns; keep operations simple for peak. [43:20] Bridging HQ and field: quarterly Go Gemba embeds IT/Finance/HR/Marketing in stores; internal surveys (anonymous) surface issues; visible follow-through flips scepticism to trust. [49:40] Leadership philosophy: lead by example, protect experimenters, separate reversible vs irreversible decisions, and use decision intelligence (telemetry, digital twins) to derisk change while moving faster.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Care and respect aren't slogans; they're operating principles that shape decisions and client experiences". "Lead by approachability, using nemawashi-style one-to-ones to draw out quieter voices and better ideas". "Calm, clarity, and consistency beat volume; emotion never gets to outrank the message". "Consensus isn't passivity—done well, it's disciplined alignment that accelerates execution". "Confidence grows by doubling down on strengths, seeking honest feedback, and empowering the team".
Akiko Yamamoto is the President of Van Cleef & Arpels Japan, leading the French maison's jewellery and watch business in a market it has served for over fifty years. She began her career at L'Oréal Japan, spending twelve years in marketing across brands including Kérastase, Helena Rubinstein, and Kiehl's, ultimately managing multi-brand teams. Educated in Japan with formative childhood years in the United States, she later completed a master's degree at the University of Edinburgh. Having led primarily in Japan, she now manages a multicultural team, drawing on international exposure, bilingual communication, and deep local insight to harmonise global brand culture with Japanese expectations.
Akiko Yamamoto's leadership story is anchored in a simple premise: people follow leaders they can trust. That trust, she says, is earned through care, respect, and steady examples—not declarations. After a foundational run at L'Oréal Japan, where she learned the rigour of brand building and the mechanics of marketing leadership, Yamamoto stepped into the jewellery and watch world at Van Cleef & Arpels. There, she refined an approach that blends global standards with local nuance, ensuring the maison's culture of care resonates in Japan's relationship-driven marketplace.
Her leadership style is deliberately approachable. Rather than "planting the flag" at the summit and expecting others to follow, she prefers to climb together, side-by-side. In practice, that means creating psychological safety, inviting dissent early, and spending time—especially one-to-one—to surface ideas that might be lost in large-group dynamics. She embraces nemawashi to build alignment before meetings, recognising that consensus in Japan is less about avoiding risk and more about creating durable commitment.
Yamamoto's calm is a strategic asset. She is explicit that emotion can crowd out meaning; when leaders perform anger, the message gets lost in the display. In a culture where visible temper can be read as immaturity, she chooses composure so that the content of decisions remains audible. When missteps happen—as they do—she follows up, explains context, and converts heat into learning. The aim is not perfection but progress with intact relationships.
For global leaders arriving in Japan under pressure to "turn things around," she recommends two immediate moves: become intensely reachable and cultivate a few candid truth-tellers who will share the real story, not just what headquarters wants to hear. Language helps, but fluency isn't the barrier; respect is. A handful of sincere Japanese phrases, consistent aisatsu, and an evident willingness to listen can narrow social distance faster than chasing perfect grammar.
On advancing women, Yamamoto rejects tokenism yet underscores representation's practical value. Visible female leadership signals possibility; it tells rising talent that advancement is earned and achievable. Her own leap to the presidency required an external nudge, plus a disciplined shift of attention from self-doubt to strengths—past wins, trusted relationships, and demonstrated team outcomes. That reframing, combined with empowerment of capable colleagues, made the role feel both larger and more shared.
Ultimately, Yamamoto treats "client experience first, results follow" as an operating model, not a motto. Decision intelligence—clear context, decisive action, and empathetic execution—converts consensus into speed. In her hands, culture is not a constraint; it's compounding capital.
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Japan prizes harmony, preparation, and earned consensus. Leaders succeed by combining decisiveness with empathy, using nemawashi to socialise ideas before meetings and ringi-sho-style documentation to clarify ownership and next steps. Calm conduct signals maturity; approachability creates safety for frank input.
Why do global executives struggle?
Many arrive with urgency but little social traction. Defaulting to big-room debates and top-down directives can silence contributors and slow execution. The fix is proximity: sustained one-to-ones, visible aisatsu, and a small circle of candid advisors who translate context and sentiment. Uncertainty avoidance exists—but it's often rational; people hesitate when they haven't been invited into the reasoning.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
It's less "risk-averse" and more "uncertainty-averse." When leaders reduce ambiguity—through pre-alignment, clear criteria, and explicit trade-offs—teams move quickly. Consensus done well accelerates delivery because dissent was handled upstream, not deferred to derail execution downstream.
What leadership style actually works?
Approachable, steady, and standards-driven. Yamamoto models care and respect, sets crisp direction, and empowers execution. She avoids theatrical emotion, follows up after tense moments, and insists that client experience lead metrics. Clarity + composure + collaboration beats charisma.
How can technology help?
Technology should reduce uncertainty and amplify learning: shared dashboards that make ringi-sho approvals transparent, lightweight digital twins of client journeys to test service changes safely, and collaboration tools that capture one-to-one insights before group forums. The goal is not more noise but better signal for faster, aligned decisions.
Does language proficiency matter?
Fluency helps but isn't decisive. Consistent courtesy, listening, and reliability shrink the distance faster than perfect grammar. A capable interpreter plus leaders who personally engage—in simple Japanese where possible—outperform hands-off translation chains.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
Lead with care, earn trust through example, and turn consensus into speed by front-loading listening and clarity. Focus on strengths, empower capable people, and keep emotion from overwhelming the message. Do this, and results follow.
Timecoded Summary
[00:00] Background and formation: Early years in the United States, schooling in Japan, master's at the University of Edinburgh. Marketing foundations at L'Oréal Japan across Kérastase, Helena Rubinstein, and Kiehl's; progression from individual contributor to team leadership.
[05:20] Transition to Van Cleef & Arpels: Emphasis on a maison culture of care and respect that maps naturally to Japanese expectations; client experience as the primary driver with sales as consequence. Expanding to lead multicultural teams.
[12:45] Approachability and trust: Building durable followership by remaining accessible after promotion; maintaining continuity of relationships; modelling aisatsu and everyday courtesies to embed culture. Using one-to-ones to surface ideas that large meetings suppress.
[18:30] Calm over drama: The communication cost of anger; how emotion eclipses meaning. Post-incident follow-ups to turn flashes of heat into alignment and learning. Composure as credibility in a Japanese context.
[24:10] Working the consensus: Nemawashi to prepare decisions; ringi-sho-style clarity to memorialise them. Consensus reframed as disciplined alignment that speeds execution once decisions drop.
[29:40] Global leaders in Japan: Close the distance quickly—be reachable, secure truth-tellers, and learn enough Japanese for sincere aisatsu. Don't over-index on perfect fluency; prioritise respect, listening, and visible learning.
[34:15] Women in leadership: Representation without tokenism; the confidence gap; how sponsorship and a focus on strengths help leaders step up. Empowerment as the multiplier—no president wins alone.
[39:00] Closing lesson: Decision intelligence = context + clarity + care. Reduce uncertainty, empower teams, and let client experience steer priorities; results compound from there.
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Get your hands dirty: credibility in Japan is built in the field, not the boardroom". "Bridges beat barriers: headquarters alignment turns local problems into solvable projects". "Make people proud: structured "poster sessions" spark ownership, ideas and nemawashi". "Decisions at the edge: push market choices to those closest to customers, then coach". "Trust travels: clear logic, calm feedback, and consistency convert caution into commitment".
Belgian-born power-electronics engineer turned global executive, Erwin Yseijin leads Semikron Danfoss in Japan with more than three decades across Japan, Germany, and Taiwan. Beginning as a hardware engineer in switch-mode power supplies and motor drives, he joined a Japanese semiconductor firm in Munich in 1989 and relocated to Japan in 1992, learning operations, production planning, quotations, and logistics from the inside. Subsequent leadership roles at Infineon included Japan and a five-year post-merger integration in Taiwan overseeing ~50 R&D engineers and close OEM relationships across PCs, routers, and wireless. After a gallium-nitride startup stint in Dresden, he joined Semikron, later Semikron Danfoss, leading APAC reorganisation, factory consolidation, and a direct-plus-distribution sales model, before becoming Japan President. Fluent in the technical, commercial, and cultural languages of the region, he specialises in aligning headquarters and local teams, and in building pragmatic, customer-led organisations in Japan.
Erwin Yasvin exemplifies the hands-on leader who earns trust in Japan by showing up where problems live. His credo—"get your hands dirty"—is not metaphorical. When customers escalate issues, he goes with sales to uncover root causes and secure head-office commitments on the spot. That credibility shortens cycles in a market where 100% quality is table stakes and where the service "extra mile" extends even a decade beyond a nominal warranty. A European by training and temperament, he learned Japanese corporate practice from the inside in the early 1990s, when multilayered hierarchies still defined decision flow. Rather than railing against the pyramid, he mined its upside: leaders who rise through layers bring practical judgement and empathy for shop-floor realities. Yet he also streamlined speed by bridging headquarters and Japan—translating commercial logic, technical constraints, and customer detail into decisions the field can act on. He builds voice and pride through "poster sessions": monthly forums where team members present customers, markets, wins, and bottlenecks to peers. That design triggers nemawashi—quiet pre-alignment—and fosters cross-functional curiosity. By picking one or two ideas from each session and ensuring execution, he turns speaking up into visible impact. Decision rights sit with those closest to the market. Each salesperson owns one or two verticals—motor drives, wind, solar, energy storage, UPS—with accountability for target customers, competitive intel, product needs, and pricing. Headquarters supports with budgets for samples and after-warranty analysis, signalling trust with money. Where ambiguity or urgency is high—such as the 2022 exchange-rate shock—he decomposes the "working package" into digestible actions, avoiding paralysis. Mistakes are coached privately and framed as leadership accountability: if an error occurred, expectations weren't clear enough. Monthly one-on-ones, written agendas, and evidence-led conversations establish a durable logic chain that travels across language boundaries. Culture-wise, he neither copies a Japanese firm nor imposes a foreign pace. Instead, he articulates values—efficient workdays, transparent processes, skill development—while adapting compensation to local norms through a hybrid bonus model that blends guaranteed and performance-tied elements. Asked how outsiders should lead in Japan, Yasvin stresses credibility, example, and constancy: be present in the hard moments, don't over-promise, and speak in clear, digestible steps. In a country where consensus and detail orientation are prized, leaders win by aligning logic with respect—turning caution into momentum without sacrificing quality.
Q&A Summary
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Japan blends layered hierarchies with high expectations for managers to understand field-level problems. Leaders gain status less by slogan and more by track record. Consensus is built through nemawashi and formalised via ringi-sho, with detail-rich documentation that honours uncertainty avoidance while preserving quality. The upside of layers is decision empathy; the downside can be speed—unless leaders bridge across functions and headquarters.
Why do global executives struggle? Many push headquarters logic without translating it into local realities: customer expectations of zero defects; service beyond written warranty; and process fidelity (e.g., traceability standards) that must integrate into Japanese customers' own systems. Leaders also misread how "pride" shows up—quietly, not publicly—and miss mechanisms (like poster sessions) that let people contribute without confrontation.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Not exactly; it's uncertainty-averse. When leaders clarify the "box" and broaden it gradually, teams will step forward. Decomposing problems (e.g., FX pass-through frameworks) turns ambiguity into executable steps. Decision intelligence—structured data, clear thresholds, defined triggers—reduces uncertainty and enables action without violating quality norms.
What leadership style actually works? Lead by example; be visibly present at customer flashpoints. Push decisions to the edge (market owners), back them with budgets, and coach in private. Use structured forums to surface ideas, then implement a few to prove that speaking up matters. Keep corporate values intact (efficient workdays, skill building) while tuning incentives to local practice.
How can technology help? Operational dashboards that tie customer issues to root-cause analytics, plus digital twins of power-module reliability and logistics flows, elevate conversations from anecdote to evidence. Traceability systems aligned to global standards reduce manual re-entry and delays, while decision thresholds (e.g., FX bands) automate price updates and ensure fair, consistent application.
Does language proficiency matter? Helpful, not decisive. Clear logic, written agendas, data, and diagrams travel farther than perfect grammar. Leaders who frame problems visually, confirm next actions, and close the loop consistently can overcome linguistic gaps, while continuing to study Japanese accelerates trust and nuance.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Credibility compounds. Show up in the hard moments, keep promises small and solid, convert ideas into implementation, and protect quality while increasing speed through better alignment. Over time, trust becomes a structural advantage with customers and within the team.
About the Author
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Leading is easy. Getting people to follow is the hard part". "Listen first; don't pre-decide the outcome". "Japan is a Swiss watch—change one gear and the whole movement shifts". "Do nemawashi before decisions; ringi-sho is the runway, not red tape". "Bring people back to Japan—networks mature with the country".
Chris LaFleur is Senior Director at McLarty Associates, the Washington, D.C. based strategic advisory firm. A career U.S. Foreign Service Officer, he served multiple tours in Japan—including Sapporo, Yokohama language training, and Tokyo in political and politico-military roles—worked on the staff of Secretary of State Al Haig, at the U.S. Mission to the UN, and at the U.S. Embassy in Paris focusing on Asia during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. He later became Deputy Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, returned to Tokyo as Deputy Chief of Mission under Ambassador Tom Foley, and served in Washington as the No. 2 in the Bureau of East Asian Affairs as well as a negotiator on alliance modernisation with Japan and South Korea. He was U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia in the Iraq War era, then Vice Chairman of JPMorgan Japan, and repeatedly served as President and Chairman at the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). Today, he advises global firms on policy, regulatory, and political risk across Japan and the region.
Chris LaFleur's leadership journey tracks the evolution of U.S.–Japan relations and the realities of making decisions inside complex systems. Beginning as a vice consul in Sapporo, he learned that listening precedes leading in Japan. Hokkaidō's standard Japanese, the step-by-step pace of regional life, and daily immersion built linguistic and cultural pattern recognition. That foundation scaled when he rotated through Yokohama language training and the Tokyo Embassy, where politico-military work brought alliance management into focus: with bases, communities, and bilateral policy layered together, decisions were not events but processes requiring consensus and continuity.
Shifting to Washington to staff Secretary Al Haig offered a crash course in how policy gets made, while the UN posting and a Paris portfolio on Asia sharpened his systems view across capitals. Taiwan unlocked dormant Chinese language skills and reminded him that capability compounds with context. Returning to Tokyo as Deputy Chief of Mission under Ambassador Tom Foley, he saw that organisational power is distributed: success hinged on local staff with deep networks, continuity across rotating Americans, and steady, trust-building communication with home offices that wanted speed while Japan required sequence.
As Ambassador to Malaysia during the second Iraq War, LaFleur had to explain and persuade amid public scepticism—learning again that legitimacy is earned by hearing concerns first. Transitioning to the private sector as Vice Chairman at JPMorgan Japan validated a surprising constant: large companies decide like large governments. He expected neat, calculated choices; he found coalitions, trade-offs, and path dependence. The lesson for leaders: map stakeholders, solicit ideas early, and let nemawashi do its work before the ringi-sho formalises momentum.
In consulting today, he helps global executives reframe "risk" in Japan as uncertainty to be worked through with decision intelligence—aligning goals, mapping interdependencies, and testing scenarios before locking in. Japan, he says, is a Swiss watch: its precision is an asset, but every gear is linked. Leaders succeed by respecting that system—sequencing conversations, checking downstream effects, and ensuring consensus is genuine, not assumed. Technology can accelerate this work—digital twins for processes, collaborative platforms for traceable sign-offs—but tools must fit culture. Above all, bring people back to Japan; networks—and trust—rise with time.
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Japan's operating model is sequence over speed. Nemawashi aligns stakeholders in advance; the ringi-sho codifies consensus; and downstream interlocks across compliance, customers, and partners mean details matter before decisions. Leaders must treat decisions as journeys, not moments, and recognise local staff as the critical path to progress.
Why do global executives struggle? Headquarters often assumes top-down approvals equal action. In Japan, meetings with "the top" rarely move the machine unless the working levels are engaged. Foreign leaders also underestimate uncertainty avoidance embedded in tightly coupled processes—the "Swiss watch" effect—so a small tweak can ripple across functions and clients.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? It is more accuracy-seeking than risk-averse. The system prizes predictability because errors propagate widely. What looks like reluctance is often prudent scenario-testing. Reframe risk as uncertainty management: clarify assumptions, run premortems, and build reversible steps that preserve harmony while enabling change.
What leadership style actually works? Listening first. LaFleur emphasises not pre-deciding outcomes and actively soliciting ideas from Japanese colleagues. Credibility grows when leaders translate Japan's logic to HQ (and vice versa), sequence approvals, and sponsor inclusive consensus. Authority helps; empathy and patience deliver.
How can technology help? Use decision intelligence to visualise interdependencies and simulate impacts. Digital twins of processes reveal where approvals, compliance, and client commitments intersect. Collaborative tools can make nemawashi transparent, while structured knowledge bases preserve networks as staff rotate. Tech should speed alignment, not bulldoze culture.
Does language proficiency matter? Fluency amplifies effectiveness but isn't binary. Even partial competence builds sensitivity to context, omissions, and implied meaning. Leaders who grasp how Japanese sentences carry subject and object through context better "hear" what a yes might actually mean in terms of readiness.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Inspire people to move together. Map the system, honour the culture, and turn listening into aligned action. Keep bringing talent back to Japan so relationships mature; in a consensus economy, trust is compounding capital.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
"Listening is easy; listening intently is leadership."
"In Japan, trust isn't a KPI — it's earned through presence, patience, and predictable behaviour."
"Leaders here must be gatekeepers of governance and ambassadors for people, culture, and brand."
"Don't copy-paste playbooks; calibrate the boss, context, and cadence."
"Win hearts first, then heads — only then will ideas and decisions truly flow."
Loïc Pecondon-Lacroix is President and Country Holding Officer (CHO) of ABB Japan, responsible for governance, compliance, and the enabling infrastructure that keeps ABB's Japan entities operating within law, regulation, and internal policy. A French national educated primarily in sales, he built his career as a business controller and CFO across local, regional, and global roles, developing a reputation for process discipline and decision support. Before ABB, he spent a decade in the automotive sector, including senior roles at German powerhouse Mahle, where he moved between France, Germany, China, and Japan. His first Japan posting was as a general manager in the automotive industry; his second brought him back to Tokyo, where — after his spouse's executive opportunity catalysed the move — he was recruited in-market by ABB directly into the CHO role.
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Japan is a high-context, consensus-first environment. Leaders must prioritise nemawashi before ringi-sho, invest in psychological safety, and value presence over performative activity. Engagement is not a survey score but an accumulation of trust signalled by consistent behaviour, calibrated communication, and respect for cadence and etiquette. Decision intelligence here blends informal alignment with formal governance so progress sticks rather than bounces.
Why do global executives struggle? Many arrive with "fix it fast" mandates, underestimate uncertainty avoidance, and over-rely on imported playbooks. They communicate problems upward without solutions and fail to "manage the boss" — i.e., calibrate global expectations to local timeframes. Skipping nemawashi, they trigger resistance, burn political capital, and misread engagement metrics that don't map neatly across cultures.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? It's less risk-averse than uncertainty-averse. Leaders can reduce uncertainty with clearer problem framing, milestones, and prototypes, thereby enabling motion without violating safety and quality norms. The practical move is to de-risk through staged decisions, transparent governance, and strong internal controls — an approach especially congruent with ABB's integrity and compliance culture.
What leadership style actually works? Begin with humility and intense listening, then coach. Win hearts before heads, model the behaviours you seek, and make middle managers masters of feedback and retention. Use direct channels (town halls, internal social platforms) to complement cascades. Choose battles, protect cadence, and be explicit about "why this, why now." Influence beats authority in matrix settings; patience beats bravado.
How can technology help? Internal communities and collaboration platforms create lateral flow so ideas don't stall under middle-management "concrete." Analytics can enrich decision intelligence by signalling hotspots in retention and development. In ABB's domain, digital twins and automation are metaphors for leadership too: simulate options, align stakeholders, then execute with control plans that keep quality and compliance intact.
Does language proficiency matter? Fluency helps but isn't decisive. Context literacy — reading air, watching body language, knowing relationship histories — often yields more truth than words alone. Leaders can operate in English while respecting Japanese protocols, provided they invest in nemawashi, maintain constancy, and avoid breaking trust with premature declarations or unilateral moves.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson? "Win hearts, then heads." Authenticity tempered with empathy, disciplined listening, and careful boss-calibration turns culture from obstacle to engine. When people feel safe and seen, they move — applying for stretch roles, sharing ideas, and compounding organisational capability over long cycles.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
Flowers are a stage — design is the performance.
Affordable mistakes beat catastrophic caution.
Build leaders from the bench you already have.
A shop window can be a growth engine.
Hands-on founders create hands-on cultures.
Danish-born floral designer Nicolai Bergmann built his brand in Tokyo by treating the shopfront as a “stage,” inspiring customers with ready-made designs. After moving to Japan in the late ’90s, a high-visibility boutique and department-store partnership launched the “Nicolai Bergmann” name, later expanded with a Minami-Aoyama flagship featuring a café, gallery, and atelier. He popularized the signature fresh flower box, grew the team to ~250 by developing leaders from the floor and adding specialists, and runs on a philosophy of bold but “affordable” experiments—learning fast without risking the whole platform.
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Japan’s leadership landscape values craftsmanship, visible commitment, and community. A founder who works the market at dawn and serves customers on the shop floor embodies credibility. Beyond hierarchy, leaders earn trust through nemawashi—quiet alignment-building before decisions—and by signalling stability through continuity of people and place. Shopfronts, department-store counters and hotel lobbies are not just sales channels; they are social proof engines where consistency, aesthetics and service fuse into leadership currency.
Why do global executives struggle? Executives arriving with playbooks optimised for speed and centralisation can stall amid Japan’s consensus rhythms. Ringi-sho processes and stakeholder mapping feel slow until leaders learn to use the process to clarify value and de-risk execution. Underinvesting in the “stage”—the customer-visible experience—and overinvesting in back-office abstraction also hurts; in Japan, persuasion is tactile. People want to see, touch and feel the idea before they sign off.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? It’s more accurate to say Japan practices uncertainty avoidance. Bergmann’s career shows that bold moves are welcome when the downside is capped: trial pop-ups before full leases, host-funded fit-outs, and prototypes that can be iterated. The mantra is “affordable mistakes”—push hard, but don’t blow up the platform. Decision intelligence here means structuring experiments so they teach fast without triggering existential losses.
What leadership style actually works? Hands-on, craft-credible and steadily developmental. Leaders who model standards on the floor, grow managers from within, and supplement with targeted specialists (e.g., seasoned CFOs) see durable results. Clear stages—flagship, gallery, high-traffic counters—act as internal academies where juniors learn by doing. Consistency of presence from the top creates momentum that SOPs alone cannot.
How can technology help? Digital twins of store layouts and merchandising flows help prototype seasonal displays before fit-out; simple decision dashboards clarify which experiments are “affordable.” Lightweight collaboration tools support nemawashi across shops, while CRM nudges seasonal outreach. None of this replaces the stage; it amplifies it—turning tacit craft into shareable playbooks without diluting design.
Does language proficiency matter? Yes, but craft fluency and cultural curiosity travel far. Bergmann advanced by showing value on the counter and at installs while improving Japanese over time. A leader who demonstrates respect, learns the tempo, and leverages bilingual lieutenants can navigate ringi, win consensus, and keep teams inspired—even before perfect fluency lands.
What’s the ultimate leadership lesson? Treat every customer-facing surface as a stage; build leaders from the people who already care; and structure your boldness so you never risk the platform. Hands-on credibility + consensus craftsmanship = compounding trust.
Timeless luxury thrives on trust, not transactions.
In Japan, “walk the talk” converts respect into results.
Prepare for 90, execute the final 10 flawlessly.
Curiosity first; conclusions later.
Empathy is the shortcut to nemawashi.
Born in Geneva, Switzerland — the same city where Piaget began — Alexis Perroton started his career at TAG Heuer. At 24, he accepted a “Japan or nothing” posting and arrived without language skills or prior affinity for the country. The culture shock was immediate, but he refused to quit, immersed himself in the language, and built fluency as he learned retail from the shop floor. After four years, he moved to Richemont’s Finance Planning & Analysis team supporting watch maisons and later Cartier, partnering closely with marketing on product performance dashboards. That collaboration paved the way to a leadership shift: he became Head of Jewellery for Cartier Japan during a pivotal rebuilding phase marked by new management, optimism, and local creative freedom.
To broaden his scope and network, Perroton relocated to Cartier’s head office in Geneva, working with the executive committee and coordinating commercial activities across Asia at the height of China’s expansion. He subsequently led marketing and communications across 12 diverse markets in Southeast Asia from Singapore, then moved to Hong Kong in 2015 to oversee Hong Kong & Macau — the largest subsidiary at the time — through a demanding, resource-rich growth period.
Recruited to Piaget by a former Cartier colleague tasked with revitalising the maison, Perroton returned to Japan eight years ago to lead Piaget Japan. Since then, he and his team have delivered strong results across triumphs and setbacks, emphasising client relationships, boutique excellence, and disciplined execution. Across roles in Switzerland, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and back to Japan, his career reflects 18 cumulative years in Japan, a deep commitment to on-the-floor leadership, and the conviction that respect, transparency, and consistency (“walk the talk”) generate trust and performance.
Alexis Perroton’s leadership philosophy is forged from the boutique floor up. He insists luxury is about emotion and human connection, and that leaders must be visible, useful, and humble where the relationship actually forms: in-store. Early in Japan, unable to speak or read the language, he nearly left. Instead, he doubled down, learned Japanese, and used that experience to shape a style that blends Swiss discipline with Japanese trust-building. Over time he moved through finance, marketing, and general management across Asia, all while honing empathy and executional rigour.
Perroton learned that Japanese engagement cannot be read through global dashboards alone. Survey scores trend conservative, but comments are nuanced and often positive; a “5/10” may signify a customer’s desire to keep a brand exclusive rather than dissatisfaction. He rejects international league tables that flatten culture, preferring to mine qualitative feedback and then close the loop visibly so staff see action, not surveys for surveys’ sake. This is classic nemawashi: patiently build consensus and psychological safety before decisions are formalised (ringi-sho), and communicate the “why,” the frame, and the plan.
He is equally clear-eyed on empowerment. Large brainstorming sessions seldom unlock the quiet voices; one-to-one breakfasts and small-group conversations do. He schedules weekly “what I did/what I’m doing” forums so every voice exercises agency. Then he provides structure — owners, milestones, expectations — so ideas survive the off-site and turn into operational work. He understands Japan’s “prepare 90, execute 10” rhythm and harnesses it: meticulous rehearsal (including speeches scripted phonetically in romaji) ensures flawless client experiences.
On technology, he is pragmatic. Luxury e-commerce remains smaller in Japan; clients value brick-and-mortar intimacy, trusted advice, and post-purchase care. Technology supports, but cannot replace, that theatre. Decision intelligence for leaders here means translating data into empathetic action: role-plays at morning chokurei, field coaching, and feedback cadences that respect uncertainty avoidance while still inviting challenge.
Language proficiency matters because it collapses distance. Speaking directly with clients at dinners and events, or packing event crates with staff after hours, signals “same boat” solidarity that no town hall can replicate. It also short-circuits the “expat for three years and gone” scepticism. Resilience, for Perroton, comes from perspective: sleep resets the day; reframe the negative until a constructive path appears. In a market where wealth skews older and relationships are compounding assets, his approach fuses empathy, preparation, and presence — the quiet mechanics of trust that make luxury feel effortless.
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leaders succeed by investing disproportionate energy in trust and preparation. Nemawashi precedes decisions; ringi-sho codifies them; consensus safeguards execution. Staff and clients value “walk the talk” — the leader who shows up at events on weekends, role-plays in morning huddles, and can serve a client in Japanese. Preparation (90) before execution (10) yields the “flawless” client moment.
Why do global executives struggle?
They over-index on global benchmarks and underweight context. Japanese engagement and NPS scales are conservative; comments carry the gold. Translation nuance matters. Without patient listening, one-to-one conversations, and follow-through, ideas die in the gap between off-site enthusiasm and Monday reality.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Japan is uncertainty-averse more than risk-averse. Teams will pursue bold goals once leaders reduce ambiguity: clarify intent, sequence, owners, and safeguards. Meticulous rehearsal de-risks the last 10 percent. Leaders who frame decisions with transparent dashboards and narratives convert caution into commitment.
What leadership style actually works?
Respect, transparency, and consistency. Be reachable, empathetic, and specific. Set frames (who/what/when), then empower execution. Build psychological safety in small groups; invite challenge privately if needed. Model shared labour — from packing crates to greeting clients — to accelerate trust and speed up nemawashi.
How can technology help?
Use technology to enhance, not replace, human theatre. Digital twins of service journeys and decision intelligence dashboards can surface bottlenecks, skill gaps, and best practices. But luxury clients in Japan still choose boutiques for trust, tactility, and tailored advice. Tech should augment coaching (e.g., role-play libraries, analytics), not automate empathy.
Does language proficiency matter?
Yes — it compresses distance and signals respect. Direct Japanese conversations enable richer feedback loops with staff and clients, reduce reliance on filters, and quicken consensus. Even partial fluency, used consistently, advances trust faster than polished slides.
What’s the ultimate leadership lesson?
Curiosity before conclusions. Listen wide, close the loop visibly, and “walk the talk.” In Japan, leaders who pair empathy with structure turn consensus from a delay into a multiplier, sustaining performance through crises and growth cycles alike.
Timecoded Summary
[00:00] Geneva to Ginza: Perroton recounts growing up in Switzerland, joining TAG Heuer, and taking a “Japan or nothing” assignment at 24. Early months are brutally hard — no language, cultural isolation — but he refuses to quit, learns Japanese, and discovers the client-facing heartbeat of luxury.
[05:20] From FP&A to jewellery: At Richemont he partners with marketing on analytics, then becomes Head of Jewellery for Cartier Japan during a renewal period with new management and local freedom. The move proves that cross-functional fluency (finance + marketing) accelerates leadership range.
[12:45] Head office vantage: In Geneva, he coordinates Asian markets as China scales rapidly, building an ex-co network and regional perspective. The exposure to different uncertainty profiles and market maturities seeds his later playbook on framing and consensus.
[18:30] Southeast Asia tour: From Singapore, he oversees 12 heterogeneous markets — mature (Singapore), emergent (Vietnam), culturally complex (Indonesia), Anglo-Saxon (Australia). A small, tight team learns to tailor playbooks without losing brand coherence.
[23:40] Hong Kong & Macau (2015): He leads the largest subsidiary pre-COVID, where resourcing and pressure are equally high. He calibrates “prepare 90, execute 10” at scale, learning that big markets demand both autonomy and disciplined alignment.
[28:10] Piaget Japan: Recruited amid a brand rebuild, he returns to Japan. Eight years deliver wins and setbacks, but the throughline is presence: weekends at events, dinners with clients, and coaching on the floor. He schedules boutique time, blocks calendars, and adapts to two time zones daily.
[34:15] Engagement optics: He critiques comparing Japan’s NPS/engagement to other countries. Scores are conservative; comments reveal loyalty and exclusivity impulses. The fix: translation nuance, qualitative mining, action plans, and visible follow-through — nemawashi in practice.
[40:00] Empowerment engine: Weekly “feedback” meetings make speaking up routine. Small breakfasts surface quieter voices. He supplies frames (owners, timelines) so ideas outlive off-sites. Role-play during chokurei institutionalises learning despite dispersed retail schedules.
[45:35] Digital vs. human: E-commerce is smaller in Japan’s luxury; clients prioritise tactile experiences and trusted advisors. Technology should serve decision intelligence and coaching, not attempt to automate empathy.
[49:50] Resilience & habits: He writes everything down, rehearses speeches in romaji, takes thinking breaks, and resets daily — reframing negatives until a constructive path emerges. The ultimate lesson: curiosity, empathy, structure, and “walk the talk.”
Author Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie “One Carnegie Award” (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban “Hito o Ugokasu” Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan’s Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan’s Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
“Anything that stretches you and makes you grow is never easy.” “In general, to gain trust, the three things that work are humility, curiosity, and authenticity.” “In Japan, you have to move from busy to productive, and from productive to impactful.” “As a leader, you must trust others to be your voice, your interpreter, and your proofreader.” “First and foremost, put your hand up—there’s too much hesitation and self-censoring.”
Dr. Laura Bonamici is the Global Head of Marketing at Fujitsu, based in Tokyo, Japan. Her career has spanned multiple industries and geographies, from consumer goods and luxury fashion to technology, each stage demanding adaptability and reinvention.
Previously she was a Communications Specialist, Embedded PR; Commodity Operations Program Manager, Goldman Sachs; Investment Banking Division, Goldman Sachs; Corporate Marketing Assistant, Drake International-Learning Technologies. She has a Ph.D. from Royal Holloway University of London; and B.A from Universita degli Studi di Firenze.
She has built her reputation on her ability to lead transformation across cultures, guiding teams through periods of uncertainty and change.
In Japan, she has been tasked directly by Fujitsu’s CEO with spearheading marketing transformation, a mandate that challenges her to balance global speed with the local consensus-driven style of decision-making.
Fluent in several languages and deeply committed to cultural immersion, Laura has become known for blending precision with creativity, humility with authority, and long-term commitment with immediate impact. She champions diversity, particularly encouraging women to take leadership roles and pursue international assignments, believing that exposure to different cultures is essential for confidence and perspective.
Today, she continues to refine her leadership approach in Japan’s uniquely complex business environment, guided by authenticity, curiosity, and respect for cultural nuance.
Leadership, for Dr. Laura Bonamici, is a process of constant growth, challenge, and adaptation. As Global Head of Marketing at Fujitsu, she has learned that leadership in Japan is unlike anywhere else in the world: demanding patience, cultural sensitivity, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity.
Upon her arrival in Tokyo, she was tasked by the CEO with driving transformation. Yet, she quickly discovered that while international markets often prize speed and disruption, Japan’s consensus-driven decision-making process values nemawashi (informal groundwork), ringi-sho (formal approval circulation), and a deliberate pace.
Rather than imposing a foreign model, Laura chose to respect the cultural norms while still pushing for meaningful change. This balancing act has required resilience and an appreciation that transformation cannot be rushed.
Trust lies at the heart of her leadership. As a non-Japanese executive, she is acutely aware of perceptions that foreigners may not stay long. To counter this, she invests time in one-on-one interactions, symbolic gestures like delivering speeches in Japanese, and consistent demonstrations of long-term commitment. These actions, while small, become essential trust-building measures that gradually shift perceptions.
Laura’s leadership style is built on humility, curiosity, and authenticity. She believes in asking questions, even in a culture where questioning may be uncomfortable, framing them in ways that show genuine interest rather than criticism. She uses tools such as workshops, Post-it brainstorming, and agile methodologies to encourage open participation and psychological safety.
For her, leadership is not about imposing a style but about weaving together the best aspects of Japanese precision, international innovation, and Fujitsu’s own corporate culture. She also emphasises the need to move from being “busy” to truly “impactful.”
By deliberately carving out time in her calendar for reflection and creativity, she models the behaviours she wants her team to adopt. This philosophy resonates strongly in Japan, where overwork is common but does not always translate to high impact.
For women, she acknowledges both the barriers and the opportunities in Japan. She urges female leaders to “put their hand up” rather than self-censor, and advocates for international assignments to build resilience and global perspective. With Fujitsu’s goal of 30% female leadership, she sees systemic change as gradual but achievable through consistent encouragement and role modelling.
Ultimately, Laura likens leadership to salt: essential when used wisely, overwhelming when misapplied. Her approach, grounded in authenticity and cultural respect, is a reminder that leadership is both an art and a discipline, particularly in the nuanced environment of Japan.
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is shaped by consensus-driven decision-making and cultural expectations of humility and harmony. Unlike markets that prioritise speed, Japan values nemawashi and ringi-sho, where alignment is painstakingly built. For Laura, leadership here requires balancing international urgency with local patience.
Why do global executives struggle? Executives often arrive expecting to implement rapid change, only to find progress feels slow. They underestimate the importance of trust and long-term commitment. As Laura highlights, without demonstrating persistence and cultural respect, leaders may be dismissed as transient.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Rather than being risk-averse, Laura believes Japan exhibits high uncertainty avoidance. Transformation is not rejected but must be managed through careful consensus-building. She frames this as a shift from rushing decisions to ensuring impact, which aligns with decision intelligence principles.
What leadership style actually works? Authenticity, humility, and curiosity are key. Asking questions, even when uncomfortable, models openness and encourages dialogue. Laura avoids imposing a singular “foreign” leadership style, instead blending the strengths of Japanese precision, international innovation, and Fujitsu’s own values.
How can technology help? Laura leverages agile methodologies, workshops, and digital collaboration tools to break down silos and create psychological safety. She believes technology, such as digital twins and agile design frameworks, enables experimentation without fear, helping bridge the gap between speed and consensus.
Does language proficiency matter? Yes, both symbolically and practically. Delivering speeches in Japanese signals respect and commitment. It also reduces the reliance on interpreters, though Laura emphasises trusting interpreters and proofreaders as extensions of leadership.
What’s the ultimate leadership lesson? Leadership, like salt, must be applied with balance. Too much control overwhelms; too little leaves teams directionless. Laura’s ultimate lesson is that leadership is about fostering trust, modelling authenticity, and creating the conditions for impact rather than imposing authority.
[00:00] Dr. Laura Bonamici introduces her leadership philosophy, stressing that anything that stretches and challenges you is never easy. She frames leadership as a balance of authenticity and cultural adaptation. [05:20] Discusses her arrival in Japan and mandate from Fujitsu’s CEO to drive transformation. She quickly identifies the challenge of aligning international speed with Japan’s consensus culture, rooted in nemawashi and ringi-sho. [12:45] Highlights the importance of trust-building as a foreign leader. Shares strategies such as one-on-one meetings, learning Japanese, and consistent presence to counter perceptions of transience. [18:30] Outlines her leadership pillars of humility, curiosity, and authenticity. Explains how asking questions, though culturally uncomfortable, demonstrates genuine interest and encourages dialogue. [25:10] Describes practical tools like workshops, Post-it brainstorming, and agile practices to foster innovation and psychological safety within teams. [32:00] Emphasises the shift from being busy to impactful. She blocks time for reflection and creativity, modelling productive behaviours in contrast to Japan’s culture of overwork. [39:15] Addresses the challenges and opportunities for women leaders in Japan. Urges women to put their hand up, avoid self-censoring, and take overseas assignments to build resilience. [45:00] Concludes with her metaphor of leadership as salt — essential in balance, destructive in excess — encapsulating her philosophy of authenticity, cultural sensitivity, and patience.
Host Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie “One Carnegie Award” (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012).
As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban “Hito o Ugokasu” Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan’s Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan’s Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
“Japan’s strength in rule-based processes has become its weakness in today’s information age.”
“In Japan, leadership succeeds when data removes uncertainty and consensus replaces command.”
“Risk is not avoided in Japan; uncertainty is — and data is the antidote.”
“To lead here, map out every cause and effect until the team sees clarity in the decision.”
“Leaders thrive by respecting tradition first, then carefully opening the door to innovation.”
Evan Burkosky is the Founder and CEO of Kimaru, a Tokyo-based decision intelligence startup helping supply chain leaders use AI-powered digital twins for faster, smarter decisions.
Previously he was Sales Director at Meltwater Japan, Country Manager Japan for Dynamic Yield, CEO of Tourism Builder, Consultant at J. Walter Thompson Worldwide, Business Development Manager at e-Agency Japan, and CEO and founder of Konnichiwa-Japan.
His career arc reflects the adaptability required to succeed as a foreign leader in Japan. Arriving more than two decades ago with the intention of building a seafood import venture, he instead navigated into marketing, technology, and eventually decision intelligence. His journey highlights both the challenges and the opportunities of leadership in a country where consensus, process, and tradition dominate corporate life.
Evan Burkosky’s journey in Japan reflects adaptability, persistence, and the ability to lead in one of the world’s most intricate corporate cultures. He arrived with entrepreneurial ambitions in seafood imports, then pivoted into consulting, marketing, and digital transformation before co-founding Kimaru, a Tokyo decision-intelligence startup that uses AI-powered digital twins to model choices for supply-chain leaders. The platform maps cause and effect, runs permutations, and recommends the best course — a data-driven approach that mirrors Japan’s approvals ritual, the ringi-sho, but at machine speed.
Burkosky argues that Japan’s post-war management strengths — codified rules, painstaking manuals, and consensus routines — now slow responsiveness. What worked on factory floors in the industrial era hinders agility in the information age. Leaders must honour those norms while introducing flexible, analytical decision-making that accelerates progress without eroding trust. He frames nemawashi, the informal alignment process, and ringi-sho as unavoidable realities, but insists they can be supported, not replaced, by decision intelligence.
The core obstacle in Japan is often mislabelled as risk aversion. In fact, the real issue is uncertainty avoidance: once teams can see the variables and likely outcomes, they will embrace bold choices. Data removes ambiguity; probability calms fear. Burkosky’s leadership method is to construct decisions like equations — define assumptions, model scenarios, quantify trade-offs — until stakeholders feel clarity and consent to move.
Trust, however, cannot be commanded. Western “shoot-from-the-hip” decisiveness tends to trigger resistance. In Japan, credibility grows when leaders explain why a proposal fits the rules-based system, show the data, and respect the process. That mix of transparency, patience, and cultural translation builds executive presence and employee engagement.
Language fluency is another multiplier. By opening meetings in Japanese and persisting long enough to establish competence, Burkosky found prospects opened up. He has sold millions of dollars’ worth of software entirely in Japanese, signalling commitment and cultural respect that unlock deeper relationships.
Ultimately, Burkosky defines leadership as being “the example that people willingly choose to follow.” In Japan, that means balancing safety and tradition with methodical innovation; using data to reduce uncertainty; and aligning stakeholders through nemawashi rather than bypassing them. Done well, this approach preserves harmony while restoring speed — and turns Japan’s famed process discipline into a competitive advantage for the digital era.
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Japan’s corporate system prizes rules, manuals, and consensus — legacies of manufacturing excellence that ensured quality but now slow adaptation. Leaders who respect these foundations while introducing analytical speed fare best.
Why do global executives struggle? Top-down authority often fails because stakeholders expect thorough, evidence-rich explanations. Executives must make the logic visible — mapping assumptions, scenarios, and ROI — so that decisions feel safe within the existing framework.
Is Japan truly risk-averse? Burkosky reframes the issue as uncertainty avoidance: when data clarifies outcomes, teams are willing to act decisively. Leaders who quantify probabilities transform “risky” ideas into acceptable bets.
What leadership style actually works? Replace “shoot-from-the-hip” heroics with patient, mathematical storytelling. Explain how the strategy fits the rules-based culture; run the numbers; and secure alignment through nemawashi and ringi-sho.
How can technology help? Decision intelligence and digital twins of decisions let organisations test permutations quickly and surface recommended actions — a sped-up ringi-sho that supports consensus with evidence.
Does language proficiency matter? Yes. Opening in Japanese and holding the floor builds credibility; Burkosky has closed multi-million-dollar deals entirely in Japanese, deepening trust and rapport.
What’s the ultimate leadership lesson? “Be the example others choose to follow.” In Japan, that means reducing uncertainty with data, aligning people through process, and pacing change with respect.
Timecoded Summary
[00:00] Evan Burkosky traces his path from Canada’s West Coast fishing life to Japan, then into consulting, marketing, and data-driven transformation work that led to co-founding Kimaru in Tokyo.
[05:20] He explains Kimaru’s purpose: model decisions, create digital twins of choices, run permutations, and recommend actions — effectively a sped-up ringi-sho that equips managers with evidence for alignment.
[12:45] Burkosky describes Japan’s rules-based culture as a strength turned constraint in the information age, arguing that leaders must respect consensus processes while introducing data-accelerated decision-making.
[20:10] He reframes “risk aversion” as uncertainty avoidance and shows how probability, modelling, and clear logic unlock bolder choices once ambiguity is reduced.
[28:30] Practical playbook: explain strategy mathematically, align stakeholders through nemawashi and ringi-sho, and avoid Western “shoot-from-the-hip” leadership that triggers resistance.
[36:00] Language matters: by starting in Japanese and maintaining it through the opening minutes, he signals competence and respect — a habit linked to multi-million-dollar wins.
[42:15] He closes with a definition of leadership as example-setting that others willingly follow, achieved in Japan by balancing safety and tradition with methodical innovation.
Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie “One Carnegie Award” (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including best-sellers Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery, along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese. Greg also produces six weekly podcasts and three weekly YouTube shows on Japanese business and leadership.
“Leaders are responsible for laying the road of brick, clearing the fog, and saying, that’s our path.”
“If leaders are going to be strict on people, they must be even stricter on themselves.”
“Trust isn’t built once—it rises when things go well and degrades when the company struggles.”
“Ideas should begin without judgment; the mindset must be ‘how could we make it work?’”
“A leader can’t just do the work for people—the role is to show the way forward.”
Previously, Nate was Create Director at Nikko International. He graduated in Graphic Design from Indiana University Bloomington.
What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan requires navigating humility, consensus, and a conservative approach to risk. Hoernig explains that Japanese professionals often prioritise stability, influenced by parents and grandparents, making it harder for start-ups to recruit talent. Unlike Western markets, where independence is prized, in Japan family approval plays a decisive role.
How do global executives succeed in Japan? Success requires adapting strategies to Japan’s consumer behaviour. Hoernig’s team created a framework addressing eight “lenses” of Japanese decision-making. By applying this, brands saw a 5.7x improvement in results, overcoming the common underperformance foreign companies face. This structured, fact-based approach has proven critical for trust-building and credibility.
What leadership style works best with Japanese teams? Hoernig stresses flexibility, conscientiousness, and systems over personality. His monthly surveys, “hands in sessions,” and “widening the diamond” lexicon provide avenues for staff to contribute safely. Japanese employees, he notes, respond well when given structure, opportunities to learn, and flexibility rarely found in domestic corporations.
How can small firms build trust in a market dominated by giants? Trust in Japan is built less on contracts and more on promises kept. Even when business downturns hit, Hoernig emphasised delivering on commitments and maintaining transparency with staff and clients. This long-term relational focus often outweighed short-term losses, reinforcing the company’s credibility.
What is Hoernig’s definition of leadership? For Hoernig, leadership means clearing the fog, laying the road ahead, and pointing to the destination. Leaders must balance functional direction — milestones, goals, frameworks — with personal growth, empathy, and resilience. In Japan, where ambiguity and indirectness dominate, clarity and consistency are essential for teams to follow with confidence.
"If you feel you should say something, shut up for a little while and work out what's going on."
"Leadership starts with humility, respect, and the ability to listen to people."
"Always avoid saying, ‘I’m bringing this in because something’s not quite right.’ That doesn’t work."
"If you’re at the top, you take responsibility for just about everything that happens."
"Work harder than everybody else, but let others feel instrumental in getting the job done right."
Previously Richard was a Mining Engineer at Bougainville Copper Limited, an Engineer – at his Father-in-law’s Metallurgical Company, Toyama, Japan, Founder & Design Engineer – Independent Export Engineering Business
Richard’s leadership philosophy is anchored in respect, humility, and patience—qualities he views as essential for building trust and inspiring loyalty, especially in Japan. He believes that small, deliberate actions carry more weight than grand declarations. For example, he stresses the importance of learning simple but culturally significant greetings, using them at the right moments to establish rapport and credibility. These small demonstrations of cultural understanding, he argues, can open more doors than technical expertise alone.
Patience is another defining element of his approach. He warns against rushing to impose solutions, even when the answer seems obvious. In his experience, prematurely interrupting discussions or pushing for immediate action often backfires in the Japanese context. Instead, he advises allowing everyone to have their say—even if it means revisiting the same points multiple times—because it preserves harmony and ensures that when action is taken, it is supported by the group. This measured pace, though slower, builds stronger alignment and avoids alienating colleagues.
For Richard, leadership is also about creating an environment where problems are addressed collaboratively rather than through blame. When issues arise, he prefers to spend time alongside the people directly involved, observing their work and experimenting with alternative approaches himself. This hands-on troubleshooting not only leads to better solutions but also signals to the team that leadership is invested in the outcome. By shouldering responsibility and avoiding public criticism, he fosters an atmosphere where people feel safe to speak up and contribute ideas.
Empowerment is built into the structure of his business. Sales performance, for example, is measured relative to the specific customers each salesperson manages, rather than through blanket volume comparisons. This ensures fairness, keeps competition healthy, and allows team members to focus on improving their own accounts rather than comparing themselves to colleagues with very different portfolios. It also encourages voluntary problem-solving: rather than being told they are underperforming, salespeople often self-identify areas for improvement and seek guidance.
Richard also understands the importance of leading by example. He believes that working harder than anyone else—and being seen to do so—creates a natural influence that doesn’t require constant enforcement. When necessary, he will stay over weekends to fix a problem so that it’s resolved by Monday morning, demonstrating commitment and setting a standard for others.
He cautions leaders against framing change as a correction for something “wrong,” as this creates resistance and defensiveness. Instead, he introduces new initiatives as opportunities to build or improve, inviting others to shape and adapt them. This gentle but purposeful approach helps innovation take root without undermining existing practices.
Ultimately, Richard defines leadership as the ability to guide others toward shared goals without undermining their dignity or sense of contribution. In his view, success comes not from commanding obedience but from inspiring people to feel that they own the results. By combining cultural sensitivity, patience, and a genuine willingness to share credit, he has built a loyal, long-serving team—proof that in Japan, trust and respect are the true
“Leadership is the ability to bring people to somewhere they didn’t think they could go.”
“If you want to do co-creation, you have to do co-creation—consistently. You can’t just turn it on and off.”
“Don’t focus only on your English speakers; that creates toxic politics inside the organization.”
“There’s no point being afraid of change—it’s coming anyway, so embrace it and lead from the front.”
“Your people know you better than you know them. Consistency builds credibility and trust.”
Previously Glen was Co-Founder of KGD International G.K.; Chief of Staff, President’s Office Bayer Holdings, Bayer Yakuhin Japan; Vice-President General Manager, Japan Syneos Health Clinical Solutions; Director Government & Industry affairs, Takeda Pharmaceuticals; Director, Office of President & CEO; Manager IBERICA Holdings Japan; Corporate Planning & Portfolio & Product Strategy Planning Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma.
What role does storytelling play in leadership in Japan?
Glenn emphasises that leaders must give their teams a compelling story—one that is realistic yet inspiring, stretching potential without breaking credibility. Vision alone is insufficient; it must be supported by consistent communication, regular progress updates, and visible actions that prove the leader is living the values of the organisation. In Japan, where employees often anticipate the worst if left uninformed, transparency is the most effective way to prevent negativity and build alignment.
How should leaders engage with employees in Japan?
Engagement begins with listening. When stepping into a leadership role, Glenn made a point of conducting one-on-ones, group lunches, and field visits with customers and sales teams. This was not only to introduce himself but to gather insights from staff at all levels. By synthesising these perspectives into strategic actions, he built credibility and showed respect for employees’ experience. For him, engagement is less about imposing a new narrative and more about co-creating it with the organisation.
Why is credibility so important for leadership trust in Japan?
Trust, Glenn argues, is built on credibility—the single most important factor employees look for in their leaders. Employees observe their leader’s behaviour closely and adjust accordingly. Consistency, respect, and openness are non-negotiable. Trust is also reinforced by how leaders handle mistakes. In Japan’s perfectionist culture, errors are often stigmatised, yet Glenn maintains that mistakes must be framed as learning opportunities. Instead of rejecting ideas outright, leaders should explain decisions and encourage teams to test new approaches within agreed boundaries.
How can leaders overcome silos and matrix challenges?
Japan’s business environment is marked by entrenched silos and the complexity of global matrix structures. Glenn’s approach is to create opportunities for cross-functional interaction, sparking collaboration by bringing teams together in informal settings. He sees the role of a country manager as a translator—bridging corporate headquarters’ expectations, Japan’s cultural context, and his own leadership style. Importantly, he avoids walling Japan off as a “kingdom,” instead advocating for Japan to be a proactive participant in global change initiatives.
What advice does Glenn have for foreign leaders in Japan?
He advises incoming leaders to resist steamrolling with bold directives. In his experience, such behaviour leads to surface compliance while staff quietly wait for the leader’s departure. Instead, he recommends authenticity—defined not as brash self-assertion but as inclusivity, diversity, and consideration. Being authentic in Japan means listening, asking questions, and drawing out the deep sense of ownership that employees already hold for their work.
What is Glenn’s definition of leadership?
Ultimately, Glenn defines leadership as creating change and bringing people somewhere they did not believe they could reach. It is not about individual heroics but about crafting a collective journey, enabling people to grow and succeed together. This philosophy reflects both his global career trajectory and his long immersion in Japan’s corporate culture, offering a pragmatic yet inspiring blueprint for effective leadership in one of the world’s most complex business environments.
“Walk the talk is the most powerful way to build trust.”
“Beauty grooming didn’t exist—it was a new word to reflect a new purpose.”
“People didn’t see themselves in the beauty industry until they started to look in the mirror.”
“Recognition isn’t just celebration—it’s about noticing the mindset, not only the results.”
Previously Hideo was Country Manager, Beauty Care Japan & Korea at Henkel; General Manager of several divisions at L’Oreal in Japan & Taiwan; Product Manager at Johnson & Johnson. He has a BA from Meiji University and an MBA form Thunderbird School Of Global Management.
Hideo leads with a transformational mindset rooted in purpose, clarity, and genuine human connection. His leadership approach centers on revitalizing legacy organizations by redefining their identity and embedding a culture of innovation, joy, and self-belief. Across five successful turnaround cases in his career, Hideo discovered that real change begins not with strategy, but with a compelling purpose and vision. At Schick Japan, he introduced the idea of “beauty grooming” as a new brand identity—transforming shaving from a commodity into a value-rich, emotionally resonant experience. This pivot reimagined the business from a transactional model reliant on discounts to one driven by brand value and aspiration.
To implement this shift, Hideo engaged in one-on-one conversations with all 110 employees within the first two months. This individual engagement served a dual purpose: to build trust and to carefully test and refine his ideas based on team feedback before rolling them out. Through these personal interactions, he unearthed stories—like a senior employee’s joyful transformation using hair color—that became powerful internal case studies. By elevating that individual as a “beauty ambassador,” Hideo catalyzed a grassroots movement that encouraged self-care, pride, and alignment with the new company purpose.
Recognizing that vision needs more than words to take hold, Hideo invested heavily in visual and cultural transformation. A dramatic office renovation served as a physical manifestation of the company’s new identity. The modern, light-filled space brought the abstract idea of “joyful beauty grooming” to life and signaled serious commitment to change. This, paired with the creation of an on-site innovation studio, reinforced the values of creativity and forward momentum.
Hideo believes in “walking the talk” as the cornerstone of building trust. By visibly following through on promises—whether it’s office renovation, launching new products, or creating a culture of recognition—he demonstrates integrity in action. He instituted a structured recognition culture, teaching managers to appreciate not only results but also processes and mindset. He emphasizes the importance of linking every achievement back to the company’s core values, reinforcing a culture that is both consistent and inspiring.
His leadership style is characterized by balance—between top-down direction and bottom-up input, between Western urgency and Japanese reflection, and between innovation and cultural sensitivity. He tailors his approach depending on readiness, starting with senior leadership, cascading through middle management, and then to staff. He nurtures psychological safety by decoupling innovation from punishment, encouraging experimentation while accepting failure as part of growth.
For Hideo, transformation is not a single event but a step-by-step evolution: purpose and vision, then strategy, followed by organizational alignment, early wins, recognition and celebration, and finally, values reinforcement and cultural embedding.His ability to translate abstract concepts into tangible systems and environments, while maintaining an authentic and inclusive leadership presence, has made him a standout figure in modern corporate leadership in Japan.
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“If my motivation is to make the best product, the money will follow as a consequence.”
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“A leader must give up ego and put the right people in the right place—even if it risks their seat.”
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“You have to read the atmosphere; the same person may need a different approach each time.”
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“To be a leader, you have to suffer, take the hard way, and do the work yourself first.”
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“If you don’t care about people, then don’t do this job—leadership is a people business.”
Elio Orsara began his career at the Grand Hotel San Michele in Calabria, then worked in Milan and London, opened his first restaurant in Spain, joined the Love Boat with Princess Cruises in the U.S., worked in Italian restaurants in Los Angeles, moved to a high-end golf course in northern Italy, became a supervisor at the Shin-Kobe Oriental Hotel in Japan, produced restaurants for the Daiei Group, and in 1996 opened Elio Locanda Italiana in Tokyo.
Awards and Honours
1998 – Ristorante Italiano
1999 – Best Italian Restaurant, ICCJ
2006 – Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Cavaliere)
2009 – Calabria Excellence Award
2011 – Italian Hospitality International Certification
2012 – Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Ufficiale)
2017 – Ambassador of Stocco di Mammola
2019 – Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Commendatore)
Elio’s philosophy of leadership is rooted in lived experience, resilience, and a deep respect for people. His journey from a young dreamer in Italy to a successful restaurateur and multi-business owner in Japan shaped his view that leadership is not learned in theory but forged through hardship and personal accountability. He believes true leaders must first endure and overcome challenges themselves before guiding others. For him, leadership is less about rigid formulas and more about adaptability, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to keep learning.
Central to his approach is the belief that leadership is fundamentally about people. In the hospitality business, technical skill matters, but without genuine care for customers and staff, success cannot be sustained. Elio treats every guest as an individual, reading the situation and adjusting his approach to create comfort, trust, and connection. He applies the same principle to his staff, emphasizing empathy, education, and personal growth. For young recruits, he looks for ambition and motivation, preferring those who aspire to run their own business rather than settle into a lifetime of employment.
He invests heavily in training, even sending staff to Italy to deepen their understanding of food culture, and he maintains loyalty through long-term relationships, profit-sharing, and respect for their personal lives. His restaurants enjoy unusually high staff retention, which he attributes to creating a family-like atmosphere and recognizing each individual’s value. He rejects the insecurity that causes some leaders to avoid hiring people more capable than themselves, instead surrounding himself with complementary strengths to cover areas where he lacks expertise.
Elio’s leadership style blends influences from multiple cultures—American business acumen, Japanese service philosophy, and Italian warmth and passion. From the Japanese, he learned patience, discipline, and the value of sustained effort; from the Americans, an entrepreneurial mindset; and from his Italian heritage, the importance of hospitality, human connection, and pride in craftsmanship.
He is pragmatic about the realities of business risk, having weathered major setbacks, including the challenges following the 2011 Fukushima disaster. In such crises, he believes leaders must not only manage the business but also sustain morale, finding ways to keep teams engaged and feeling purposeful. His decision to deliver food to disaster-stricken areas after Fukushima exemplified this—addressing both community needs and staff motivation.
Delegation, for Elio, is about trust and timing. He identifies capable individuals within his organization, aligns their responsibilities with their skills, and gives them both autonomy and a share in the rewards. While expansion is necessary to create opportunities for ambitious staff, he avoids diversifying outside his area of expertise, focusing exclusively on the food business where he can lead from a position of deep knowledge.
Ultimately, Elio sees leadership as an act of service—serving customers, employees, and the broader community. It requires humility, constant self-critique, and the courage to make decisions that prioritize people and quality over short-term profit. For him, success comes when a leader creates an environment where both people and business can thrive together.
“You can ask four thousand people to adjust to you, or you can adjust to them.”
“If we want the stores to be successful, they need to feel heard—because their success is our success.”
“When I tried to dictate ideas top-down, the organization kind of choked on it.”
“Servant leadership means pushing popcorn carts, steaming clothes, and knowing everyone’s name.”
“In Japan, things take longer to get moving, but when they do, they execute beautifully.”
Previously Chris was CEO Gap China; CFO Gap Asia; CFO Gap China; Senior Director Of finance The Nature’s Bounty Co.; Procter & Gamble Global Grooming (Gillette) Senior Finance Director; Finance Director CVS Customer team; Finance Director Innovation Portfolio; Finance Associate Director, Supply Chain/Logistics; Global Oral Care, Finance Group Manager FP&A Senior Cost Analyst Supply Chain & Sarbanes Oxley Consultant; Control Analyst Internal Audit; Market Analyst Prague Stock Exchange; Economic Analyst Cekia Capita; Information Agency. He has a BS in Finance from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business and an MBA from Loyola University Maryland.
Chris exemplifies a flexible, people-centred leadership style shaped by diverse experiences across consumer goods, private equity, and global retail. He views leadership as a balance between strategic clarity and hands-on engagement, shaped by his foundational training at Procter & Gamble, intense operational rigor in private equity, and the fast-paced responsiveness required in China. However, it is in Japan where his adaptability and emotional intelligence have most fully matured.
Chris believes in deeply understanding the customer before driving innovation—a principle ingrained during his P&G days. In both China and Japan, he introduced more structured innovation cycles, ensuring that products and experiences are tailored to a well-defined customer persona. While in China he could drive initiatives top-down with urgency, in Japan he quickly recognized the need for more bottom-up engagement, realizing that imposed ideas often met silent resistance. Instead, he focused on seeding ideas with trusted team members, allowing ownership and momentum to build organically.
Servant leadership is central to Chris’s philosophy. He leads visibly from the front—working in stores monthly, performing basic tasks alongside staff, and reinforcing that success is shared. This symbolic participation builds trust and credibility across his 150-store organization. He also insists his leadership team do the same, embedding a culture of humility and visibility.
Post-COVID, Chris identified and revitalized atrophied systems around employee development. He reinstated learning, mentorship, and career progression programs, recognizing that employees across all cultures crave growth and personal investment. He also emphasizes structured team building and regular in-person engagement, despite operating in a hybrid work environment. By setting expectations for in-office presence and making time in the office meaningful—with one-on-ones, development events, and volunteering—he balances flexibility with cultural cohesion.
Trust, for Chris, is not assumed but earned through small, consistent actions—knowing names, listening attentively, acknowledging wins, and giving regular recognition through newsletters, meetings, and store visits. He is acutely aware of cultural dynamics in Japan and chooses to adapt his style, knowing that a soft, relational approach fosters followership more effectively than authoritative direction.
Chris also champions inclusive values in a culturally resonant way. Whether it’s supporting women in leadership, valuing age diversity, or promoting community volunteering, he localizes global values for the Japanese context. His efforts extend to embedding pride initiatives and community outreach in business-as-usual operations, reinforcing that culture isn’t separate from business—it is business.
Ultimately, Chris’s leadership is anchored in clarity of purpose, authentic connection with people, and cultural fluency. He doesn’t impose change but cultivates the conditions for it. In his words and actions, leadership is not about control—it’s about enabling others to thrive. That mindset, combined with strategic discipline and personal humility, allows him to lead across borders, industries, and cultures with impact.
“Most of any leader’s job is change management—setting a vision people buy into and aligning them behind it.”
“I view the organisation as an inverted triangle—the frontline is at the top, and we serve them.”
“You should be most concerned when your performance board is all green. Red means there’s something to learn.”
“Trust in Japan isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of everything, and it can’t be rushed.”
“Leadership isn’t about a role or title—it’s about helping others grow and succeed around a shared purpose.”
Previously Kasper was General Manager, Novo Nordisk Denmark & Iceland; Corporate Vice President DFP Manufacturing Development; Corporate Vice President Novo Nordisk Production S.A.S.; Vice President Aseptic Production; Corporate Vice President Global Support; Corporate Vice-President Insulin Manufacturing; Corporate Vice-President CMC Support R&D. He has an Executive MBA from IMD; an MSc Psychology from Kobenhavns Universitet-University of Copenhagen and an MSc Management from the University of Bath.
Kasper’s leadership journey reflects a blend of purpose-driven conviction and operational adaptability. Beginning as a psychologist, his career at Novo Nordisk has spanned over two decades and included transitions from HR to manufacturing, R&D, and commercial operations. This multidimensional path helped him develop a leadership style that balances strategic thinking with deep human insight. He views leadership not as a formal mandate but as the ability to rally people around a shared purpose and help them succeed collectively.
Kasper sees change management as the cornerstone of leadership. For him, setting a compelling vision, aligning people behind it, and then designing an organisation that can execute effectively are vital. He believes a leader must master both the financial and human elements of business—but often, the human side is overlooked. His training in psychology gives him a significant advantage in navigating complex interpersonal dynamics and building engagement.
In Japan, Kasper encountered leadership challenges and cultural nuances that required adaptation. He was pleasantly surprised to find Japan’s corporate culture less hierarchical than expected, describing it as “middle-up-down,” where middle management plays an essential role in shaping and executing strategy. However, he found consensus-building mechanisms like nemawashi both a strength and a barrier—excellent for execution but often limiting for rapid innovation.
To counter these constraints, Kasper has implemented informal listening tours, smaller discussion forums, and ambassador-driven strategy sessions to surface ideas from the front line. He emphasises purpose as the unifying force. By focusing on “creating healthy longevity” for patients, he finds alignment across departments and geographies. His model places the front-line staff at the top of an inverted triangle, with leadership tasked with removing barriers to their success.
Kasper is acutely aware of the barriers to innovation in Japan’s risk-averse culture. He aims to create psychological safety, promote entrepreneurial thinking, and reward experimentation even when outcomes fall short. His own career setbacks are a source of learning, and he values candidates who can reflect on failures more than those who only tout success.
Trust-building is another pillar of his approach. Recognising Japan’s emphasis on relationships, he actively invests time in social engagement with staff, learns Japanese to demonstrate commitment, and adapts expectations to fit the local environment. He is cautious about imposing quick changes, preferring to spend time understanding needs before charting a strategic course.
Culturally, Kasper navigates between Novo Nordisk’s global values and the diversity within Japan. He resists overgeneralising Japanese culture, choosing instead to cultivate subcultures within the organisation that reflect future needs. He also aligns his leadership team with these values, making adjustments where necessary to drive cohesion and performance.
Ultimately, Kasper defines leadership as helping others grow and succeed. It’s not about authority, but about creating a shared direction and empowering people to reach it. This people-centred philosophy, combined with strategic acuity and cultural humility, is what he believes drives sustainable success.
“In Japan, if you want performance, you need ultra-clear expectations—people need to know the goal.”
“Building trust means creating a safe environment where it’s okay to make mistakes.”
“Consensus-building is not optional in Japan—it’s how decisions gain traction.”
“Every new joiner has lunch with me and a one-on-one at three months—connection matters.”
“Leading is about inspiring, guiding, and empowering people toward a common purpose.”
Previously Duncan was Executive Director-Head of Asia Hamlyn Willams; Country Manager, Robert Walters, Korea; Associate Director, Commerce Finance, Robert Walters Japan; Sales Consultant deVere and Partners. He has a BA from the University of East Anglia.
Duncan leads with a style that emphasizes clarity, collaboration, and cultural sensitivity, shaped by years of cross-cultural experience. His leadership approach in Japan is grounded in providing clear expectations and maintaining transparency. He recognizes that Japanese team members particularly value knowing exactly what success looks like, so he places a premium on setting ultra-clear goals and regularly celebrating achievements. Monthly gatherings that spotlight individual and team successes help reinforce collective motivation and performance.
He builds trust by being approachable and relational. Every new hire is welcomed with a personal lunch on their first day, and after three months, each has a one-on-one coffee chat with him to reflect on their experience. Even in a 60-person organization, he maintains these touchpoints to foster an open culture and reinforce that leadership is accessible. Duncan also leads training sessions himself, using these opportunities to share personal stories of past challenges, signaling humility and building rapport.
Understanding Japan’s consensus-driven culture, Duncan avoids top-down decision-making. Instead, he practices “nemawashi,” engaging associate directors, managers, and often broader teams before implementing changes. This ensures decisions are well-received and supported. He contrasts this approach with his leadership experiences in China, where decisions were expected to come unilaterally from the top, and Korea, which he found to be more individually driven.
Encouraging innovation and open communication is another hallmark of Duncan’s leadership. To surface ideas, he established anonymous suggestion boxes and encourages feedback during regular check-ins. He emphasizes psychological safety, particularly when discussing mistakes or failed innovations. Creating an environment where it’s safe to fail is, in his view, essential to fostering creativity and long-term growth.
He also sees training as a core responsibility. New employees follow a structured two-month onboarding program, led by a combination of managers, HR, and himself. Observational learning is built in, with new staff shadowing client and candidate meetings across teams. His goal is not only skill-building but also early immersion into the company’s values and standards.
Duncan is deeply attuned to cultural and demographic shifts. He’s pragmatic about Japan’s aging and shrinking workforce and the limited pool of bilingual professionals. Rather than resist these constraints, he adapts by hiring internationally minded Japanese staff and experienced recruiters from other firms, and by setting realistic expectations for new leaders entering the Japanese market.
His definition of leadership centers on inspiring, guiding, and empowering people toward a shared goal. He believes that leaders must earn trust and encourage followership—not through command, but through empathy, clarity, and inclusion. For foreign leaders new to Japan, his advice is to avoid trying to impose outside systems without first understanding the local context, to invest time in building trust and communication channels, and to respect the nuance behind why things are done a certain way. In Duncan’s experience, leading in Japan requires humility, patience, and a commitment to listen before acting.
“We walk the talk—not talk the talk.”
“Expect the unexpected—Japan will challenge every assumption you bring.”
“The language we use programs our mindset—'we' means we’re in it together.”
“Creating little leaders is more powerful than just giving orders.”
“Trust here runs deeper—it's built case by case, moment by moment.”
Previously Yvette was Managing Director Hong Kong and South China; National Sales Manager, Hong Kong, South and West China; Business Development And Key Account Manager, Greater China. She has a Master of Science from the University of Reading and a BA from Oxford Brookes University
Yvette’s leadership journey is marked by a deliberate pursuit of challenges and cultural contrasts. She views leadership as a dynamic relationship built on trust, adaptability, and empathy—particularly crucial in navigating cross-cultural business environments like Japan. Taking over her organization in Tokyo during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yvette saw opportunity within disruption. The crisis leveled traditional expectations and provided her with a rare chance to build credibility and trust with her team from the ground up, not as a foreign imposition, but as a shared survivor of an unprecedented time.
Leading a team in Japan, Yvette quickly discovered that the leadership style required differed greatly from her previous experiences in Hong Kong, China, and the UK. Japanese teams, she observed, value preparation over improvisation and consensus over individual assertion. While her background leaned more toward rapid execution and adaptive correction, she learned to balance that with Japan’s cultural emphasis on structure and perfection in implementation. Her leadership had to evolve to emphasize patience, inclusivity, and long-term trust-building.
She also had to navigate Japan’s deeply embedded hierarchical norms. Rather than simply asserting authority, Yvette focused on empathy and consistent communication. She intentionally stepped away from the pedestal of title and role to speak directly—and frequently—with team members at all levels. This practice of daily, informal engagement helped break down barriers, inviting ideas and dialogue in a culture often hesitant to voice dissent or innovation publicly.
A core tenet of her leadership philosophy is the development of "little leaders"—empowering team members to take ownership of decisions and develop their own voices. She acknowledged the difficulty of encouraging initiative in a traditionally deferential culture, but saw the value in allowing team members to try, fail, and learn. Mistakes were treated as shared learning opportunities, framed as “we” moments to avoid fear or blame. This approach fostered trust and motivated individuals to gradually speak up and contribute more actively.
Yvette also emphasized the importance of translating the company’s global vision into locally meaningful action. Rather than treating values and mission as distant mandates, she sought to connect them to tangible customer experiences. Post-project debriefs became teaching moments where the team could reflect on how their values shaped outcomes. This made abstract ideals like trust and service more relatable and alive in the day-to-day.
Understanding that Japanese business culture places clients at the top of the hierarchy, often at the expense of innovation or efficiency, Yvette introduced the idea of partnership. Though she knew this was a radical shift from the servant mindset, she saw the necessity of guiding both clients and teams toward more collaborative, value-driven relationships.
Ultimately, Yvette’s leadership is defined not by asserting control, but by creating a culture where people feel safe to contribute, grow, and lead in their own right. Her presence as a non-Japanese, non-Caucasian woman helped her defy assumptions and craft a leadership identity that fits neither a local mould nor a global cliché—but one tailored to the team she is building.
“You have to crystallize the objective—what the goal is, and how we can get there.”
“I treat differences as differences—not as superior or inferior.”
“If people are good at what they do, all I need to do is be a facilitator.”
“Eighty percent of stress comes from dealing with people—it’s not the work itself.”
Previously Eiichiro was CEO of Nippon Building fund Management, General Manager Mitsui Fudosan, Managing Director Mitsui Fudosan UK, Senior Vice President Mitsui Fudosan America. He has an MBA from Georgetown University and BA Law from Keio University
Eiichiro’s leadership philosophy is defined by adaptability, humility, and a deep understanding of cultural nuance. Throughout his career, spanning continents and economic cycles, he has consistently demonstrated the importance of aligning leadership style to context—geographic, organizational, and economic. He stresses the value of “localizing” behaviour, aiming to reflect the values and communication styles of the region he's operating in, whether in the U.S., UK, or Japan. This sensitivity to environment extends to his leadership approach: servant leadership in stable times, more directive and hands-on leadership in crisis situations.
Central to Eiichiro’s leadership is clarity. He believes in crystallizing objectives from the outset, ensuring teams understand not just what needs to be done but also why. He places high value on communication as a leadership tool—listening deeply, questioning frequently, and offering feedback rooted in curiosity rather than criticism. He encourages people to articulate their reasoning, to analyze success and failure alike, and to explore their own strengths and weaknesses with honesty.
Trust, in Eiichiro’s view, is both foundational and cultural. Especially in Japan, where long-term relationships and stable organizations are prized, he sees trust as a primary business currency. He builds this by being consistent, approachable, and transparent. Though comfortable revealing his own limitations, he also holds firm expectations—ensuring people understand that business results matter and roles must align with capabilities.
One of Eiichiro’s core insights is the acceptance of difference—not as something to be overcome, but simply as something to be understood. He doesn’t view cultural, generational, or stylistic differences through a lens of better or worse, but as variations to be worked with. This mindset shapes his approach to international leadership and organizational change, particularly in reconciling the rapid expectations of global HQs with the slower, risk-averse pace typical of Japanese business.
His leadership also emphasizes respect for individuality. Rather than try to make everyone well-rounded, he focuses on identifying and maximizing individual strengths, recognizing that not everyone will excel at everything. He cautions against overinvesting time in underperformance, instead favoring alignment between talent and role. This strategic use of human capital underpins his belief in empowerment—leaders should be facilitators when possible, creating space for others to thrive.
Despite a deep track record, Eiichiro remains grounded and forward-thinking. He knows his tenure is finite and believes strongly in succession planning. Leadership for him is not about personal prestige but about stewarding an organization toward collective goals. He is driven by impact rather than ego, and views stepping aside when the time is right as part of responsible leadership. In all, Eiichiro's style is defined by cultural intelligence, a coaching mindset, and a results-oriented pragmatism wrapped in emotional intelligence.
· You’ve got to create the right environment so people can be successful and want to stay.”
· “In Japan, trust takes longer to earn—but once you have it, it doesn’t disappear.”
· “You can’t just come in and declare the solution—you’ve got to sit back and observe first.”
· “I don’t want to tell people what to do; I want them to lead and ask for advice.”
· “Sometimes the informal conversations in Japan are more valuable than the formal meetings.”
Previously Duncan was Senior Vice-President Corporate Real Estate Citi; Head of Project Management, Arup. He has a B.A. in Structural Engineering from the University of Strathclyde
Duncan approaches leadership with a steady, reflective, and culturally adaptive mindset. At the core of his philosophy is a deep appreciation for building trust and engaging teams through consistency, inclusivity, and authentic communication. His leadership journey began through project management, which served as a pivotal learning ground—teaching him to balance technical expertise with people management and cross-functional collaboration. This foundation shaped his belief that leadership is not about commanding from above but creating the right environment for others to succeed.
In Japan, Duncan learned that engagement stems less from directive behaviour and more from consistent demonstration of reliability, involvement, and fairness. He believes that showing up, being dependable, and participating alongside his team builds the relational credibility necessary for true collaboration. He avoids micromanagement, preferring to empower team members to lead in their roles while remaining present as a support and protector, particularly in situations where hierarchy or external pressures threaten team cohesion.
Cultural sensitivity is central to Duncan’s leadership in Japan. He emphasizes the importance of understanding not only the language but also the deeper cultural signals—reading between the lines, noticing tone, body language, and the significance of what is left unsaid. This awareness allows him to foster trust and unlock informal communication channels, which in Japan often yield more insight than formal meetings. He views language less as a daily tool at senior levels and more as a symbolic bridge to understanding the nuances of how people think and behave.
Inclusion is another hallmark of Duncan’s leadership. He actively ensures that all voices are heard, especially those who might otherwise be overshadowed in meetings—often the case with Japanese team members in global settings. He believes in creating a safe space for contributions and reinforces positive input to boost confidence. His approach includes coaching individuals to participate more and highlighting team achievements broadly, helping to build individual credibility and shared pride.
Duncan is also conscious of shaping culture at the micro-level. Within the broader framework of corporate and national cultures, he instils his own values—promoting enjoyment in work, fostering diverse personalities within teams, and clarifying how every role contributes to the bigger picture. He believes that trust in Japan takes longer to earn but is more enduring once established. For this reason, he prioritizes transparency, protects his team from undue pressure, and defends their interests when necessary, whether internally or with clients.
Ultimately, Duncan sees leadership as the act of creating environments where people can perform at their best, develop personally, and stay committed to the organization. His approach is adaptive, people-cantered, and anchored in a deep understanding of cultural context. Rather than imposing change quickly, he advocates for observation, thoughtful action, and gradual evolution—especially in environments like Japan, where time and process are deeply respected. In his view, effective leadership is less about control and more about guidance, protection, and amplifying the contributions of others.
- “Trust, for me, is the ability to predict someone’s behaviour—consistency builds that predictability.”
- “Excellence isn’t the outcome—it’s the rigour of the process, even when the result is uncertain.”
- “You can’t sell yourself forever; you have to build trust in the company, not just the founder.”
- “Being vulnerable as a leader unlocks trust—it gives others permission to be real too.”
- “Culture is just norms and heuristics—you shape it by consistently rewarding the right behaviours.”
Previously Guillaume was the Founder and Managing Director of Wizcorp; Web Development Consultant Helmut; System Engineer, Consultant Lapyx System.
He has a Master of Science in Computer Science from Francois Rabelais University
Guillaume approaches leadership as a dynamic journey shaped by intuition, experimentation, and personal growth. His early experience of founding a startup in Japan, with no funding and little knowledge of business basics, forged a deep resilience and humility. Over time, he transitioned from instinct-driven decisions to more intentional leadership, grounded in reflection and learning. He discovered that leadership at different company sizes requires entirely different approaches—whereas in a small team the leader is the culture, in larger organisations it’s about embedding values and structures that scale.
At the heart of his leadership philosophy is trust, which he defines as the ability to predict behaviour. He believes consistency—especially in mood and decisions—fosters trust. Vulnerability plays a critical role too. Initially reluctant to show weakness, he gradually realized that openly admitting what he didn’t know allowed his team to connect more deeply with him, and gave them permission to do the same. This emotional openness, he observed, significantly strengthens engagement and authenticity.
Guillaume emphasizes the importance of separating the self from the business. Early in his career, he equated client service with personal commitment, sometimes undermining internal cohesion. He later recognized the need to build institutional trust in the company, not just in himself. This meant creating repeatable processes, articulating core values, and ensuring every team member could represent the company with consistency and integrity.
He also champions a culture of structured creativity, particularly in high-risk industries like gaming. He views “fun” as an emergent property that can’t be predicted or engineered, but must be tested rigorously. Prototypes, constraints, and deliberate iteration are key to fostering innovation while managing risk. Organizational learning, in his view, should focus less on replicating past outcomes and more on documenting and improving the decision-making process.
Leading in Japan, Guillaume sees language and cultural fluency not as optional, but essential for trust and influence. He stresses the need to deeply understand local norms and communicate in ways that resonate. For multicultural teams, he believes the leader’s job is to define shared behavioural expectations clearly, without relying on implicit cultural assumptions. Ultimately, Guillaume sees leadership as a journey of self-awareness, consistent example, intentional culture-shaping, and the courage to learn publicly.
Previously Terii was Talent and Change-Asia Pacific head for British American Tabacco; Executive Officer and Vice-President, Business Engagement Leader-Special Projects, MetLife; Talent Partner APAC-Director UBS; Senior Consultant, Human Partners/Citadel Consulting; Organization Development Executive British American Tabacco Japan.
He has a BA from Macalester College and an MBA from McGill University.
· “You can’t change Japan, so you’re the one that’s going to need to change.”
· “If you say something, you’ve got to follow through with it—that’s how you build trust.”
· “I believe in uplifting the team more than the team executing my directives.”
· “Patience doesn’t mean doing nothing; it means putting in the time to build understanding.”
· “Feedback means you care—if you stop giving feedback, you’ve stopped caring about their development.”
Terii approaches leadership in Japan through the lens of authenticity, patience, and servant leadership. His cross-cultural background and career in multiple industries provide him with a nuanced view of leadership dynamics, but it is his ability to adapt to the Japanese context that defines his success. In Japan, he recognises that building rapport and trust takes significantly longer than in other markets like Singapore or Hong Kong. This delay, however, is not a barrier but a gateway—he invests heavily in relationships and sees trust as something earned through consistent action and personal engagement.
He stresses the importance of understanding before implementing change. Entering a new industry, Terii refrained from immediate restructuring. Instead, he observed, listened, and built relationships with stakeholders at every level. By not coming in as the outsider intent on overhauling everything, he earned credibility and buy-in. He believes in creating a culture where feedback is delivered constructively and mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities, not grounds for punishment.
Trust, for him, is built on follow-through, consistency, and psychological safety. He makes an intentional effort to have his team’s back, especially when things go wrong, and avoids public reprimands. Emotional control and a steady demeanour are key to maintaining trust—he’s acutely aware that employees are constantly reading their leader’s signals.
Terii has driven Hilton’s cultural transformation in Japan by focusing on both hygiene factors, such as leave policies and compensation, and emotional engagement through peer recognition and celebration of human milestones. Under his leadership, Hilton Japan rose from being unranked to third best place to work in the country and number one in hospitality.
He values grassroots input, launching Gemba-level focus groups to surface insights from the frontline. For new leaders in Japan, his advice is clear: be patient, don’t expect to change the country—change yourself. Invest time in relationships, identify internal influencers, and adapt communication for clarity and resonance. Above all, leadership for Terii is about dreaming big, inspiring others, and making things happen—with humility, empathy, and persistence.
- “If you’re going to lead a team in Japan, trust is the number one thing you have to build.”
- “I didn’t want it to be too top-down—I wanted everyone to feel part of one unit.”
- “Celebrate success, but do it as a team—that’s how you motivate in Japan.”
- “Innovation needs a safe environment where people feel they won’t be punished for trying.”
- “Foreign leaders must become the voice of Japan inside headquarters—that’s how you build real credibility.”
Previously Marc was Vice President of Business Development (Asia) for Fleury Michon; General Manager and President of Hitachi High Tech AW Cyro Inc; Manager, Strategic Planning Division Hitachi High Tech AW Cyro Inc; Account Manager Hitachi High Technologies America; Account Manager & Strategic Business Development Sumitomo Corporation of Americas; International Trade Specialist Nestle. He has a BA from McGill University and an MBA from HEC Montreal
Marc emphasises that successful leadership in Japan hinges on trust, cultural fluency, and consistent demonstration of commitment. Early in his career, he observed stark contrasts in leadership style when working with Japanese managers in Canada versus in Japan. These experiences shaped his hybrid leadership approach—combining Western transparency and inclusivity with Japanese respect for hierarchy and consensus. His leadership style aims to build team unity through communication, mutual respect, and involvement in shared goals.
When leading multicultural teams, Marc prioritises creating a safe environment for open communication, especially in cultures where speaking out is rare. He actively encourages idea generation by ensuring team members feel heard and respected. His approach balances recognising individual contributions with collective achievements to align with Japan’s group-oriented mindset. He acknowledges that overly individual praise can provoke discomfort among Japanese team members and thus tailors recognition to suit cultural sensitivities.
Marc also underlines the importance of learning the local language—not just to improve communication, but to demonstrate respect and effort in understanding the culture. His fluency in Japanese helps him earn credibility with both clients and employees, allowing him to lead from the front by accompanying team members to meetings and engaging directly with customers.
Throughout his career, Marc has navigated challenging situations such as building a new office, managing across time zones, and driving innovation within traditional corporate structures. He sees innovation not just as a technical pursuit, but as a process that relies on team engagement, empowerment, and a tolerance for risk and failure. He believes celebrating both success and the lessons of failure sustains a healthy innovation culture.
Marc also highlights the strategic role leaders play in bridging headquarters and local operations. In Japan, credibility often stems not from one’s title, but from the ability to get things done for the local team. Building trust with both headquarters and local staff is crucial for success, particularly in a country where institutional memory is long and relationship-based business prevails.
Ultimately, Marc’s leadership philosophy is grounded in empathy, humility, cultural sensitivity, and long-term thinking. He leads by example, listens deeply, and invests in relationships—not just to drive business, but to sustain trust over the long haul in the Japanese market.
“Leadership is building a strong team that can execute with resilience and deliver consistent results over time.”
“There’s no easy way—other than talking to people—to truly know what’s happening in your organization.”
“You need a balance of patience and impatience to create belief and drive change in Japan.”
“If you say the customer comes first, then the customer has to come first—every day of the week.”
“Engagement isn’t just passion—it’s also connection and commitment, and each needs different actions.”
Kohei graduated from Princeton University in 2011 with a major in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a minor in Global Health. Following his graduation, he joined Bain & Company in Tokyo, where he worked as a management consultant from 2011 to 2015.
In 2015, Kohei became one of the founding members of AB InBev Japan as the company transitioned from a distributor-based model to direct market operations. He initially joined as a Brand Manager and quickly rose through the ranks. From 2016 to 2018, he served as Head of Marketing and Trade Marketing. He then spent two years (2018–2020) in China with AB InBev, leading premium brand trade marketing efforts.
Returning to Japan in 2020, he took on the role of Head of ZEDx Ventures, focusing on the company’s growth portfolio and e-commerce. In 2021, he became Commercial Director, managing nationwide sales and trade marketing teams.
He was appointed Country Director in 2022, and now leads a team of approximately 70 employees.
Kohei’s leadership philosophy is rooted in purpose-driven engagement, cultural adaptability, and a structured yet human-centered approach to management. He began his leadership journey at AB InBev Japan by helping to build the organization from the ground up. Early on, he transitioned from being an individual contributor to a team leader, gradually scaling his responsibilities from three direct reports to overseeing a seventy-person organization. This evolution shaped his views on how leadership needs to shift as organizations grow—not only managing direct reports but also leading through multiple layers and ensuring alignment across the entire structure.
Kohei sees leadership as a blend of strategic clarity, consistent communication, and empowering people at every level. He stresses the importance of face-to-face engagement and building trust through transparency, especially in a Japanese context where emotional connection, loyalty, and social harmony are essential. His approach involves structured frameworks around engagement—specifically passion, connection, and commitment—as pillars for organizational culture. These concepts are not just theoretical; they guide concrete actions like offsite gatherings, collaborative planning sessions, and cross-functional problem-solving to address pain points and reduce friction.
One of his most effective strategies has been establishing open channels for innovation through initiatives like a “Shark Tank” pitch format, where employees present business ideas. He emphasizes that listening isn’t enough—leaders must also provide feedback on why certain ideas are or are not adopted to maintain trust and morale.
Cultural alignment is another key focus. Hiring for fit and reinforcing cultural values through regular feedback cycles is central to sustaining the company’s ethos. Kohei believes in cultivating resilience within teams by encouraging calculated risk-taking, building from small wins, and gradually reinforcing a growth mindset.
He also balances global and local expectations, often acting as a bridge between AB InBev’s global vision and Japan’s unique market realities. For him, effective leadership in Japan requires balancing patience with ambition—acknowledging that while change takes time, a leader must still push toward transformation. His ability to navigate these nuances—combined with personal routines like regular exercise and mindfulness—supports both his own resilience and that of the organization.
Previously Akiko was a Commentator for Fuji TV; Co-Founder of Women In Action; Partner, Strategy &; Division Head at Japan Post; Vice-President Calyon Securities; Associate McKinsey & Company; Vice-President and Associate, General Counsel J.P. Morgan.
She graduated with a JD in Law from Tokyo University and has a Master Of Law from Columbia Law School
- “Culture is an accumulation of behaviors—what you say and do becomes the culture.”
- “If the ownership is there, it’s really easy to engage with them.”
- “Listen more than you speak—especially in Japan, silence often hides valuable insight.”
- “You can’t have a single leadership approach—it’s person by person.”
- “Deliver, manage expectations, and be transparent—that’s how you build trust.”
Akiko’s leadership approach is deeply rooted in clarity of direction, respect for individuality, and adaptive engagement. Her philosophy is shaped by diverse experiences in legal, consulting, and advisory roles, and it centres on fostering ownership within her teams. She emphasizes the importance of building a shared vision and selecting people whose strengths and motivations align with that direction. For her, engagement begins with recruiting the right individuals and then shaping an environment that supports their ownership of outcomes. Whether inheriting a team or building one from scratch, she focuses on identifying key issues, defining areas of impact, and matching people to those missions.
She acknowledges that leadership today demands flexibility, as people differ in how they want to be led—some thrive with autonomy while others need close collaboration. Her leadership style is not one-size-fits-all; instead, it’s adaptive and rooted in an appreciation of diversity—not only in personality but in professional backgrounds. Akiko credits the richness of ideas within her organization to this diversity, noting that innovation emerges from intentional dialogue across disciplines. However, she is clear that shared goals are the foundation for extracting those ideas meaningfully. Without common purpose, even diverse teams can become fragmented.
Trust-building, in her view, requires consistent delivery, expectation management, and transparency. She strives to keep her promises, communicates constraints openly, and balances optimism with realism. She views culture as the accumulation of behaviour, underscoring the importance of consistent actions and clear communication in shaping a cohesive and connected team identity. Akiko also makes intentional efforts to keep her Japan-based office plugged into the global organization by fostering English-language meetings and inter-office collaboration.
She believes that inclusion means not only being open to new ideas but actively drawing them out, especially in Japan where silence is often misread by Western leaders. Her advice for foreign leaders in Japan centres on listening more than speaking, respecting the local communication style, and recognizing that lack of feedback doesn’t imply satisfaction. For aspiring female leaders, her message is one of encouragement—step forward, trust those who support you, and don’t be deterred by fear. Her leadership is marked by resilience, clarity, and a deep commitment to enabling others to lead and succeed in their own right.
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If you enjoy our content, then head over to www.dale-carnegie.co.jp and check out our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules and our whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs.
About The Author
Dr. Greg Story, President Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training
Contact me at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com
Bestselling author of “Japan Sales Mastery” (the Japanese translation is "The Eigyo" (The営業), “Japan Business Mastery” and "Japan Presentations Mastery". He has also written "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" and the translation "Toreningu De Okane Wo Muda Ni Suru No Wa Yamemashoo" (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのは止めましょう) and his brand new book is “Japan Leadership Mastery”.
Dr. Greg Story is an international keynote speaker, an executive coach, and a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. He leads the Dale Carnegie Franchise in Tokyo which traces its roots straight back to the very establishment of Dale Carnegie in Japan in 1963 by Mr. Frank Mochizuki.
He publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter
Has 6 weekly podcasts:
-
Mondays - The Leadership Japan Series,
-
Tuesdays – The Presentations Japan Series
Every second Tuesday - ビジネス達人の教え
-
Wednesdays - The Sales Japan Series
-
Thursdays – The Leadership Japan Series
Also every second Thursday - ビジネスプロポッドキャスト
-
Fridays - The Japan Business Mastery Show
-
Saturdays – Japan’s Top Business Interviews
Has 3 weekly TV shows on YouTube:
- Mondays - The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show
Also every Second Thursday - ビジネスプロTV
-
Fridays – Japan Business Mastery
-
Saturdays – Japan Top Business Interviews
In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development.
Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making, become a 40 year veteran of Japan and run his own company in Tokyo.
Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate (糸東流) and is currently a 6th Dan.
Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.
“If you want to impact people, first, you need to trust them—and then give them space.”
“You forget about collective decision-making in Japan—you build consensus privately, one by one.”
“The best execution comes from ideas people believe are their own.”
“I listen first. Then I discuss. Then I decide. But always, I listen first.”
“Leadership is not about being the hero—it’s about helping the team become the heroes together.”
Previously for Societe Generale, Bruno was Head of Risk on Capital Market Activities and ALM, Co-Head of Market Risk, Risk Assessor on Capital Market Activities; Head of Market Risk for Natixis, Head of Market Risk on Capital Market Activities ENGIE, Head of Market Risk On Credit Derivatives Credit Agricole CIB; Head of UK Market Risk for LCL.
Bruno emphasizes that trust is the foundation of leadership—both giving it and earning it. He believes in creating space for team members to voice their ideas, as people are most committed when implementing their own suggestions. When he arrived in Japan, he made it a priority to listen first. Recognizing that he was new to the local context, he relied heavily on the insights of his team, who had decades of experience. His role, as he sees it, is to synthesize their ideas into a clear strategy, advocate for it at headquarters, and ensure it gets the green light.
He highlights the cultural difference in decision-making between France and Japan. In France, decisions emerge through open challenge and brainstorming. In Japan, consensus must be built privately through one-on-one discussions before any meeting. He adopted this approach, understanding that Japanese professionals are less likely to speak up in group forums but are open and candid in private. These individual conversations are time-consuming but essential for building alignment and trust.
Bruno also sees leadership as deeply tied to authenticity and leading by example. His background in risk management taught him that courage—especially the courage to stand up for what’s right, even against pressure—is critical. His teams observe whether he is willing to defend their ideas and protect their interests. That credibility is what earns their loyalty.
He’s learned that new ideas are more likely to succeed when they come from the team, not top-down. Japanese staff often hesitate to share ideas if early feedback is lukewarm, so Bruno takes care to signal encouragement and patience, giving them time and space to think creatively. When they do, the results are powerful—his team’s strategic proposal was not only approved by Paris but became the only strategic initiative for Japan in the region.
Bruno’s approach is to listen deeply, guide gently, champion ideas effectively, and push for change when it makes sense locally. He believes culture is not something to impose, but to live consistently. By modelling respect, patience, courage, and transparency, he creates an environment where trust grows and leadership becomes a shared endeavour. He calls this collective success—not about being the hero himself, but about helping the team become successful.
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At Dale Carnegie Tokyo, we've helped thousands of professionals transform into confident, effective leaders who drive real results. Our proven methodology eliminates the guesswork and accelerates your leadership journey.
To get your free guide “How To Stop Wasting Money On Training” click here ( https://bit.ly/4agbvLj )
To get your free “Goal Setting Blueprint 2.0” click here (https://bit.ly/43o5FVK)
If you enjoy our content then head over to www.dale-carnegie.co.jp and check out our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules and our whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs.
About The Author
Dr. Greg Story, President Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training
Contact me at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com
Bestselling author of “Japan Sales Mastery” (the Japanese translation is "The Eigyo" (The営業), “Japan Business Mastery” and "Japan Presentations Mastery". He has also written "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" and the translation "Toreningu De Okane Wo Muda Ni Suru No Wa Yamemashoo" (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのは止めましょう) and his brand new book is “Japan Leadership Mastery”.
Dr. Greg Story is an international keynote speaker, an executive coach, and a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. He leads the Dale Carnegie Franchise in Tokyo which traces its roots straight back to the very establishment of Dale Carnegie in Japan in 1963 by Mr. Frank Mochizuki.
He publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter
Has 6 weekly podcasts:
-
Mondays - The Leadership Japan Series,
-
Tuesdays – The Presentations Japan Series
Every second Tuesday - ビジネス達人の教え
-
Wednesdays - The Sales Japan Series
-
Thursdays – The Leadership Japan Series
Also every second Thursday - ビジネスプロポッドキャスト
-
Fridays - The Japan Business Mastery Show
-
Saturdays – Japan’s Top Business Interviews
Has 3 weekly TV shows on YouTube:
- Mondays - The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show
Also every Second Thursday - ビジネスプロTV
-
Fridays – Japan Business Mastery
-
Saturdays – Japan Top Business Interviews
In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development.
Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making, become a 40 year veteran of Japan and run his own company in Tokyo.
Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate (糸東流) and is currently a 6th Dan.
Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.
Previously Rodrigo was Managing Director Danone Oceania, Managing Director Danone Nutricia Oceania, Managing Director Early Life Nutrition Danone Australia and New Zealand, Managing Director India, Sales and Commercial Director Medical Nutrition Division Sao Paulo, Brazil, Affiliate General Manager Columbia Eli Lilly, Regional Brand Director Europe Ely Lilly.
He has a Bachelor of Economics from Universidade de Brazil and an MBA Finance from Michigan State University
Rodrigo brings a global perspective to leadership, having worked across Brazil, India, Australia, and now Japan. His leadership philosophy in Japan has required significant cultural adaptation. One of the most striking differences he encountered was Japan's deep respect for hierarchy and the consensus-driven, bottom-up decision-making process. Unlike other countries where leaders expect immediate answers and dynamic debates, Japanese teams prefer to return with considered responses after internal consultations. This necessitated Rodrigo to adjust his expectations and become more patient and observant.
Rodrigo emphasizes the importance of entering a new culture with humility and curiosity. His approach involves deep observation, listening actively, and being mindful of body language and unspoken cues—essential skills in a context where non-verbal communication carries weight. He also highlighted that in Japan, important decisions are often pre-aligned before formal meetings, making early involvement in project development crucial for effective leadership.
To build trust and engagement, Rodrigo prioritizes transparency and consistency. He believes that sharing both strengths and vulnerabilities helps leaders connect authentically with their teams. He avoids projecting a facade of perfection, acknowledging mistakes openly, and builds teams around his own areas of weakness to complement his leadership.
Communication is another pillar of his leadership approach. He insists that repetition of the company’s vision and key goals is essential for alignment and motivation. At Danone, this includes an annual articulation of “key battles” that ladder up to the broader strategic vision. He ensures that these messages are communicated frequently through town halls, conventions, and online platforms.
Rodrigo also encourages innovation through a structured ideation process. He believes all ideas should be welcomed in the early phase, with filtering based on strategic fit and “right to win.” Moderation and inclusion are key to ensuring that both extroverts and introverts can contribute meaningfully.
Finally, he advocates for a tailored approach to company culture—one that integrates Danone’s global values (Humanism, Openness, Proximity, and Enthusiasm), local Japanese customs, and his personal leadership style. He urges incoming leaders to respect local norms, seek advice from experienced expats and local consultants, and engage with customers early to understand market realities. For Rodrigo, effective leadership in Japan is an art that blends observation, humility, strategic clarity, and genuine human connection.
Previously, Rose worked for Pernod Ricard Japan as a Brand Manager for Ki No Bi and White Spirits, Brand Manager for Jameson Irish Whiskey, and Wine Ambassador. Her earlier roles also included Sales Support Executive at iSeek Communications, Guest Relations at Tokyo Daiichi Hotel, and Guest Relations at Whitehorse Hotel.
Rose holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Wollongong.
Drawing from her years of experience at Pernod Ricard and now as the representative of Wine Australia, she emphasizes the importance of trust, consensus-building, cultural adaptation, and clarity of purpose.
One of her key insights is that successful leadership in Japan depends less on hierarchy and more on alignment. Building consensus among diverse stakeholders—importers, state offices, and trade partners—requires time, patience, and careful listening. She advocates for deep preparation, active curiosity, and a willingness to ask questions without judgment in order to fully understand local expectations and dynamics. By gathering feedback and adjusting plans collaboratively, she has been able to lead without formal authority and still earn commitment.
Trust is foundational. Rose builds it through consistency, transparency, and follow-through. She notes that while expat leaders may be under pressure from headquarters to move quickly, speed is often perceived as risky in Japan. Thus, she emphasizes defining clear goals and then creating an environment where people feel safe contributing and experimenting—mitigating risk rather than avoiding it. She sees the leader’s role as owning the risk and setting the conditions for safe innovation.
Rose also stresses that Japanese language skills are advantageous for breaking down communication barriers and signalling commitment. However, she acknowledges that fluency isn’t a requirement for every role—openness and cultural sensitivity can go a long way. She describes how even small actions, like proper greetings and showing bilingual flexibility, help build rapport and credibility.
Her leadership philosophy centres on mutual respect. At Pernod Ricard, she managed small multicultural teams by identifying individuals’ strengths and aligning them with strategic goals. She believes in tailoring support based on each person’s aspirations—whether they’re short-term visitors or long-term residents.
Rose has also navigated challenges as a young, non-Japanese female leader. She counters potential bias with competence, clarity, and professionalism, ensuring she is always well-prepared and direct in communication. She stresses the value of local mentors and networks—like Austrade and Australian embassy contacts—for problem-solving and cultural insight.
Ultimately, her definition of leadership is grounded in mutual respect, trust, and shared accountability. She underscores that leading in Japan is less about authority and more about connection, consistency, and cultural fluency.
Alex previously was an analyst for Marche Industriel Europe (Alternance), Assistant Commerciaux Grand Comptes, Assistant Commercial Manager Le Jardin Gaulois.
He is an alumnus of ISEAM (Institut Supérieur d'Études en Alternance du Management), Marne-la-Vallée, France.
Summary
Alex shares his experience leading a niche luxury brand specializing in handcrafted watch straps. His journey highlights how cultural sensitivity, trust-building, and adaptability are essential for leadership success in Japan.
Arriving in Japan with limited industry experience and only basic Japanese skills, Alex quickly rose to lead the local operation. His first priority was establishing clear communication between the Tokyo team and the French headquarters. By ensuring that HQ’s goals were understood and that local staff voices were heard, Alex built a foundation of mutual trust.
He placed strong emphasis on listening to his Japanese team—many of whom are skilled craftsmen focused on quality and detail. To bridge the cultural gap, Alex identified key team members who could act as informal leaders, helping to convey messages and feedback in both directions. This helped align the team with company goals while respecting local work styles.
Alex avoided rigid hierarchical leadership in favour of a more empathetic, collaborative approach. He promoted a family-like culture within the organization, valuing each team member's contributions and personal circumstances. This inclusive atmosphere fostered loyalty and motivation.
Japanese consumer expectations for customization and perfection heavily influenced product development. The Tokyo atelier created sweat-resistant straps specifically for Japan’s hot, humid summers—an innovation that was later adopted in other markets. Alex emphasized that Japan’s high standards in craftsmanship and service can drive global innovation in luxury retail.
Language and cultural understanding were also key. While Alex wasn’t fluent in Japanese at first, he committed to improving his skills to enhance communication. He encourages foreign leaders to learn even basic Japanese and take time to understand their teams before implementing changes.
For leaders new to Japan, Alex advises speaking individually with team members, understanding their motivations, and identifying trusted “captains” to serve as cultural and operational liaisons. He also recommends patience, especially given Japan’s risk-averse approach to decision-making.
Ultimately, Alex’s leadership style blends French heritage, Japanese values, and a personal commitment to continuous learning. His experience shows that successful leadership in Japan
Previously, Carl was President of ODU Japan, Technology Support DMG Mori. He graduated with an MA in Business Administration from the University of Augsburg
Carl’s journey from discovering Japanese sword arts to leading a German machine tool subsidiary in Japan illustrates the fusion of cultural appreciation and professional growth.
Carl began his Japanese experience through martial arts and language studies, which eventually led to a career in Japan. Starting in technical sales at Mori Seiki, he gradually moved into leadership roles, eventually founding the Japanese subsidiary of a German firm, ODU, before transitioning to Vollmer Group. His experience spans navigating Japan's complex distributor relationships, handling cultural barriers, and building businesses from scratch.
One key leadership theme Carl emphasized was the importance of quick wins to gain trust early on—like simplifying travel reimbursement procedures and reducing unnecessary paperwork, which signalled a shift from rigid bureaucracy to a more agile, empowering culture. He also highlighted the value of consistent communication with headquarters, managing upward to ensure German leadership understood the unique pace and nuances of the Japanese market.
Hiring was initially difficult due to Japanese candidates’ aversion to risk and unfamiliarity with the foreign brand. He noted the challenge of recruiting technical talent that balances language skills with subject expertise, advising against overemphasizing English ability at the expense of core competence.
Carl believes that trust is built through consistency, listening, and following through on promises. His leadership style values accountability while encouraging open communication. To foster ideation, he purposefully floated imperfect ideas to prompt feedback and create a psychologically safe space for team input. Mistakes, he said, are acceptable—but only once—emphasizing learning without repeating errors.
Leading a team as a foreigner in Japan, Carl acknowledged the advantage of being able to speak more directly than a native might. Still, he maintained cultural sensitivity, advocating for stability, predictability, and fairness in leadership. He encourages new leaders in Japan to be patient, question inefficiencies, avoid arrogance, and focus on consistent engagement rather than quick fixes.
Personally, Carl credits practices like martial arts and meditation for maintaining balance. He also continues to challenge himself by learning new things, including Mandarin, reflecting his belief in lifelong learning.
Ultimately, his approach blends structure and flexibility, emphasizing respect for Japanese norms while gently modernizing operations—an effective leadership model for foreign executives in Japan.
Previously she was General Manager Nutrition and Health BASF Japan, Deputy Region Head Asia Pacific and Sales Head Japan, BL Home & Personal care, Ciba Inc.
She has a BA in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Tokyo University and an MBA from INSEAD
Her leadership philosophy reveals a thoughtful, people-centered, and culturally nuanced approach. As President of Croda Japan, her leadership has been shaped by decades of experience in global pharmaceutical and specialty chemicals firms, combined with personal growth from early cross-cultural exposure and a prestigious BA and MBA.
A defining trait of her leadership is her ability to balance Western assertiveness with Japanese cultural sensitivity. Early in her career, she learned to speak up in meetings, even when it clashed with her upbringing in a non-confrontational, hierarchical Japanese context. A Swiss boss challenged her to be more vocal, and she gradually developed a calm yet firm communication style that gained the trust of colleagues, even when challenging senior staff.
She emphasizes walking the talk—being consistent in behavior, showing up during crises, and demonstrating care for her team’s wellbeing. Trust, she believes, is not built overnight but earned through shared problem-solving, consistency, and a leader’s visible presence in tough times. Rather than exerting authority, she invites collaboration, especially valuing input from her team to inform decisions.
She also brings a strong sense of inclusion and empathy into her leadership. She openly discusses the importance of recognizing people’s strengths, acknowledging vulnerability, and cultivating a workplace culture where everyone feels heard. Small gestures like writing birthday cards and casual lunch chats contribute to her warm, approachable presence.
A trailblazer for women in leadership, she reflects on the pressures many women feel to be perfect. She advises women to release those unrealistic standards and accept help—at home and at work. For men, she encourages active support and understanding, noting that caregiving and work-life balance issues are not gender-exclusive.
As a leader in Japan, she has had to bridge global and local expectations. She promotes change subtly, through example and steady reinforcement, rather than dramatic reforms. Her leadership is situational, adaptive, and anchored in trust, humility, and the belief that developing future leaders is a key responsibility.
Her style is a model of modern leadership in a Japanese context: authentic, inclusive, and quietly transformative.
Previously Alberto was Sales Director-Industry APA in HoChiMinh, Sales Director-Industry APA Shanghai, Sales Director -South/East China Shanghai, Purchasing and Logistic Assistant Manager CTC Clatronic Padova Italy, HR & Market support Driving Force Asia Shanghai, Timesharing sales Representative Interval International Italy
He has a BA and MA from Universita Ca’ Foscari Venezia.
Alberto offers a rich and reflective account of his leadership journey and philosophy in his interview. A linguist by education, Alberto’s fascination with languages and cultures led him from Italy to China and eventually to Japan, where he launched Würth’s new operation. His path to leadership was shaped by cross-cultural experiences and a strong belief in curiosity, adaptability, and connection.
Alberto emphasizes that leadership, particularly in a multicultural context, requires more than strategic planning—it demands emotional intelligence, cultural awareness, and the ability to inspire trust. Establishing Würth Industries Japan from scratch, he understood early on that success hinged not only on business acumen but also on building a resilient and engaged team. He sees recruitment as the foundation of retention: hiring people with the right motivation, and being transparent about both the opportunities and challenges ahead. He believes in aligning individual values with company culture, which for Würth is deeply rooted in gratitude, respect, humility, and curiosity.
To retain talent, Alberto fosters a collaborative culture where trust and open communication are paramount. He instituted monthly one-on-one meetings to ensure employees feel heard and supported, emphasizing empathy and adjusting his management style to better fit the Japanese context. He candidly acknowledges that being direct and fast-paced, as was effective in China, required tempering in Japan to avoid cultural misalignment.
He is a firm believer in creating a shared company spirit. In his view, remote work, while necessary during COVID, can hinder team cohesion. Thus, he encourages regular in-office interaction to cultivate connection and engagement. He values ideation and encourages his team to think creatively within company frameworks—what he calls “making the box bigger” rather than thinking outside it.
Alberto likens leadership to rugby, a sport he once played, emphasizing that success comes not from individual stars but from coordinated teamwork. A leader, he asserts, is like a coach who must assemble diverse talents and create a strategy where everyone’s role is vital. His leadership style is marked by humility, a focus on long-term commitment, and a deep desire to help people grow. Above all, he champions leading with authenticity and purpose, building trust not through declarations, but through consistent actions.
Previously Maxime was General Manager Klimpton Shinjuku Tokyo, Food and Beverage Performance Manager IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, Senior Champagne Brand Ambassador Pernod Ricard, Restaurant Manager & Chef Sommelier IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, Restaurant Manager & Sommelier Relais & Chateaux, Restaurant Manager Windsor Hotel Toyo Resort and Spa Hokkaido Japan
He studied at the Albert de Mun Hotel School, Paris VII
Summary
In this interview with Maxime, leadership is presented not as a title or position of authority, but as a way of being—rooted in presence, responsibility, and the ability to lead by example. A true leader doesn’t simply demand discipline, respect, or humility; they live these values daily. Trust, in this view, is not granted automatically—it is earned over time through consistent, ethical behaviour and authenticity.
Listening emerges as a foundational trait. According to Maxime, a leader must listen deeply—not just to their team, but to clients and the environment around them. Good leadership is based on understanding people and context, and this understanding comes from attentiveness. Leadership is described as a process of giving meaning, bringing people together, and guiding them toward a shared vision—not imposing one’s own will.
Particularly in hospitality, leadership is closely tied to service. For teams to serve clients with excellence, leaders must first serve their teams. The leader’s role is to support and enable, to create the conditions where people can do their best work. When the team feels cared for, valued, and respected, that same energy flows outward to guests. In this way, service becomes a leadership principle, not just a business one.
The interview also emphasizes leadership as a moral commitment. In challenging moments, the leader must provide clarity, stability, and courage. They are expected to be visible, available, and capable of making decisions under pressure. However, this doesn’t mean acting alone. Strong leaders know how to delegate, how to trust others, and how to build autonomy within the team.
A central metaphor from the interview is that of a ship’s captain. The leader isn’t someone who controls every movement, but someone who takes full responsibility for the journey and the wellbeing of the crew. Leadership, then, is about stewardship, not control. It’s a discipline that requires humility, patience, and a long-term commitment to people.
Ultimately, Maxime portrays leadership not as a fixed role, but as a daily practice—an intentional way of engaging with others that fosters excellence, trust, and collective purpose. It’s about being present, setting the tone, and cultivating a culture where people are both respected and inspired.
Previously Tim was President of Consumer Products at D+M Holdings, General Manager Johnson Electric China, Director Marketing & Manufacturing Black & Decker, Controller and Sales Manager Cavalier Corporation.
He has both a BBA Finance and an MBA for Loyola University Maryland
Summary
Tim Bailey shares his journey, reflecting on the challenges he faced and the lessons that shaped his leadership approach. He emphasizes that resilience, adaptability, and learning from failures have been key to his success. To him, leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about fostering a culture where people feel valued, heard, and motivated to grow.
One of the most difficult aspects of leadership, he explains, is handling challenges such as managing difficult team members and adapting to industry changes. Through experience, he has learned that empathy plays a critical role in effective leadership. By understanding what motivates people, listening to their concerns, and addressing conflicts early, he has been able to build stronger, more cohesive teams.
Bailey also discusses the importance of sales in his career. He believes in a customer-first approach—building genuine relationships, understanding client needs, and offering tailored solutions. He stresses that long-term success in sales comes from trust and authenticity, not just closing deals. He also highlights the need for continuous learning, staying updated on industry trends, and embracing innovation.
In addition to leadership and sales, Bailey is passionate about public speaking and presentations. He believes that engaging an audience requires more than just knowledge—it’s about storytelling, confidence, and adapting to the needs of the listeners. He encourages thorough preparation and focusing on audience engagement to make messages impactful.
For aspiring leaders, Bailey’s advice is clear: find great mentors, develop self-awareness, and invest in team growth. He believes the best leaders don’t just give orders—they inspire and empower others. In his experience, lifting people up leads to greater success for everyone involved.
Previously Yuichi was Head of Business Development, Misaki Capital, Senior Managing Director/Global Head of Sales (International Business) Nikko Asset Management, Managing Director Tokio Marine Asset Management, Senior Analyst/International Equity, Mizuho Trust and Banking, Portfolio Manager International Equity, Chuo Mitsui Trust and Banking
Summary
Yuichi Takayama’s leadership journey offers valuable insights into managing diverse teams across different cultures. His experience spans Japan, the UK, and Australia, where he navigated the challenges of leading both Japanese and foreign employees while adapting his leadership approach to different organizational and national cultures.
Takayama’s first leadership experience was in the UK, where he built a business development team from scratch. He found hiring foreign employees challenging, as Western candidates were often skilled at self-presentation but not necessarily at the job itself. To overcome this, he used a detailed questioning approach, forcing candidates to provide specific examples of their experience. This analytical method, rooted in his Japanese background, helped him distinguish genuinely capable candidates from those who were simply good at interviews.
Leading a multicultural team in the UK required clear, direct communication. Takayama adapted by using simple and precise language to avoid misunderstandings. He also recognized the importance of setting clear standards and expectations, as differing cultural norms could lead to discrepancies in performance and accountability. Establishing a unified goal helped keep the team aligned despite their diverse backgrounds.
After 15 years abroad, returning to Japan was a cultural shock. He found the Japanese corporate environment rigid, with excessive meetings and limited discretion in decision-making. Despite his senior position, he felt constrained compared to his leadership role in the UK, where he had more autonomy. However, he saw an opportunity to apply his international experience by encouraging his Japanese team to be more proactive and adventurous—traits less emphasized in traditional Japanese corporate culture.
Motivating employees differed between regions. In Europe, financial incentives were key, and managing expectations was crucial to retaining talent. Some employees left when their ambitions weren’t immediately realized. In Japan, younger employees in his team were eager to work internationally but were often cautious. By fostering a culture of initiative and rewarding proactive behavior, he encouraged risk-taking in a traditionally conservative business environment.
Trust-building was another critical aspect of his leadership. In Japan, personal connections were less common in business relationships, so he made a conscious effort to share personal stories and insights to create rapport. Conversely, in the UK, where personal discussions were more common in informal settings, he focused on keeping business conversations structured and informative.
Ultimately, Takayama believes leadership is about setting a clear vision and direction. His ability to adapt his leadership style to different cultural contexts while maintaining core principles of transparency, trust, and motivation was key to his success.
Previously Rami was President of Moderna Japan, CEO of Ferring Pharmaceuticals, VP Head Medical Affairs Division Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Corporate Officer, Business Development Eisai.
Summary
Rami Suzuki’s leadership journey is marked by adaptability, honesty, and a commitment to empowering others. Beginning her career as a cancer researcher, she quickly realized her strengths lay in enabling scientists rather than conducting experiments herself. This realization led her to venture capital and later to executive roles in pharmaceutical and biotech companies, where she managed teams across diverse cultural landscapes.
Suzuki’s leadership philosophy centers on honesty. She believes in expressing both praise and concerns openly, ensuring that her team members feel valued while also addressing challenges directly. This transparency builds trust and fosters engagement, helping employees feel safe to share ideas and mistakes without fear. She sees mistakes not as personal failures but as systemic issues that can often be resolved through better alignment between roles and individuals.
A strong advocate of creating an empowering environment, Suzuki prioritizes making employees comfortable and motivated in their roles. She believes in adjusting leadership styles based on cultural contexts, noting that while leading multinational teams in London came naturally, managing Japanese teams required learning Japan’s unique business culture. She found that Japanese employees often hesitate to share ideas or admit mistakes due to cultural norms but discovered that remote work and written communication encouraged more participation from reserved individuals.
Building engagement within teams is another cornerstone of her leadership. When she led Moderna Japan, she grew the team from three to over a hundred in just 18 months while maintaining high morale. She credits this success to a culture of trust, shared purpose, and active listening. Instead of dictating solutions, she encourages discussion and collaboration, often leveraging off-site retreats (gasshuku) for deeper engagement and idea-sharing.
On leadership challenges, she highlights the difficulty of balancing corporate, national, and personal leadership styles within global organizations. She advises foreign leaders in Japan to immerse themselves in the culture—not just through work but by enjoying Japanese food, art, and history. She also stresses the importance of clear communication with international headquarters to bridge cultural misunderstandings.
Suzuki’s leadership is defined by a non-authoritarian, enabling approach where people are encouraged to work toward a shared mission. She likens leadership to traditional Japanese music—where each individual contributes their own unique sound rather than conforming to a single melody. In her view, great leadership does not come from being the loudest voice in the room but from creating an environment where every voice can be heard.
Japan C&SI Alliance & Netvibes Director, Dassault Systemes as at December 2024 when we recorded this session.
Previously Fabio was C&SI Alliance Executive, Dassault Systemes; Global Alliance Director, Strategic Business Director, Director Strategic Pursuit Team, Director Mechatronics Solution at Siemens Digital Industries Software; Project Manager Promec Automotive.
Summary
A seasoned leader with extensive experience in Japan, he highlights the unique challenges and adaptations required to lead effectively in a Japanese business environment. Having transitioned from a Western leadership model to managing teams in Japan, he underscores the significance of communication, trust-building, and cultural sensitivity.
One of the most striking differences Crisafulli encountered was the approach to communication. In contrast to his Italian background, where opinions are expressed directly, he observed that Japanese team members often remain silent in meetings. Instead of voicing their concerns or ideas immediately, they may provide feedback privately afterward. This indirect communication style required him to cultivate an environment where employees felt comfortable sharing their perspectives, even if it meant allowing silence during discussions. He learned to encourage open dialogue and create a psychologically safe space where disagreement was not only tolerated but valued.
Crisafulli also emphasizes the importance of leading by example. Rather than issuing direct orders, he believes in granting ownership and responsibility to his team members. By allowing them the freedom to make decisions within a guided framework, he fosters a sense of accountability and motivation. This is particularly crucial in Japan, where employees may be hesitant to take initiative unless they understand their role’s significance in the broader strategy.
Another key aspect of his leadership philosophy is trust. He makes a deliberate effort to demonstrate trust in his team first, which, in turn, encourages reciprocal trust. He remains observant of body language and behavioural changes, recognizing early warning signs of disengagement or dissatisfaction. If a team member struggles with performance, he engages in direct and private conversations to understand their challenges, offering support or reassignment if needed.
Crisafulli has also noticed a shift in younger Japanese employees, who show a greater willingness to take risks and seek innovation compared to past generations. He believes that providing them with opportunities to experiment, even at the risk of failure, fosters both personal and professional growth.
In managing headquarters expectations, Crisafulli advocates for adaptability and diplomacy. He encourages executives to move beyond stereotypes about Japan and to understand local business realities firsthand. His approach to leadership is deeply rooted in respect, empowerment, and continuous learning, making him an effective bridge between Western corporate structures and the intricacies of Japanese workplace culture.
Previously, Orjan was Director of Sales, Japan at iPoint Systems gmbh, Area Sales Manager Thule Group, Director of Sales & Marketing Asia-Pacific, BA Bags/President Thule Japan, Directeur des ventes VB Autobatteries S.A.S., Regional Sales Manager East & SEA Optima Batteries, Johnson Controls, Import and Export Coordinator Aichi Sangyo.
He has a Masters Degree in east Asian studies from Stockholm University
Orjan Pettersson’s leadership journey in Japan is shaped by his deep understanding of the local culture, his ability to build trust, and his belief in the importance of personal connection. Having lived in Japan for over 27 years, Pettersson has navigated diverse roles, from working in a small Japanese company to leading major international businesses. His leadership philosophy centers around empathy, responsibility, and fostering a collaborative work environment.
Pettersson highlights the significance of cultural adaptation, emphasizing that foreign leaders must learn how Japanese businesses operate, particularly in terms of hierarchy, loyalty, and long-term stability. He believes that understanding the unwritten rules of Japanese corporate culture—such as respect, obligation, and group harmony—is essential to gaining trust and credibility. One of his key leadership approaches is maintaining open communication with employees, valuing their expertise, and empowering them with greater responsibility.
A major factor in Pettersson’s leadership success is his commitment to authenticity and relationship-building. He fosters a work environment where employees feel personally invested in their roles, rather than merely following orders. By insisting on working in Japanese and immersing himself in the local business culture, he has gained the respect of his teams and counterparts.
Pettersson also stresses the need for adaptability and resilience. From the Lehman shock to the 2011 earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic, he has faced numerous challenges, but his ability to stay grounded, make decisive decisions, and support his employees through uncertain times has strengthened his leadership. His belief that leadership is about "innovation with empathy" reflects his approach to balancing strategic direction with human-centered management.
Additionally, he recognizes the importance of fostering creativity within his teams. While Japanese employees may be hesitant to take risks, he encourages idea generation through open discussions and structured brainstorming sessions. His introduction of informal team-building activities, such as a weekly coffee break, has helped create a culture of trust and collaboration.
For foreign leaders in Japan, Pettersson advises learning the language, engaging directly with employees and clients, and demonstrating an understanding of Japanese business values. He acknowledges that bridging the gap between headquarters' expectations and local realities is an ongoing challenge, requiring both cultural sensitivity and strategic negotiation.
Ultimately, Pettersson’s leadership style is defined by his ability to balance Western efficiency with Japanese business traditions, fostering an environment where both innovation and long-term stability can thrive.
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About The Author
Dr. Greg Story, President Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training
Contact me at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com
Bestselling author of “Japan Sales Mastery” (the Japanese translation is "The Eigyo" (The営業), “Japan Business Mastery” and "Japan Presentations Mastery". He has also written "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" and the translation "Toreningu De Okane Wo Muda Ni Suru No Wa Yamemashoo" (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのは止めましょう) and his brand new book is “Japan Leadership Mastery”.
Dr. Greg Story is an international keynote speaker, an executive coach, and a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. He leads the Dale Carnegie Franchise in Tokyo which traces its roots straight back to the very establishment of Dale Carnegie in Japan in 1963 by Mr. Frank Mochizuki.
He publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter
Has 6 weekly podcasts:
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Mondays - The Leadership Japan Series,
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Tuesdays – The Presentations Japan Series
Every second Tuesday - ビジネス達人の教え
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Wednesdays - The Sales Japan Series
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Thursdays – The Leadership Japan Series
Also every second Thursday - ビジネスプロポッドキャスト
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Fridays - The Japan Business Mastery Show
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Saturdays – Japan’s Top Business Interviews
Has 3 weekly TV shows on YouTube:
- Mondays - The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show
Also every Second Thursday - ビジネスプロTV
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Fridays – Japan Business Mastery
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Saturdays – Japan Top Business Interviews
In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development.
Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making, become a 39 year veteran of Japan and run his own company in Tokyo.
Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate (糸東流) and is currently a 6th Dan.
Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.
Previously Alan was Executive Advisor, Nikkei; Chief Commercial Officer at Exceedo; Head of Asia, Pearson, President and Representative Director Pearson Japan; Director of Client Services and Marketing Phoenix Associates; Director Asia, Soshigakuen Group; Director and COO Metropolis Japan. He has a BA in International Relations from Victoria University, Wellington.
Summary
Alan Malcolm provides key insights into leadership, shaped by his extensive experience in Japan’s business environment. Malcolm’s leadership philosophy revolves around building trust, understanding individual motivations, and balancing the expectations of both local teams and global headquarters.
Malcolm emphasizes the importance of earning trust, both from his team and senior management. He describes leadership as a process of aligning corporate goals with individual motivations, ensuring that employees feel engaged and valued. He highlights that different cultures have distinct drivers: Western employees may be more motivated by financial rewards and career progression, while Japanese employees often prioritize team success, stability, and recognition. Understanding these nuances has helped him bridge cultural gaps and manage teams effectively.
A crucial challenge Malcolm faced was transitioning from being a team member to a leader. He admits that early in his career, he tried to be liked by everyone, avoiding difficult conversations. However, he later realized the need to make tough decisions while maintaining relationships. He learned to balance accountability and empathy, ensuring that both corporate expectations and team needs were met.
Malcolm also stresses the importance of authenticity and consistency. He believes that leaders should be the same person in all situations, avoiding drastic changes in behavior depending on their audience. This consistency builds credibility and trust within the team. He also practices transparency, openly sharing corporate goals and personal feedback he receives from senior leaders. By doing so, he demonstrates vulnerability, which he believes strengthens, rather than weakens, leadership.
One of Malcolm’s key strategies is fostering engagement by actively listening to his team. He encourages employees to contribute ideas by providing structured frameworks rather than dictating solutions. He has learned to ask thought-provoking questions that prompt deeper thinking, rather than imposing his own answers.
Regarding cultural adaptation, Malcolm advises new leaders in Japan to immerse themselves in the environment rather than relying on outdated business stereotypes. He advocates for learning the language, engaging with local employees, and integrating into the community to build credibility and effectiveness as a leader.
Ultimately, Malcolm defines leadership as making decisions and developing people. He believes a successful leader provides the necessary structure, support, and vision while ensuring that the team is motivated to achieve common goals.
Previously Michael was Vice-President Sales and Marketing Nicole Racing, Senior General Manager BMW Alpina, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Nicole Automobiles, General Manager Sales Division BMW Alpina Nicole Automobiles, General Manager Aftersales BMW Australia, Director Aftersales BMW Japan Corp, Department Head Price and Volume Planning Aftersales BMW Group, Strategic Consultant Accenture.
He has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Otto-Friedrich Universitat Bamberg.
Leading in Japan presents unique challenges and opportunities that require adaptation and a deep understanding of cultural nuances. Michael Witt, President of Nicole Racing Japan, shares insights into his leadership journey and the lessons he has learned while managing a diverse team in a foreign business environment.
One of the fundamental aspects of leadership in Japan is the emphasis on relationships and trust. Unlike in Western business cultures, where leadership can be transactional and results-driven, Japanese employees expect a leader to be deeply engaged in their long-term well-being. Trust is built gradually through consistency, transparency, and genuine concern for employees. Witt emphasizes the importance of spending time with employees, engaging in small talk, and providing regular positive feedback. Leaders must also lead by example, as employees keenly observe their behaviour, mood, and actions.
Communication is another critical element in Japanese leadership. Language barriers can be a significant challenge, as many business discussions rely not just on words but on subtle nuances. Witt highlights the importance of learning Japanese to build deeper relationships and avoid misunderstandings. He also stresses the need for patience in decision-making, as Japan's corporate culture often involves a slow, consensus-driven approach. Processes like Nemawashi (informal groundwork discussions) ensure that major decisions are pre-negotiated before they reach formal meetings, making execution smoother.
Witt also discusses the differences between Western and Japanese attitudes toward innovation and risk-taking. While Japan may not embrace disruptive change as readily as some Western cultures, it excels in continuous improvement (Kaizen). Employees are often hesitant to take risks unless they feel supported by leadership. As a result, leaders must provide a "parachute"—offering guidance and structured support rather than simply delegating tasks and expecting independent problem-solving.
Company culture is another key factor in successful leadership in Japan. Witt describes the cultural transformation within Nicole Racing, focusing on unity and shared values under the "One Nicole" initiative. This approach emphasizes teamwork, recognition, and structured communication to align employees with the company’s long-term vision.
Lastly, Witt underscores the importance of resilience, adaptability, and personal well-being. Maintaining a positive mindset, engaging in physical activity, and having a strong support network are essential for leaders managing the complexities of the Japanese business landscape.
By respecting cultural traditions, fostering trust, and guiding employees with empathy, foreign leaders in Japan can build strong, loyal teams and drive long-term success.
Previously Itai was the Country Manager for Trax Retail, Co-Founder and Acting CEO for ABJ Japan, Managing Director ImpacTech, Director of Business Development APAC Kyodo International Corporation Japan, Sales Manager Moroccanoli Japan, .
He has a Masters Degreee in Media and Governance/ Environmental Innovation from Keio Univerity and a BA from Tel Aviv University in East Asian Studies.
Itai highlights that Japanese employees value humility in leadership. Foreign leaders should initially adopt a learning mindset, showing a willingness to understand local practices and seek guidance from their teams. Japanese professionals take great pride in their work and expect leaders to appreciate details and technical expertise.
A significant challenge for foreign executives is balancing the expectations of headquarters with the slower, consensus-driven decision-making process in Japan. While Western business culture often emphasizes rapid change and assertive leadership, Japan values harmony, long-term relationships, and collective decision-making. Leaders must build trust gradually by engaging in meaningful conversations, demonstrating commitment, and understanding the nuances of Japanese communication, including indirectness and reading between the lines.
Another key aspect of leadership in Japan is handling mistakes and fostering innovation. Employees may be hesitant to take risks due to the fear of failure and hierarchical structures. Yanai suggests that leaders should take responsibility for failures while allowing employees to claim success, which encourages innovation and builds trust.
Recruiting and retaining talent is another hurdle. Japanese employees tend to prefer well-established companies with clear career progression. Foreign companies or startups must create an appealing work environment by offering stability, opportunities for professional growth, and a sense of purpose beyond just financial compensation. Providing employees with "opportunities" rather than just a job can be a compelling way to attract and retain talent.
Additionally, Japan’s highly demanding consumer market pushes companies to refine their operations. Many foreign businesses that establish themselves in Japan find that they must adopt higher standards of quality and service, which can ultimately benefit their global operations.
In summary, leading in Japan requires patience, cultural sensitivity, and a deep understanding of the local work culture. Effective foreign leaders should be humble, trust-building, and willing to embrace Japan's emphasis on precision, harmony, and long-term relationships to succeed.
Previously Hartmut was a Partner at Bizits Partners, Senior Consultant at z-anshin, Managing Director at TRUMPF Japan, Managing Director at TRUMPF United Kingdom, Managing Director TRUMPF Japan. He graduated with a Master of Science from Penn State University, and a degree in Industrial Engineering from Technische Univeritat Clausthal.
Summary
Hartmut has built his leadership philosophy on trust, adaptability, and a deep understanding of Japan’s business culture. His experience leading organizations in Japan has taught him that success is not just about implementing strategies but about fostering strong relationships, both within the company and with customers.
One of the key pillars of his leadership is trust. In Japan, where business relies heavily on long-term relationships, Harmut realized early on that credibility is everything. When he first started selling technical equipment, he encountered a cultural expectation that past problems must be resolved before moving forward. Instead of simply pushing new sales, he took the time to address unresolved issues with previous products, ensuring that customer concerns were met before introducing something new. This commitment to problem-solving laid the foundation for a strong reputation, both among clients and within his company.
Leading a Japanese team came with its own challenges. Employees would often agree to proposals with a simple "yes," but that didn’t always translate to action. He learned to look beyond surface-level agreements, following up consistently and creating structured opportunities for discussion. Harmut also recognized the Japanese preference for Kaizen—continuous, small improvements—rather than large-scale changes. He worked within this mindset, ensuring that his team focused on steady progress while also integrating global innovations in a way that felt natural rather than forced.
Managing performance was another challenge. Unlike in many Western companies, where underperformance can lead to quick dismissals, Japanese business culture requires a more careful approach. Harmut developed a system of retraining and repositioning employees when possible, giving them a chance to improve before considering other options. He ensured that performance issues were addressed transparently but fairly, creating an environment where accountability was expected but never handled harshly.
A significant part of his success came from his deep engagement with customers. He viewed complaints not as setbacks but as invaluable insights. By actively listening to dissatisfied customers, he was able to refine products and services, which, in turn, strengthened relationships and improved business outcomes.
Throughout his career, Harmut sought out mentors to help navigate the complexities of leadership in Japan. He believes that leading successfully in a foreign culture is not about forcing one's own methods but about adapting—like reshaping a key to fit a specific lock. His leadership journey demonstrates that with patience, cultural awareness, and a commitment to trust, long-term success is possible.
Koji Endo's approach to leadership in Japan offers valuable insights into navigating the complexities of running a business in a culturally rich and nuanced environment. As the third-generation leader of the Kai Group, Endo inherited a legacy steeped in tradition and innovation. He took over the presidency at 33, following the sudden passing of his father, and transformed the company from a predominantly domestic enterprise into a global brand. This journey required balancing respect for the past with a vision for the future, a common challenge in Japanese family-run businesses.
Endo’s leadership emphasized long-term thinking, a cornerstone of Japanese business culture. Unlike the transactional and short-term focus often seen in Western business practices, Japanese leaders prioritize stability, trust, and sustainable growth. This philosophy shaped his approach to building relationships with partners and his commitment to ensuring the company’s enduring success.
A key part of Endo’s preparation for leadership involved working outside the family business. Like many successors in Japan, he spent time at another company to gain practical experience and understand the mindset of frontline workers. This broadened his perspective and provided him with a deep appreciation for the challenges faced by employees, enriching his ability to lead with empathy and insight.
Building trust within the organization was another pillar of Endo’s leadership. Upon assuming his role, he prioritized open communication, respect for experienced executives, and fostering a collaborative culture. One of his innovative strategies was the use of Shuho, a weekly reporting system where employees shared updates and ideas. This not only allowed him to stay connected with the workforce but also encouraged a flow of ideas from all levels of the organization.
Endo's tenure also marked a period of significant change for the Kai Group. He expanded its international presence, increasing overseas sales from 20% to 55%. This required navigating diverse markets and cultural differences while maintaining the company’s reputation for high-quality products. Endo’s ability to adapt to changing environments and embrace new opportunities was crucial to this success.
In passing the presidency to his son, Endo highlighted the importance of respecting generational shifts. As chairman, he provides guidance while allowing his successor the freedom to shape the company’s future. For foreign leaders in Japan, Endo advises cultivating relationships outside of work, respecting local customs, and visiting worksites to understand operations firsthand. His leadership, influenced by patience and Zen-inspired mindfulness, underscores the value of humility, cultural sensitivity, and a commitment to sustainable growth.
Previously, Corrine was the Chief Distribution and Chief Claims Officer AXA XL APAC Europe and XL Insurance Company SE, Head of Claims XL Insurance company SE & AXA XL Business Unit APAC Europe, Head of Global Claims Operations, Global Chief Claims Officer, CEO Protexia France, Allianz France.
She graduated in engineering from Ecole nationale des ponts et chaussees and has an MBA from College des Ingenieurs.
Summary
Corinne Southarewsky’s approach to leadership in Japan blends her extensive global experience with an acute sensitivity to local cultural dynamics. Transitioning to her role as COO of AXA Japan, she emphasised the importance of listening, understanding, and respecting Japan’s traditions and people while maintaining authenticity. Corinne highlights that successful leadership begins with adaptability—not imposing preconceived notions but learning from the environment and its people.
One key element of her leadership philosophy is recognising individual contributions while fostering teamwork. She believes in creating a culture of mutual respect, purpose, and collaboration to inspire and engage employees. For Corinne, the alignment of organisational purpose with shared goals strengthens employee dedication, especially in a client-focused industry like insurance, where empathy and precision are vital.
Corinne also addresses the cultural emphasis on perfectionism common in both French and Japanese contexts, harnessing this trait to ensure high service quality. However, she balances this with a pragmatic acceptance of imperfection, promoting resilience, innovation, and the willingness to learn from failures—an approach that helps mitigate cultural resistance to experimentation in Japan.
Her advice to leaders entering Japan includes taking time to understand the culture, respecting traditions, and building trust through sincerity and alignment of actions with words. She stresses the importance of meeting employees and clients personally to gain deeper insights and foster genuine engagement. As a female leader, Corinne advocates for women’s empowerment by focusing on their individual goals and fostering family collaboration for work-life balance. She also encourages leaders to create flexible environments that accommodate personal and professional growth for both men and women.
Corinne’s leadership style exemplifies the fusion of cultural respect and global perspective, making her insights invaluable for anyone aspiring to lead effectively in Japan.
Previously Irina was Amway Russia Chairman of Liquidation Committee, Managing Director Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia, Vice-President Sales and Operations Russia, Director of Sales and Marketing Oriflame Kazakhstan, Supervisor Reporting Philip Morris Kazakhstan. She has an MBA from the University of Manchester Business School, and a Ph.D. from Bauman Moscow State Technical University.
Summary
Leading effectively in Japan requires a nuanced understanding of its unique cultural and social dynamics. Irina Menshikova, President of Amway Japan, emphasizes the importance of patience, trust-building, and adaptability in navigating the complexities of Japanese business culture.
One critical factor is understanding Japan's high-context, consensus-driven culture. Leaders must demonstrate compassion, transparency, and vulnerability while fostering collaboration. Building trust is central, achieved through consistent communication, acknowledgment of past challenges, and a sustained commitment to resolving issues. Japanese employees value leaders who listen and create safe spaces for dialogue and innovation.
Menshikova's approach included open dialogue sessions and one-on-one conversations, which allowed employees to voice their concerns and suggestions. Strategic workshops were used to empower middle management and facilitate proactive contributions. Casual lunches further fostered trust and allowed for informal yet strategic discussions.
Japanese teams often start with a lower baseline of optimism in assessments and engagement scores, reflecting cultural tendencies rather than dissatisfaction. Menshikova navigated this by focusing on incremental improvements and celebrating progress rather than making direct comparisons to other markets.
Her leadership style integrated Amway’s core values—freedom, hope, family, and reward—with the cultural specifics of Japan. By adapting global principles to local nuances, she rebuilt trust with employees and distributors. This included leveraging Japan’s detail-oriented execution strengths while introducing changes in a culturally sensitive manner.
For female leaders in Japan, Menshikova highlights the importance of building confidence, balancing priorities, and pursuing personal aspirations. Many women face societal expectations that limit their roles to family responsibilities. Educational programs and corporate support systems, such as flexible work policies and mentorship opportunities, can help women advance.
Menshikova’s advice to leaders entering Japan is to immerse themselves in the culture, learn the language, and actively listen to local teams. Trusting the Japanese approach and balancing global identity with local relevance is critical. Leaders should embrace a mindset of experimentation and adaptability while staying true to the mission of their organization.
Lastly, Menshikova underscores the value of self-care, including mindfulness and resilience-building practices, as essential for sustaining long-term leadership effectiveness.
Aytekin previously was Greater Turkey Cluster General Manager, Turkey Country Manager, CFO Turkey, Sales Controlling Group Manager Paris Groupe Danone, Project Manager, Sabanchi Holding Danone JV. He has a BA Business Administration from Bogazici University and MA Finance & Accounting from Marmara University.
Summary
Aytekin Yildiz, APAC Cluster CEO of Group Bel and President of Bel Japan, shared insights from his two-and-a-half years in Japan during this interview. Having a background in finance, he transitioned into leadership roles through deliberate career moves and support from Bel. He emphasised that successful leadership in Japan requires understanding the cultural nuances of indirect communication, risk aversion, and perfectionism.
To engage his team, Aytekin stressed the importance of starting with "Why" and co-creating a vision through collaborative workshops. He introduced a "test and learn" approach to encourage agility, assuring his team that failure is acceptable if it leads to learning. Aytekin publicly treated failures as collective rather than individual, using them as opportunities for growth and reflection.
He highlighted the importance of trust in Japanese workplaces, built through authenticity, transparency, and consistency. Respecting Japanese culture while maintaining his own identity was key to his leadership style. Aytekin noted the importance of balancing strategic and operational leadership, often engaging directly with his teams during crises to demonstrate support.
Innovation, he said, is strong in Japan but requires a leader to unleash its potential. He cited successful initiatives, such as introducing unique product innovations like sweet cheese and collaborations with Japanese IP, as examples of Japan’s creativity.
For leaders coming to Japan, Aytekin advised adopting a listening mindset, understanding the local culture, and building trust through collaboration. He emphasised the value of blending global strategies with local market realities to drive meaningful change.
Aytekin defined leadership as guiding and inspiring people toward a common vision through engaging conversations. His leadership journey underscores the importance of adaptability, empathy, and fostering innovation to succeed in diverse and complex markets like Japan.
Joe Hart, Global President Dale Carnegie & Associates
Previously Joe was President Asset Health, President at Info Ally, Development Director Taubman, and as a lawyer, Associate at Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, Associate at Clark, Klein & Beaumont. He has a BA from the University of Michigan and a JD from the Wayne State University Law School. He is a certified trainer in the Dale Carnegie Course.
Summary: I reflected on my journey to becoming the President and Global CEO of Dale Carnegie & Associates and wanted to share some key insights about leadership. My career began in law, but everything changed after I took a Dale Carnegie course in 1995. It was a transformative experience that not only gave me the courage to leave law but also set me on a path toward personal and professional growth. Over the years, I’ve built and sold companies, including an e-learning firm and a wellness business, learning the importance of adaptability and innovation along the way.
When I became CEO of Dale Carnegie, my approach was rooted in humility and a commitment to listening. I spent months connecting with our franchisees around the world, understanding their challenges and opportunities, and using their input to create a five-year strategic plan. My focus has always been on fostering trust, building relationships, and creating a culture where people feel supported and engaged.
The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most challenging periods of my leadership. Thankfully, Dale Carnegie’s foresight in developing online training back in 2010 allowed us to pivot quickly to a digital model. It wasn’t easy—shifting globally to virtual delivery required rapid training and certification—but the effort paid off. Transparency and regular communication were critical during this time. I made it a priority to check in with team members, listen to their concerns, and provide as much clarity as possible about our direction. These actions helped build trust and kept the organization aligned during a period of uncertainty.
I also see tremendous potential in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance productivity and client engagement. AI can streamline tasks like meeting preparation and research, freeing up time for more meaningful interactions. However, I believe the human element—skills like empathy, communication, and storytelling—remains irreplaceable. Leaders need to build trust and provide the necessary training to help teams adapt to these changes. I emphasized that effective AI implementation depends on employee confidence, motivation, and trust in leadership.
Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed the power of confidence and psychological safety. At Dale Carnegie, we create environments where people feel empowered to take risks and grow. This approach aligns with our principles of focusing on strengths and encouraging positive development. I’m deeply committed to helping individuals and organizations build these capabilities, which are more important than ever in today’s fast-changing world.
For me, leadership is about continuously learning, staying true to core values, and ensuring that people feel supported and valued. By leveraging technology, fostering strong relationships, and prioritizing personal growth, I believe we can navigate even the toughest challenges. My goal is to carry forward Dale Carnegie’s mission of transforming lives and reaching more people around the globe with tools that build confidence, inspire trust, and create lasting impact.
Previously Miyoko was Tiffany’s Vice-President Global Sales, International Operations, Vice-President Japan Division, Director - International Japan, Account Associate, Coordinator Ala Moana Store, Coordinator/Manager Global Trade Business.
Summary: Key Points on Leading in Japan
Miyoko Demey, former President of Tiffany Japan, shares valuable insights on leadership in Japan based on her thirty-year career with Tiffany, spanning the U.S. and Japan. Her experiences underscore the importance of curiosity, respect, communication, and adaptability when leading in a complex cultural environment.
- The Importance of Curiosity and Respect
Miyoko highlights curiosity as a critical leadership trait. She emphasizes the need to listen actively, ask questions, and understand different perspectives, particularly when leading multicultural teams. Leaders cannot assume “standard” solutions apply. Respect for people, their work, and the local culture is key to building trust and creating an inclusive environment.
- Building Trust
Trust is foundational for leadership in Japan. Miyoko explains that consistency is essential—leaders must follow through on promises and remain transparent. When mistakes occur, leaders should focus on learning and growth rather than blame. This approach helps employees feel safe to take risks, make decisions, and innovate.
- Overcoming Siloed Thinking with a “One Team” Approach
Japanese organizations often exhibit a siloed mindset, where roles are narrowly defined, and collaboration can be limited. Miyoko tackled this by promoting a “one team, one goal” culture. She encouraged employees to see the bigger picture and understand their contributions to the collective success of the organization.
- Leadership Challenges for Japanese Women
Miyoko acknowledges unique challenges faced by Japanese women in leadership roles, such as self-doubt and societal expectations. She advocates for mentorship programs and encourages women not to underestimate their potential. Sharing her own challenges and imperfections helped her team feel more confident about stepping up and taking risks.
- Communication is Repetition and Adaptation
Effective communication in Japan requires consistent messaging, delivered in various formats, from town halls to one-on-one meetings. Miyoko points out that Japanese audiences often rely on subtle, unstated cues (ishin denshin), but assumptions can no longer be taken for granted. Leaders must clarify their expectations explicitly to avoid misunderstandings.
- Understanding the Headquarter-Local Dynamics
Miyoko’s deep knowledge of Tiffany’s headquarters gave her credibility as a leader in Japan. She acted as an effective “culture interpreter,” bridging the gap between the U.S. head office and local operations. Her ability to explain local needs to headquarters—and vice versa—helped smooth operations and build trust with both sides.
- Resilience Through Opportunity
Miyoko views challenges as opportunities for growth. For instance, during COVID-19, her ability to adapt to unexpected circumstances allowed her to manage Tiffany Japan effectively while maintaining work-life balance. This mindset of resilience and positivity is essential for leaders navigating crises.
- Key Professional Traits: The Four C’s
Miyoko identifies her “Four C’s” for leadership:
- Curiosity: Always strive to learn and understand.
- Confidence: Built through hard work and preparation.
- Courage: Make decisions, take risks, and own the outcomes.
- Compassion/Connection: Build genuine relationships by listening and understanding others.
Miyoko’s leadership approach demonstrates the power of balancing respect for Japanese cultural nuances with global business priorities. For foreign leaders in Japan, she advises listening, respecting existing structures, and acting decisively while maintaining trust and communication.
Previously Johhny was Vice-President and Corporate Officer Softbank Corp (mobile) Entrepreneur AgiTech Company, Trade/Investor Multiple Global Brokers and Hedge Fund. He was educated at the University of California, Berkeley.
Summary
Here are the key leadership principles and actions to follow, based on JohnnyYoo’s insights from his experience at WeWork Japan:
- Adapt to Crises and Pivot When Needed: Be open to reassessing your career or leadership approach when significant events or crises arise. Adaptability is crucial, and sometimes major shifts can offer new opportunities for growth.
- Embrace Cultural Sensitivity: Take time to understand the local culture, especially in diverse environments like Japan. Learning even basic aspects of the local language and customs can go a long way in building trust and rapport with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
- Build Trust Through Transparency and Communication:
- Prioritize open, honest communication. Be clear and consistent in your messaging to ensure everyone is aligned with the company’s vision.
- Foster transparency through regular interactions, such as town halls or an open-door policy, to address concerns and keep the team informed.
- Be Decisive, Especially in Times of Uncertainty: When facing crises or organizational challenges, take swift and decisive action. Avoid prolonged uncertainty; even painful decisions, when made quickly, can be better than indecision.
- Engage Directly with Clients: Build strong, personal relationships with your customers. Engage with them directly to understand their needs and foster trust. Small gestures, like remembering names or addressing cultural preferences, can make a significant impact on these relationships.
- Foster Inclusivity and Innovation: Create an inclusive environment where ideas are welcomed from all levels of the organization. Encourage team members to contribute, and use their ideas to drive innovation and momentum, particularly in challenging times.
- Cultivate Resilience and Optimism: Lead with a mindset of perseverance, following the principle of “fall down seven times, get up eight.” View setbacks as opportunities for growth and motivate your team to stay focused and positive even during tough periods.
- Maintain Simplicity in Your Leadership Approach: Keep communication clear and straightforward. Avoid overcomplicating messages or processes, as simplicity can enhance understanding and execution.
- Balance Local and Global Expectations: When leading in a foreign market, balance corporate goals with the cultural realities of the local environment. Take the time to understand local practices and adapt your approach accordingly, avoiding over-reliance on intermediaries or expecting immediate results.
- Respect and Understand the Local Business Environment: Gain a deep understanding of the economic and cultural landscape in the regions where you operate. This includes the unique challenges of industries like real estate in Japan, and recognizing the importance of strategic partnerships to navigate these complexities.
By applying these principles, you can become a more effective leader who fosters trust, innovation, and resilience while adapting to the local business and cultural context.
Previously Emmanuel was the Representative Director for Camso (Michelin Japan and Korea), General Manager European Project Sumitomo Riko, Business Development Director Japan and Korea EFI Automotive, Customer Service Manager PPG Industries, Marketing and sales Michelin, Market Research Staubli. He has an MBA in International Management and Japanese Business & Culture from the Universite de Rennes 1.
Ross Rowbury, Previous President of Edelman Japan, celebrated his 40th anniversary since first arriving in Japan as a Rotary Youth Exchange student. Mr. Rowbury began his career in the finance sector in banking and securities before moving on to PR roles specializing in finances. With several years of leadership experience in foreign financial firms, Mr. Rowbury made a smooth transition into PR where he embraced the creative and engagement aspect of the industry.
As the President of Edelman, the largest foreign PR firm in Japan with a rapidly growing team, Mr. Rowbury strives for strong communication and engagement with his staff, but takes a conscious step back when necessary. He explains, “I think, the key thing is that the leader needs to be able to identify where those turning points or tipping points [of change] are so that [you] don't become a bottleneck in that process.” Delegation also plays a large part in managing such a large team. To better lead his 80 employees, Mr. Rowbury is planning on welcoming a new COO to take on much of the operational decisions.
On the changing landscape of PR and modern audiences, Mr. Rowbury says ”you have to create a very strong narrative or storyline that makes them understand why it’s relevant or important to them, or they’re not going to stay there with you.” To make this possible, Edelman hires a diverse team of specialists who are talented planners and creatives, but do not necessarily “speak the same language” and work at various speeds. Mr. Rowbury tries to find the common ground between such differences through repeated discussions. He explains, “through a process of really intense discussions…over time, you are unable to get to a point where those three different definitions of product manager have actually melded into something that's unique for us. And that's where we want to be.”
In an ever-evolving world, Mr. Rowbury is aware of the younger employees’ need for transparency and involvement in decision-making processes to have more trust in leadership. Through his regular lunch meetings with junior staff, Mr. Rowbury learned of the stress younger generations and implemented a wellness day to promote better mental health.
To foster creativity in a mistake-free culture like Japan, Mr. Rowbury explains, “these days a relatively small mistake can actually result in quite a significant impact to the business so I'm not quite sure…[if] it's okay to go out and make mistakes, is exactly the right message. I think it needs to be refined a little bit more, with some parameters around what sort of mistake is okay to make and what is not.” Additionally, Mr. Rowbury explain that being able to admit to one’s mistake, recognize one’s weaknesses and constantly learn, are all essential factors in adapting to such a rapidly changing society.
Mr. Rowbury advises newcomers to Japan to remember the three Ps – patience, persistence, and politeness - something he was first told as a new arrival himself. He explains that in Japan, everything takes more time and money, but when done, the end result is better than anywhere else. Mr. Rowbury also encourages newcomers to not be afraid of making the ask, but maintaining politeness by using phrases like onegaishimasu (please) and soundanga arimasu (I would like to consult you).
Jeremy Sampson, Managing Director of Robert Walters Japan, originally started his career at Hilton Hotel in Australia, before moving to Japan to teach English. He joined Robert Walters as an Associate in 2005. In 2008, Mr. Sampson became the team manager specializing in manufacturing and heavy industries, coinciding with the Global Financial Crisis.
Looking back, Mr. Sampson thinks of this difficult time as a “year of learning” in which he worked to instil “great habits, great processes, and great discipline.” This put his team in a strong position when the market rebounded in 2010, making them one of the highest performing teams among all offices in Japan. During this time, Mr. Sampson explains how he learned the importance of being a leader that leads by example, working hard and setting clear expectations to earn the trust of his employees. He says: “if you're doing the same things that you're asking others to do, I think that is quite powerful and impacts people…[to] follow suit.” He also explains the power of accountability: “I think when people know that you would be checking in to see how something went, it creates accountability and there's more responsibility to do what's asked.”
To grow his team and organization, Mr. Sampson worked to further specialize in the manufacturing, chemical and energy industries. The division grew from 20 people to over 50 people by 2018, at which point Mr. Sampson had become Managing Director. In managing a larger team, Mr. Sampson talks about learning to lead through other people, welcoming feedback, and being consistent with his communication to ensure it reaches all levels of the organization. To make this possible, Mr. Sampson takes part in all first day training for new hires and communicates his leadership principles throughout the induction training process. He also has coffee with the new employees in small groups after their first month to check in with them and reinforce the organizational values. The company also has offsite meetings to have brainstorming and feedback sessions, which Mr. Sampson and the other directors review at a later time.
In retaining his employees, Mr. Sampson sticks to his simple philosophy of “hiring good people, developing them well and keeping them happy.” This not only includes financial rewards and promotions but being a genuine leader that provides a caring work culture. Mr. Sampson constantly communicates to his employees how he is there to help them in their careers and develop their skills, providing necessary training. As a result, Robert Walters has been ranked 16th in the Great Place To Work Institute Japan ranking in 2019, winning the best company award. When explaining how he keeps his employees happy, Mr. Sampson claims, “it's the simple fun things from company parties to drinks on a Friday afternoon, [as well as] actual initiatives.” For example, the organization has a voluntary wellness committee that plans activities related to health and wellbeing.
For newcomers to Japan, he advises them to learn the Japanese culture and landscape first. Secondly, building trust and engagement among employees especially during a time of labour and talent shortage. Lastly, he highly recommends building a networking in Japan’s international business community, which he assures is very welcoming.
Once you walk the talk over a given period of time as a leader, you gain trust, and then people will follow you, instead of just doing what you say. Then you start getting buy-in and ideas and you can work cross-functionally.
On engagement surveys, if you are giving a very low score, then you should not be coming into the office. If you are not going to be part of the solution, then you should reconsider your career and job. Engagement scores however tend to coincide with big decisions, e.g. head count freezes has a negative impact on scores, but bonus time has a positive impact. It is also not helpful to compare countries against other countries. It is about trends and patterns and feedback. You are always going to get people who score low, but it is when you see big swings that you know there is an issue.
I used to think that my job was to find a local leader to replace me once I moved on, but I have realized we are an international company and rotation is a better solution, so succession plans are not just country-based, they are global.
While it may not be a fantastic analogy, chopping the tree down from the top takes a long time. If you wedge things in the tree all the way up, the tree will fall the way you want it to fall.
The unwillingness to change in Japan is strong. We have long had an innovations/idea box and you can put your name on it or not, but we would offer prizes and that encouraged people to put their names on it. But then we received feedback that the idea then became the responsibility of the person who suggested it, and yet often it was not even about their own division. So we created a business development department that reported directly to the CEO, and they can then tackle any strategic ideas that need to be implemented cross-functionally. It was a great tool to get ideas out of heads and onto paper and then to receive quick feedback on that idea by a specialist department who was responsible for it.
Employee meetings are held quarterly and they are mandatory to the extent I myself would walk the floor to see who was not in attendance. There would be various presentations but it was designed as a forum for communicating what needed to be communicated.
I used to have a pizza lunch every 3 weeks with the newcomers where they would have to answer 5 questions and I would have to answer the same 5 questions honestly. It helped build trust and exposure. My door was always open. I would meet with anyone and everyone.
Sharing personal stuff really helps brighten engagement. I do it because it is just me and how I am but especially in Japan, I realized it was seen as a really big deal. My view is you do not need to be a rock or some kind of impenetrable individual. You are a human, you have a family, you have a dog, you have issues, so its okay to relate to people and have them relate to you. You should not stop a weekend activity you have been enjoying for decades just because you are the CEO or whatever.
I think it is important to be careful what you wish for because changing things that are inherent to a culture, even if they sometimes cause frustration, would fundamentally change the country. Manage the business with the environment you have. Use it to your advantage.
Do not be brainwashed by some of the things you have been told about Japan either by foreigners who are new to the country or who have been there a long time. There are as many challenges in Japan as they are in any other countries. Focus on the good and where there are growth opportunities. Yes, it can be a flat market in general but pick your battles and look for areas you can innovate in. You need to think and you need to ask for help. Consultants can often give you insights into the market from a bigger picture and help you develop those plans, as well as point out where you can hit to grow your business, grow your career and grow your family. So be open-minded, draw your own conclusions and enjoy the ride.
As a leader, I learned to not compete on things I did not have expertise in. I had a financial background, not a technical background, so there was no use trying to convince technically strong employees on that front – I had to use financial data as facts in order to convince my employees to accept that things needed to change in order to grow on the global scale that I wanted.
While I accept there are differences in practices between cultures, I think the basics of people are the same. People are motivated to learn, to grow, to advance. Young people particularly, regardless of culture, are willing to challenge themselves and are not afraid to try and even fail.
We invested heavily in the company computer systems so that all staff can, at the touch of a button, contact any other member of our overseas team. So, apart from being conscious of time differences, there is no excuse for a lack of communication. We communicate, even at the Japanese headquarters, mainly in English and what I encourage the most is everyone just having a go, it can be horrible English with just a bunch of words together but there will always be someone in the meeting who can translate so it is vital that people gets a chance and just tries. Bit by bit, they will realise no one`s English in the company is perfect and that just trying to communicate is the key.
We never fire people for making a mistake, even if it is a big one because they tried, so they are not penalized and in fact we set up challenge systems within the company to recognize employees globally who met the challenge, made the contribution and tried.
We also bring managers to Japan and take Japanese managers to our other offices in India and China and Europe etc, so as many people as possible, can see first-hand how our business operates in different cultures. It is expensive to do this, but I see it as an investment in my people, in team building and in my company.
I think while money is important to people, they have bills to pay after all, but recognition in so far as being trusted to take on certain roles and responsibilities is a bigger motivating factor in my company.
When I took over the company, and instigated the global expansion, I had to be very precise and transparent about my messages. I would send the messages in English and Japanese to the employees about where we were and where we wanted to go. I would outline the broad plan and then ask different groups into meetings to plan, plan, plan – down to the detailed plans. This was how I built ownership from the employees into the global plan, and changed the company culture from a One-King culture, top-down strong leadership style that my father used, to a style that was more suited to me and what I had learnt in the US
I think a problem in Japan is we ask people to choose a specialization at far too early an age. For example, once you go down a science path, you do not learn management or business skills, so we end up with highly skilled workers but only in their particular field, and that puts us at a competitive disadvantage because in many other Western countries, even if you major in science, you still get a liberal arts education, which basically teaches you the leadership and communication skills you need anyway.
In Japan, a well-mannered conversation is based on listening, to fully understand and make an in-depth comment. Feedback is only considered appropriate at work, feedback to people at your own level is considered aggressive. You need to be very careful giving feedback to Japanese people, listen carefully to what they are trying to do and the reasons they are doing that.
Personal relationships are key in Japan. Japanese have hospitality in their DNA, so show some interest in the culture and people will be more likely to engage with you. It helps build trust.
Laurent Depus, President of Natixis Japan Securities, the Japanese branch of French bank corporation Natixis, has been working in Japan for over 30 years. Originally from Belgium, he aimed to become an English and Spanish interpreter but changed his career course when he joined Chase Manhattan Bank in Luxemburg as a trader. After experiencing various management positions in the financial sector, Mr. Depus joined Natixis in 2014.
Mr. Depus observes successful organizations need to establish three main pillars. First is to have a profitable business model. Second is to have regulated governance. Third is to have a strong company culture.
During his time at SMBC Trust Bank, he built these three pillars for the company from the ground up. He especially notes the challenge he had of creating a strong company culture in the complex Japanese workplace. Although very hierarchical, Mr. Depus observes that the Japanese decision-making process is more participatory than the west. He explains how vital it is to establish trust within one’s team to ensure everyone is moving towards the same direction. This is a challenge especially in a non-confrontational culture like Japan where people may seemingly agree with the boss but silently resist. Additionally, Japanese staff may be wary of foreign managers as they are seen as short-term workers who will move onto another position in 2-3 years. In navigating such challenges and winning trust, Mr. Depus emphasizes the importance of being genuine, honest and transparent. He says, “I think once people have realized that you are honest and genuine, the ice will crack. Trust will be generated. And once you have trust, mistakes can be made. You can make mistakes and your staff can make mistakes. But there's no hard feelings because there is trust, like in any…family.” Mr. Depus adds that when there is trust, more people come forward with new ideas, creating a momentum for creative innovation.
Mr. Depus advises newcomers of Japan to be prepared, detail-oriented, and honest in order to gain trust. He explains, “in the Benelux where I'm from, I would only get a transaction when I had the best price. [But in Japan], once the relationship is created, it's usually more than just a simple, pure business, [but a] product-oriented relationship.”
Summary
When you lead people, you have to lead them in a way they are going to follow. In Japan, when you teach a class, you line people up in order of seniority and you stand in front of the class. It seems very regimented but everyone is perfectly comfortable because they know their role and where they are supposed to be so that allows for performance to be maximized. In the USA, that kind of a set up would make everyone very uncomfortable and inclined to rebel. To make people feel comfortable and improve performance in the USA, its better to put everyone in a circle so there is no feeling of unnecessary hierarchy. Now, sometimes its useful to put people in uncomfortable situations as a way to challenge them but you need to do it with a specific purpose in mind and that is a call you need as a leader need to make.
A good culture is one where there is a shared sense of purpose and values, and being very upfront about tying that purpose to the actions you/your team are taking. You have to be consistent about that, because especially in Japan, that is the difference between creating a winning culture and a chaotic culture. A shared sense of purpose, professionalism and empowerment create sustainability, where your team can deal with the highs and lows.
In the Shop Japan Business, I looked at our call centre staff as extensions of the customer. They understood the customer because they spent so long speaking to them every day so they took on characteristics of the customer．VOC stands for voice of the customer but really it was at least 50% the voice of the communicator (our call centre staff). It helped us turn morale around because we actively listened and heard. Especially in Japan, if you show that the least empowered voice is going to be listened to, you create a tremendous amount of morale. It also creates innovation – if every new idea has to come from the top, then you are in big trouble.
I always caution Western leaders unfamiliar with Japan is to not fill up empty space. Ask a question and hold yourself back as the silence drags and wait for an opinion. Also try to never have the first word. Let someone else conduct the meeting and then at the end bring things together.
While the easiest way to teach in Japan is to line everyone up, the easiest way to run a meeting is to be overly attentive and give everyone the opportunity to voice their opinion．Getting buy-in from your Japanese team is really hard but when you get that buy-in, you absolutely over-perform.
Japanese employees are looking to make a long-term emotional commitment to where they work so they look for the same level of commitment from their leaders. For foreign leaders on 3 – 5 year postings, I recommend not just speaking with your inner circle. Everyone is meaningful, so have different events where you can show that you are caring about the voice of your employees and avoid being too focused on one group over others, gives you a balanced view of what is going on in the organization.
My acronym for leadership is VICES, which stands for vision, integrity, competency, efficiency and sustained success.
Poor performance and good performance are easy to deal with. It is mediocre performance that is more difficult to deal with.
Trust your people, let them know they are trusted but that it is an open process where people are also accountable.
New leaders need to be patient. The leader that will make the biggest changes is the one that listens and truly gains insight
Identify who are the biggest obstacles in your organization and remove them immediately and publicly. This is the only way that engagement, empathy and trust principles work.
Today Bela is the Chief Executive of Sans Frontiers Enter Japan K.K., Board Advisor to Soul Mate Company, Senior Executive at Life Lab Inc., and previously Adjunct Professor at Temple University, Vice-President and Board Director at Haagen Dazs Japan, Head of Marketing Nokia Japan & Korea, Management Consultant at Schweiger Marketing & Co., Director Of Marketing at Western Union Financial Services Dubai, Director of Innovation Coca Cola Austria, Country Manager L’Oreal S.A. Hungary, Marketing Director Diageo Hungary.
Previously Eduard was sales director Outokumpu VDM Japan, Sales Director at ThyssenKrupp VDM Japan. He has a B.A. in East Asian Studies from the University of Vienna, and an M.A, from the Vienna University of Economics and Business.
Previously Svein has been in a number of roles at Marsh McLennan: Country Corporate Officer Japan, Chief Executive Korea, Risk Management & Multinational Leader Asia, Managing Director and Country Vice Executive Japan, Senior Vice President Atlanta, Senior Vice President Brazil. He has a B.A. from the University of San Diego and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. He attended the Canadian Academy in Kobe.
Previously Norman was Head of Buyside Enterprise Sales, Asia Pacific and Head of Portfolio & Index Sales, Asia Pacific at Bloomberg; Managing Director, Barclays Investment Bank; Managing Director Lehman Brothers.
He has a B.A. from Pace University,
Previously Rike was Managing Director, Woodbridge International Japan, Branch Manager ING Baring Securities Japan, Vice-President Merrill Lynch, Director of Operations Merrill Lynch Japan. Rike has been a judge for the Japan Market Expansion Competition since 2006. He has a B.A. from Lewis & Clark College.
Previously Roberto was the General Manager BrandLoyalty, President Zwiesel Japan, Export Manager and Retail And Sales Promotion Manager Japan.
He has a law degree from Universita degli Studi di Torino and was on the Executive Training Programme (ETP) in Japan
From October 2024 Alejandro will become Global CEO of Schoeller Allibert.
Previously for Tetra Pak, he was VP Packaging Solution Moderna Italy, Managing Director Tetra Pak Iberia, Managing Director Tetra Pak Italy, Global CB BU Marketing Director Sweden, Executive Commercial Director Madrid, Executive Commercial Director Bogata, Sales Manager Exxon Mobil Columbia.
Previously Scott was Chairman Circlace Inc, CEO Tricor, President Pasona, Manager EY
Scott has an undergraduate degree in accounting from Iona University.
Previously Joe was President Asset Health, President at Info Ally, Development Director Taubman, and as a lawyer, Associate at Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, Associate at Clark, Klein & Beaumont. He has a BA from the University of Michigan and a JD from the Wayne State University Law School. He is a certified trainer in the Dale Carnegie Course.
Previously Richard was Representative Director at Avira, Senior Inward Investment Officer at the British Consulate-General Osaka, Procurement Manager, Mitsubishi Heavy industries, and Assistant Language Teacher Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme.
Previously Emma was Head of Marketing North Asia Area BAT, Customer Director Unilever ANZ, Trade Category Director Unilever China, Unilever Australasia Customer Manager. She has a B.A. in Commerce from Curtin University of Technology.
Previously Nicolas was Representative Director and CEO Louis Vuitton Japan, Managing Director DFS Japan and Korea, Vice President Operations North Asia and SEA, Tesla, President & CEO Coach Japan, Regional Director, President & Representative Director Japan, Longchamp, Director, General Manager Japan, Estee Lauder, General Manager Shiseido Japan. Nicolas has an Advanced Master Degree from CentraleSuperlec and an MBA from ISC Paris.
Previously Bernard was Representative in Japan for Pylote, Group Senior Advisor at Michelin, Nihon Michelin Tire Chairman, Nihon Michelin Tire President, Member of the Board Ichikoh Industries.
Previously Christian was VP Sales and Application Diesel Systems Robert Bosch, General Manager Robert Bosch Japan, Directeur des Ventes Robert Bosch France.
He has a mechanical engineering degree from Ecole centrale de Lyon
Previously Tim has held a number of roles with Meltwater: Area Director, Managing Director Australia, Senior Client Success Manager Australia, Sales Manager Australia, Sales Consultant Australia. Prior to Meltwater, he was a journalist with the Herald Sun in Melbourne.
Previously Ji was Senior Partner, IBM Worldwide Finance and Operations Director at Ogilvy and Mather Advertising; Director, Brand Strategy Group; Director, Global Agency Coa-Cola; Marketing Manager, Turner Broadcasting. She has an MBA from Emory University – Goizueta Business School and an undergraduate degree in accounting from Oglethorpe University.
Previously Michael was Board Chairman and Director Voestalpine Bohler Welding Asia Pacific, Business Development Director-Consumables ESAB Asia Pacific, Country Manager Japan and Korea ESAB, President Besam Japan, Product Manager Eiga AB, Sales Engineer, Market Manager Asia Pacific Nomafa AB. He has a Master of Science from the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University.
Previously Gustav was CEO Maihama Club Nursing Homes, Managing Director, Swedish Care Institute, Consultant Access Technology. Gustav Graduated with an MA in East Asian Studies from Stockholm University.
Previously Tim was an Associate General Counsel at Marelli, Director Indirect Sales at Colt Technology Services, Senior Lawyer Minter Ellison Lawyers. He has a Law Degree, Bachelor of Asian Studies and is a graduate from the from the Kellogg-HKUST Executive MBA
Previously Tony was in the Financial Accounting Group-Advisory and Administration, Nomura Holdings, Head of Real Estate Finance Macquarie Group, Chief Financial Officer Merrill Lynch, Area Financial Controller HSBC, Manager PWC and Auditor KPMG.
He has a Bachelor of Economics, Accountancy from the University of Sydney.
Previously, Yannick was General Manager Adolfo Dominguez Japan, Pandora Division Manager Bluebell, Deputy General manager PCSA, Japan Country Manager Fast Retailing Group, Japan CEO Mauboussin, Finance Management Program member GE Healthcare
Previously Padraig was Vice-President, Service Operations at Colt Data Centre Services, Director, Design, Build and Transition, Director, Core Technology, KVH, Manager Equant
Mr. Kurokawa is the 18th generation of his family to run this traditional Japanese sweets business, which started in the 1500s in Kyoto. He has worked in the business his whole career and spent a year in their store in Paris.
Previously Patrick was Operations Director at Innov8; Purchasing and RD Director at Groupe ADF; Operations Director at Uniross; Purchasing Director at Alcatel Mobile Phones and Mechanical Manager at SAGEM. He has a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Arts et Metiers Paris Tech – Ecole National Superieure d’Arts et Metiers and an MBA from ESSEC Business School and a DUT, Mechanical from the Universite de Provance
Previously Hiroshi was Regional Vice President, President F5 Networks, Japan; Chief Executive Japan and China Wipro Technologies; and Managing Director, President BEA Systems Japan. He has a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration and Management from The University of Maine at Orono
Previously Vice President, Head of APAC Development, Head of Japan, Vice President Colt DSC: Head of Japan Pembroke Real Estate; Executive Officer, Bovis Lend Lease; Architect, Takenaka Komuten; Harvard University Graduate School Of Design; University Of Manitoba Architecture
Previously Ahbijay was Vice-President of Development for IHG Japan, Australasia and Pacific Region, Director of Development Planning AMEA for Whitbread PLC Singapore, and Director of Development Middle East, Africa and South Asia for the Jumeirah Group.
He has a Master’s Degree from Erasmus University’s Rotterdam School Of Management
Prior to her Japan posting Simone was VP Marketing International Business Unit in Indianapolis, VP and General Manager Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Chief Marketing Officer Japan, Managing Director Austria, International Marketing Leader Cardiology Indianapolis, National Sales Director Germany, Austria and Switzerland, New Product Planning Manager Germany, Head of corporate Communications. Prior to Eli Lilly with Fresenius Kabi she was Head of Area Management Japan, Head of Corporate Communications, Group Product Manager Anaesthesia, and an International trainee.
Be honest – are you a great leader or are you a mediocre leader? How can you become a leader people actually want to follow? How can you be the leader whose team gets results? Do it yourself trial and error wastes time and resources.There is a perfect solution for you- To LEARN MORE click here (https://bit.ly/43sQHxV )
To get your free guide “How To Stop Wasting Money On Training” click here ( https://bit.ly/4agbvLj )
To get your free “Goal Setting Blueprint 2.0” click here (https://bit.ly/43o5FVK)
If you enjoy our content then head over to www.dale-carnegie.co.jp and check out our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules and our whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs.
About The Author
Dr. Greg Story, President Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training
Contact me at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com
The bestselling author of “Japan Sales Mastery” (the Japanese translation is "The Eigyo" (The営業), “Japan Business Mastery” and "Japan Presentations Mastery" and his new books "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" and the translation "Toreningu De Okane Wo Muda Ni Suru No Wa Yamemashoo" (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのは止めま
Dr. Greg Story is an international keynote speaker, an executive coach, and a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. He leads the Dale Carnegie Franchise in Tokyo which traces its roots straight back to the very establishment of Dale Carnegie in Japan in 1963 by Mr. Frank Mochizuki.
He publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter
Has 6 weekly podcasts:
-
Mondays - The Leadership Japan Series,
-
Tuesdays – The Presentations Japan Series
Every second Tuesday - ビジネス達人の教え
-
Wednesdays - The Sales Japan Series
-
Thursdays – The Leadership Japan Series
Also every second Thursday - ビジネスプロポッドキャスト
-
Fridays - The Japan Business Mastery Show
-
Saturdays – Japan’s Top Business Interviews
Has 3 weekly TV shows on YouTube:
- Mondays - The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show
Also every Second Thursday - ビジネスプロTV
-
Fridays – Japan Business Mastery
-
Saturdays – Japan Top Business Interviews
In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development.
Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making, become a 39 year veteran of Japan and run his own company in Tokyo.
Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate (糸東流) and is currently a 6th Dan.
Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.
David has been with Bain his whole career, starting as an Associate to Partner, becoming a Partner and HR Leader Switzerland, Partner and Healthcare Practice Leader, Senior Partner and Regional EMEA Practice Leader for Transformation and Change, Senior Partner and Global Leader Change and Implementation Practice.
Prior to starting the Swiss Prime Brands company in Japan, Luca was an Assistant Manager at Masuda Infinity Japan, a Junior Associate at Goldwyn Partners Group AG, a Consultant at Het Buitenhuis.
Be honest – are you a great leader or are you a mediocre leader? How can you become a leader people actually want to follow? How can you be the leader whose team gets results? There is a perfect solution for you- To LEARN MORE click here (https://bit.ly/43sQHxV )
To get your free guide “How To Stop Wasting Money On Training” click here ( https://bit.ly/4agbvLj )
To get your free “Goal Setting Blueprint 2.0” click here (https://bit.ly/43o5FVK)
If you enjoy our content then head over to www.dale-carnegie.co.jp and check out our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules and our whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs.
About The Author
Dr. Greg Story, President Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training
Contact me at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com
The bestselling author of “Japan Sales Mastery” (the Japanese translation is "The Eigyo" (The営業), “Japan Business Mastery” and "Japan Presentations Mastery" and his new books "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" and the translation "Toreningu De Okane Wo Muda Ni Suru No Wa Yamemashoo" (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのは止めま
Dr. Greg Story is an international keynote speaker, an executive coach, and a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. He leads the Dale Carnegie Franchise in Tokyo which traces its roots straight back to the very establishment of Dale Carnegie in Japan in 1963 by Mr. Frank Mochizuki.
He publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter
Has 6 weekly podcasts:
-
Mondays - The Leadership Japan Series,
-
Tuesdays – The Presentations Japan Series
Every second Tuesday - ビジネス達人の教え
-
Wednesdays - The Sales Japan Series
-
Thursdays – The Leadership Japan Series
Also every second Thursday - ビジネスプロポッドキャスト
-
Fridays - The Japan Business Mastery Show
-
Saturdays – Japan’s Top Business Interviews
Has 3 weekly TV shows on YouTube:
- Mondays - The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show
Also every Second Thursday - ビジネスプロTV
-
Fridays – Japan Business Mastery
-
Saturdays – Japan Top Business Interviews
In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development.
Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making, become a 39 year veteran of Japan and run his own company in Tokyo.
Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate (糸東流) and is currently a 6th Dan.
Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.
Eddie’s coaching of Japan to defeat South Africa against their hometown advantage in South Africa, was a breakthrough moment for Japanese rugby, which until that point had never managed to win a game at that level.
Eddie started his coaching career at Randwick as an assistant coach in 1994. He coached Tokai University as an assistant coach in 1995-96, was assistant coach for Japan in 1996, coached the Suntory Sungoliath team in 1997, the ACT Brumbies from 1998-2001, Australia from 2001-2005, Saracens in 2006, the Queensland Reds in 2007, South Africa in 2007, Saracens again in 2007-209, Suntory Sungoliaths again from 2009-2012, Japan from 2012-2015, the Stormers in 2015, England from 2015-2022, Australia in 2023 and Japan from 2024.
Over the 9 years Eddie has spent leading in Japan, he has amassed a very detailed understanding of high performance team coaching for this market, especially for young Japanese people. Leading this younger generation is a new challenge for most of us and yet Eddie has spent his whole career working out how to lead young men in their twenties. He is probably the most expert person in Japan in this field and someone we can learn a lot from.
Eddie credits his training as a High School teacher, as helping him a great deal when he became a rugby coach. He is a constant student of leadership and permanently curious, as to how he can improve his abilities.
Previously Gaspard was Port Cities Managing Director Mexico, Managing Directors Indonesia, Ethnicraft Project Manager, Carmeuse Group Supply Chain Analyst. Gaspard Graduated from the Louvain School of Management, Universite Catholique De Louvain
Jean Pierre has spent most of his career at L’Oreal. Previously he was Senior Vice President L’Oreal Luxe APAC, Managing Director L’Oreal Luxe Europe, General Manager L’Oreal Luxe Thailand. He is an MBA Graduate of emlyon business school.
Geoffrey has started his own company Shining Prince Entertainment, currently he is Japan Representative for Drylab Media Tech. Previously he was Co-Founder and Head of Sales for V-Net Solutions Japan, General Manager HBO Max Japan, Japan Country Manager for IMAX, Strategic Advisor for 20th Century Fox Japan, Advisor to LAIKA LLC, Advisor to Netflix, Launch Managing Director and Senior Advisor Hulu Japan, Senior Japan Advisor Paramount Home Entertainment, Japan Country Manager, Dreamworks, Head of International Marketing and Distribution Revolution Studios, General Manager Japan for 20th Century Fox International, Assistant Vice-President Dainana Securities. He is a graduate of the University of Washington and has an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School Of Management.
Maxime founded his company in 2007 in China and now has offices in Tokyo, Paris, Vancouver and New York. Before starting Ekohe, he was the R&D Manager at Labbrand in Shanghai.
He has a Master’s Degree in Engineering from Centrale Lille Institute and another Master’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence and Pattern Recognition from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Guillermo has spent most of his career at Chanel as Country Manager Singapore, Regional President SE Asia, Global Marketing Director (cosmetics), Japan Cosmetics General Manager, Japan Fashion General Manager. He graduated from the University of the Basque Country (Spain) and is also a graduate of the EU’s Executive Training Programme in Japan (ETP 7).
Derek previously was Country Manager Japan for Tourism Australia. He has spent over 31 years working for Qantas, in a variety of roles including: Senior Manager Qantas Business Rewards, Head of Commercial, Commercial Manager Pacific and Japan, Manager Pacific and Japan Routes, Marketing and Management Services Manager Japan. He has a Degree in Asian Studies from Griffith University.
Gavin has been working for Baker McKenzie since 2001, rising from Foreign Associate, to Senior Associate, to Senior Foreign Associate and then to Partner. He has a Bachelor of Law from Bond University and an SMU Certificate in Fintech & Innovation from Singapore Management University
Previously Marton was a Partner at KK Sherpa, Assistant Vice President at Aozora Bank, and a Fund Manager at Nomura Asset Management. He has an MBA from Waseda University, a degree in Finance from Budapest Business University and a BA in International Marketing from Avans University of Applied Sciences.
Previously Alfonso was Japan Country Manager, Regional Director North Asia, Oracle Advertising; Business Director Acxion; Deputy Managing Director, Bandai; Overseas Marketing Team Manager, Sega; Senior Consultant Japan Office, Hall Kinion. Alfonso is a graduate of the University of Navarra and has a Masters degree from Nagoya University.
Previously Bostjan was Executive Officer, Director of Global Sales And Special Projects Compass Group, Commercial Director, Tupperware, Vice President UK and Ireland, earlier Sales Director Japan and Korea, Steelcase, Sales Representative Architecture & Design Tokyo.
Joe Peters, Managing Director, iSearch Worldwide
Joe previously was President Transamerica Direct Marketing Japan, President AXA Life Singapore, Regional VP Group Life & Health AIG, VP Japan Marketing Mutual of Omaha, Manager A&H INA (Cigna), Manager MetLife
Previously Brian was an Advisor to Curvegrid, Advisor to Cerego Japan, Principal Advisor In Japan Kelly Slater Wave Company, Co-Founder & Director Weatherly Japan, Advisor Salesforce, Advisor to the Board FPG co., Ltd., Advisory Board Member Japan Burton Snowboards, Director NBO Group, Chairman Value Commerce Co., Ltd. Director James Harvard International, Director Gallup, Professional, Basketball Player Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance. Brian is a graduate of the University of Southern California.
Previously Eriko was President GE Japan, Director American Medical Device & Diagnostics Association of Japan, Director For Policy Outreach, Legal and Corporate Affairs Microsoft Japan, Marketing Communication Specialist, Sony Euroope, Germany. She is a graduate of Keio University.
Previously Ted was the Chief Operating Officer at Picsel UK, Senior Managing Director Fidelity Investments, Chief Marketing Officer at Vodaphone Japan, Executive Vice-President Japan Telecom, President Comuwizards, Area Marketing Vice-President Verizon Wireless, Managing Director Marketing J-Phone, Director of Strategy Ai Touch, Consultant Bain and Company and Marketing Representative/Systems Engineer IBM.
Previously Martin was the General Manager, Global Treehouse Inc., Director of Operations, North Asia, Oakwood Asia Pacific, Executive Partner Fritz Consulting, General Manager Norfolk Mansions, General Manager Garden Plaza Hotel, General Manager Saigon Floating Hotel, Project Manager Park Hyatt Tokyo, Project Manager EIE International, Food and Beverage Manager Nagoya Hilton International, Assistant F&B Manager Tokyo Hilton International. He is a graduate of the Hotel Management School Lausanne.
Previously Paul was Adjunct Industry Fellow In Mobile Software at Swinburne Uinversity of Technology, Founder of Long Weekend, IT Director enworld group, CTO and Founder Thomson Reuters cvMail. He has a BA in Business, Banking & Finance from Monash University.
Kevin played a number of roles at GPlus Media incuding Sales Director and General Manager. Previously he was a recruitment consultant at Optia Parrners, Training and Development Manager Human Resources at Model Language Studio.
Prior to his posting in Japan, Bob was working for Evernex in Hong Kong as a Senior Account Manager. Previously he working in Italy as a Sales Manager for Fwebcreative. He has a Masters Degree from the University of Rome Tor Vergata and a license, Administrative and Social Economics from the Universite Paris-Sorbonne and an Undergraduate degree from Assumption University in Thailand
Prior to heading Wipro in Japan, Dhruv was at Tata Consultancy Services in Japan in a variety of roles: Manufacturing Vertical Deputy Head, Head of Automotive Engineering, and Consultant. He originally came to Japan with Wipro as a Product Development Engineer. He has an MBA from the Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies and an Undergraduate Degree in Electronics and Communication from the Pune Institute of Computer Technology.
Prior to this position Erwann was Trading Department Director at Saint-Gobain Japan, Vice-President Glass Japan at Saint-Gobain, Sales Planning Director at MAG-ISOVER Japan, North and South Asia Pacific Sales and Marketing Leader at Owens Corning, Sales and Marketing Director NSG Vetrotex Japan, and Commercial Attaché at the French Embassy in Tokyo. He has a Masters Degree in Applied Mechanics from Tokyo University and an MBA from the Skema Business School.
Previously Victor was Area Vice President, Japan and Guam for Marriott International, Managing Executive Officer, Chief Sales Officer & Chief Develomental Officer, Prince Hotels and Resorts, General Manager, Corporate Planning Department Seibu Holdings, Regional Vice President, Sales and Marketing, IHG Hotels Group Japan, Senior Vice President, Operations, Japan Cererbus, Vice President Development, Japan and Korea, InterContinental Hotels Group, Vice President, Global Sales, North Asia Marriott International, Regional Director, Japan, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Director of Sales, Regional Sales Office Japan, Hyatt Hotels Corporation and served in the US Air Force.
Prior to coming to Japan, Petra has had a number of roles for Ikea in Sweden as Global Business Area Manager Bedroom, Textiles and Rugs, and as Deputy Retail Manager in Poland.
Previously Vincent was Managing Director of Swarovski Japan, Japan Sales Director for Van Cleef &Arpels, Japan Deputy Senior Manager at Cartier, Product Manager at Pernod Ricard Japan. He has an EMBA from the Hult International Business School.
Jose has previously been O&M Senior Sales Manager at Trina Solar, Director of Fotovoltaica de la Mancha, O&M Sales Manager Eco Life Engineering, Country Head Spain and Portugal Scheuten
Multiple award winning filmmaker and CEO of a video production company based in Tokyo, Japan. A former professional wrestler (under the ring name Rionne Fujiwara) and martial artist -Aikido, kickboxing, catch wrestling. Bilingual English and Japanese audio and visual professional from the Gold Coast in Australia, with almost 20 years’ experience living and working in Japan. He founded Japan Media Services in 2015.
Saxo Bank is a securities broker started thirty years ago in Denmark and they have been in Japan for 13 years. He started working in banking in Denmark and 14 years ago joined Saxo Bank. He came to Japan two years ago and had lived here before twenty years ago when he wa studying here. At that time he was studying mathematical infomatics at the University of Tokyo for one year and thereafter had visited Japan often over the years.
Matsuba san previously had been General Manager Japan Healthcare IT at GE. Before that she was Director of Business Planning at the Columbia Medical Center. She started her career in the Japanese Post Office bureaucracy. She graduated for Keio University in economics and has an MBA from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester.
166 Dr. Andrijana Cvetkovikj, CEO & President BrioNexus. Andrijana is also a special Advisor for International Affairs to the Japanese government, and previously was Director, Economist Corporate Network North Asia and Ambassador to Japan for Macedonia. She studied film and received her Ph.D. from Nihon University.
Previously Michael was a co-founder of Neural Squared, CEO of Hypnotize, Technical Solutions Consultant on Android and Partner Technology Manager on YouTube at Google.
He has a Master of Engineering Computer Science degree from The University of Electro-Communications
Previously Jonathan was Managing Director Japan for Cornerstone OnDemand, Country Manager Japan for Credorax, Country Manager Japan for Paypal and when Director of Strategy Softbank Group, he worked very closely with legendary Softbank founder Masayoshi Son.
Previously President, Faurecia Howa Interiors Japan. Masters in Management, Entrepreneurship and Global Leadership D.E.A. Engineering, Universidade de Vigo, M.S. Degree Water Engineering, Polytech Montipellier
Alex Zoboli, is the Managing Director of Cornerstone Recruitment, a company he founded with Matt Nicholls four years ago. Previously Alex was a senior leader at RGF in Japan, working together with Matt, part of the Recruit Group. Before that he was working in a recruitment company in the UK.
Matt Nicholls, is the President of Cornerstone Recruitment a company he founded with Alex Zoboli four years ago. Previously Matt was the President of RGF in Japan, part of the Recruit Group. Before that he was running his own small recruitment company in the UK.
Mr. Mizusawa started his career in HR for Sanyo, GE in the USA, GE Healthcare back in Japan and was Director, Compensation & Benefits at Abbott Japan Group. He joined Stryker as the Senior Director of Human Resources, before becoming the Vice-President of the MedSurg Business Unit, then Vice-President & General Manager Japan of Orthopaedics and Medsurg, becoming President and Representative Director of Stryker in 2021.
Previously he was the Director of Operations, Japan and South Korea and General Manager Oakwood Suites, Yokohama. He was area Vice-President for the Rotana Hotel Management Corporation PJSCI Abu Dhabi and General Manager of the Hilton Hotels in Tokyo, Nagoya, Odaiba, Fukuoka, Otaru and Zurich Airport.
Masayo Nagai is the Chairwoman of APCO Worldwide Asia. She started her career working on policy for the government as a legislative aide. After studying at Columbia University she moved across to the PR industry joining Inoue Public Relations. She later became the Senior Director at the Japan Public Relations Institute before becoming President at Propeller Communications.
Naosuke Goto is the fourth generation to run the Goto Florists company in Japan. Like his father, he went to the USA and Europe to study flower design and brought that knowledge back to Japan, making the business highly successful. The main store in Roppongi is a landmark in Tokyo and they have many shops in five star Hotels in Tokyo.
Morgan Laughlin, Managing Director, PGIM Real Estate, Japan. Morgan has had a stellar career as Managing Director Asia Pacific for the Grosvenor Group, Regional Managing Director for the Royal Bank of Scotland, Head of RREEF non-Japan Asia at Deutsche Bank and Managing Director Bankers Trust Company. He is a graduate of Columbia University in Latin American Studies.
Adam Hall, Country Manager, Joseph Joseph Japan
Prior to becoming head of Japan for Joseph Joseph, Adam Hall was Japan Country Manager for Weber-Stephen Products.
He is a graduate of Auckland University of Technology.
John Kirch, beqom Japan Head
Vice President of Sales, Uppsala Security
East Asia Regional Director, Darktrace
Independent Consultant, Nominum
Vice President-International & President Japan, Penta Security Systems
Director - Asia Pacific & Japan Director, Aerohive Networks
Director-Japan, Ubiquity Software
Independent Consultant, CyberGuard
Regional Vice President-Asia/Pacific & President-Japan, WatchGuard Technologies
Regional Director-Far East & President-Japan Regional Director, Hyperion Solutions
Director-Business Development, SoftBank
Director-Far East, Comshare International
Kentaro Kiso, President Barclays Securities Japan previously worked in London for JP Morgan for six years followed by joining Barclays UK and working there for over 12 years. He is a graduate of Tokyo University.
Hiroaki Mori, President McCann Erikson Japan
Previously, Mr. Mori was COO for TBWA/Hakuhodo China. He is a graduate of Waseda University.
Matthias Sutter is the General Manager Shangri-La Tokyo and Representative Director Shangri-La Hotels Japan. Previously he had been the General Manager for Marriott International Hotels in Seoul, Singapore, Phuket. He has a Master’s degree from the GSBA Zurich International Business School
Hiroo Murota is the Vice President, General Manager, Representative Director of Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan. Previously he was Representative Director of Siemens Healthcare Japan. He is a law graduate of Tokyo University and has an MBA from Northwestern University-Kellogg School Of Management
“What anchors their behavior is the salaryman’s desire to protect himself – no one wants to put their position at risk by telling the truth”. This little gem of an insight was made by a retired nuclear engineer who worked for Toshiba. He was referring to the various scandals that had taken place there and explaining why illegal decisions made by senior management like cooking the books went unchecked internally.
Corporate Japan in some ways, could be a modern model for George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984”. Big Brother is the leadership group who define that truths are lies and lies are truths. They determine that anyone against the system must be eliminated, because 100% loyalty is the minimum. There are facts and then there are “alternative facts”. The bosses do the thinking around here and your job is to carry out their genius ideas.
This is not surprising, because kids are inculcated into accepting authority, doing not questioning, following authority figures, even if they are only one year older. Sempai (seniors) sensei (teachers) are respected as part of Japan’s Confucian construct. Group responsibility lessens the burden and gives air cover to individuals. They have learnt this is essential if you want to avoid the stain of failure on your record. When everyone is responsible, no one is responsible.
Errors are kept track of and come into play later in your career when the bosses consider who gets the promotion to move up and who goes sideways. That is one of the reasons HR is so powerful in Japanese companies – they decide the transfers to new roles and locations and they have the dirt file on everyone as they come up through the ranks. This system guarantees little risk taking or attempts to push the envelope fold. Keeping your head down and a low profile is the safe path forward.
So how do we get innovation going in our companies? The innovation process has trial and error built into it, by virtue of the fact that what we are going to do is new, untested, experimental. How do we test stuff if no one wants to try anything new, because there is a risk of failure?
The fear of failure restricts people mentally from the very start. They are afraid to voice opinions because they have learnt from early childhood that going along is how you get ahead. Don’t stand out by taking a stand. Blend in, find the absolute middle of the fence and sit there. If the survey is a one to five scale select three for everything.
Just employing someone into your firm doesn’t erase years of conditioning here about what is acceptable and what isn’t. Yet, we hear foreign executives moaning about they don’t get any quality ideas from below, that productivity is low, decisions are painstakingly slow, people don’t contribute during meetings, etc.
All true, but not a fait accompli. The environment for failure has to be secured. The fear to step out has to be replaced with rewards for trying, not just succeeding. Performance reviews and the measures used have to be changed away from just outcomes to include more process. Process in the sense of generating ideas, suggestions, taking risks, trying new things. All unrelated to actual success.
If we only reward success, then we had better hope we have a bunch of geniuses working for us. In the Western work environment, we reward success but we don’t see failure as fatal, if people fail in the right way. Being incompetent in your current task is not acceptable. However, pioneering some new intervention or iteration is seen as good work and if it fails, the lessons learnt are considered valuable and the person is not terminated. HR is not making a note for later reference when the promotions are being considered.
In a Japanese context, nobody believes failure is not fatal. It has to be shown that failure is acceptable as part of the innovation process. That means bosses have to walk the talk. The worst case is saying we welcome innovation and then whacking someone in the head as soon as they fail.
Maybe “innovation is good, we accept failure as part of the process” is the ethos in the dark wood paneled recesses of the executive floor, but it also has to permeate the culture throughout middle management. Getting middle management to accept this culture requires a lot of re-training in Japan. However, is this factored into the firm’s formal innovation process or are we just hoping for the best instead? Let’s make sure we are all walking the talk and sending the right message of “your ideas are welcome here, experimentation is welcome here, we understand not every attempt will succeed but we support the attempts regardless”. Innovation is needed and the process is messy. Our internal systems and corporate culture have to be able to deal with that reality.
Leo Keeley is the President and CEO of B2B Sales. He has held a number of posts here in Japan, inlcuding Vice-President Asian Pacific and Japan for Ariba, President of Japan InfoTech, President of Platinum Japan and President of Dunn and Bradstreet Software Japan. He has a BA from Bentley University and an MBA from Suffolk University.
Michael Bobrove is a founder and CEO of Healthy Tokyo, which has pioneered the introduction of CBD oil into the Japanese market. He previously was Managing Partner of Bucatani, a medical device marketing and distribution company in Tokyo and a Senior Parrtner in the Mikan Group, which provides advisory services for internationl expansion. He graduated from Antioch College and has an MBA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
Originally from the Bronx, Cairo was a VP and Account Director for Data Solutions in New York. He came to Japan in 2009, becoming the General Manager for RAPP, later becoming the Managing Director for DDB in Japan in 2012. In 2015 he started relativ*
Takeshi Fujiwara Ex-President BBruan Aesculap Japan.
He started work as an industrial engineer, later joined a second Japanese company who sent him to Germany, where he worked for nine years. He moved back to Japan working for a Swedish company called Gambro Japan, later becoming President. After over ten years there he briefly became the President of Molnlycke Health Care Japan, before joining BBraun. Today he has his own company TR3.Inc.
Carl Eklund has been in Japan since 1979. He has had many high profile positions in Japan, including President Volvo Japan, President Hagglunds Japan, President Denison Japan, President Lafarge Svenska Hoganas, and has been President of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Japan. Currently he is President of Hoganas Japan.
David Macdonald was originally a JET in Japan in 1995. He joined NTT Docomo in 1999 and then joined Walt Disney Internet Group Asia Pacific in 2004. He moved to YouTube Japan in 2009 becoming Head of YouTube Spaces Asia Pacific in 2014. He became President of Discovery Japan in 2018 and President and Representative Officer, Discovery Japan GK in 2020.
Established in 1892, Obayashi Corporation a $5 billion listed enterprise, is one of the top 5 construction companies in Japan. Obayashi has 86 subsidiaries and 26 affiliated companies in Japan, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and North America.
Mr. Hiraga has run his own brokerage business Marsh Broker Japan Inc. since 2002. From 2017 he became the Director and Chairman of Marsh Broker. He completed his undergraduate degree in Arts, Economics and Finance at Keio University and earned his MBA at the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird).
Tae Ho Kim was previously President of Nihon Inter Electronics Corporation from May 2013 -2017, before becoming President of ARK Corporation in 2017. He joined en world Japan as President in 2022. He graduated from Pamona College in Economics.
Yuko Furuichi is the President and CEO of Comexposium Japan. In 2007 she was a media personality and talent for BonaPro Agency and in 2009 became the Emcee for Pokemon Programming. She joined CyberAgent in 2011 as an Account Leader. She joined Comexposium as an Event Manager in 2013 working her way up to the Presidency in 2019. She has a BA Law degree from Keio University.
Marco Breitfeld, Representative Director and Head of Shared Services Draeger Japan, started working in Japan in 2007 for NEC/Schott Components Corporation. He moved to Plansee Japan in 2010 as the CFO and in 2016, he joined Storopack Japan as CFO. In 2017 he joined Pitney Bowes as Senior Manager Business Operations before becoming Finance Director and Representative Director for Pieroth Japan. He took over as head of Draeger Japan in 2022. He has a Bachelor Degree in International Management from HSB Hochschule Bremen City University of Applied Sciences
In 1995 Joachim was working as a Manager in Tokyo for BASF, eventually becoming the President and Representative director of BASF Agro Japan KK in 2005. Thereafter he became President and Representative Director for Catalent Japan KK in 2010 and then in April 2015 the Country Director Japan for CPKelco. He has a degree in Chemistry from the University of York.
William Boesen is the President of the East Asiatic Company Japan. Originally from Denmark and like me, martial arts drew him to Japan to further his training and to advance his career. In 2001, with ISS he became General Manager in Japan reorganising the company here with their partner the famous Mitsui Trading company. In 2004 he became the President of Carl Hansen & son In Japan. In 2013 he became the President of the East Asiatic Company Japan. From 2006-2008 he was the Chairman of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in Japan. He has an Executive MBA from the Henley Business School and a BA from De Montfort University
Best of the Best Encore #39: Andrew Hankinson, President, Zwilling J.A. Henckels Japan Originally released Feb 27, 2021 Andrew Hankinson is the President of Zwilling J.A. Henckels Japan and host of the podcast Now and Zen. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Mr. Hankinson’s passion for Japan grew at a young age, having been exposed to Japanese culture by family members living in the country, leading him to learn the language from high school. After briefly teaching English in Osaka, Mr. Hankinson returned to Japan with a degree in international business and Japanese language from the US. He shortly began working at a Japanese department store as a menswear buyer which he describes as an “eye-opening” experience and a “great foundation to be living and working in Japan.”
Mr. Hankinson’s next move was in the travel industry, where he worked for a travel publishing company as a salesperson. He explains the company to be “very flexible and very open” as they originally hired Mr. Hankinson in hopes of increasing innovation. Mr. Hankinson was quickly able to gain the trust of the organization due to achieving success early on where his suggestions led to better results for the organization. Mr. Hankinson’s first official leadership role was working as country manager for a European-based office product company where he managed seven employees. He describes his work there as hands-on, especially with client facing aspects of the organization.
Currently, as head of a much larger organization, Mr. Hankinson leads about 250 employees. Mr. Hankinson says jumping into an organization that he had no previous knowledge of required lots of catching up, and building trust with the people had its challenges. To overcome this, Mr. Hankinson interviewed his staff in the Tokyo office to build rapport and connect with them at a more individual basis. In order to lead a much larger team, Mr. Hankinson is mindful of the Japanese way of thinking through group consensus. He explains: “if we do it all together…[and] if it fails, nobody’s responsible.” He is also conscious of fostering empowerment amongst his employees to give them a safe space to express their thoughts and encourage innovation. Mr. Hankinson also leads through other managers by delegating to ensure everybody is providing input to determine the direction of the organization. The Japanese office of the global kitchenware manufacturing company have introduced many innovative products such as Japanese kitchen knives and pots that have become popular on a global scale.
Mr. Hankinson sums up his ideals of leadership as being able to “deliver results, have good people skills, being engaged and having market intelligence,”
To newcomers leading in Japan, Mr. Hankinson advises to enjoy travelling and exploring the culture and sharing that with one’s team, which is a wonderful way to connect with others on a human level. Secondly, Mr. Hankinson advises to earn some “quick wins” as a fast-track way to earn credibility and trust amongst Japanese staff when trying to implement change. Thirdly, he recommends finding the perfect balance between adapting to local culture and retaining your personal management style in order to find the best of both worlds.
Tom Reich has been working in various roles for BAE systems in America and recently in Japan. Originally he worked in the US State Department including a stint as American Consul-General in Okinawa as well as working in the US Department of Trade. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from Georgetown University.
Ryan McGuire established Cutters Studios Tokyo in 2012. He graduated from Sophia University Tokyo in 2002 and set up the Los Angeles branch of his father's Cutters Studios business, before moving to Japan.
Ruth Jarman is the founder of Jarman International. She graduated from Tufts with a BA in International relations, studied Japanese at Nanzan University in Nagoya and joined recruit in 1988. While at Recruit she worked closely with the CEO Hiromasa Ezoe and credits him with teaching her about business. She launched Jarman International in 2012.
Robert Roche originally trained as a lawyer and has become one of the most successful foreign business founders in Japan. His company, Oak Lawn Marketing found a niche opportunity to bring popular North American TV shopping products to Japan. In 1997 he took the same concept to China and established a business there. He and his partners later sold part of the TV Shopping business, rebranded to Shop Japan, to DoCoMo for one of the biggest exits ever achieved by a foreign start-up in Japan.
Mr. Amane Nakashima is the Chairman of Kewpie Corporation, the manufacture of Kewpie mayonnaise, one of the most famous food products in Japan. The firm started in Tokyo in 1919 after the founder Toichiro Nakashima returned from studying in America, where he had encountered mayonnaise for the first time. It has retained the number one spot for mayaonnaise sales in Japan since its launch in 1925, which is an amazing record. Kewpie Corporation had sales of USD$5b in 2020. Mr Nakashima graduated from Waseda University with a BA in Economics and later received an MBA from Cornell. He became Chairman in 2016.
Wolfgang Angyal, President of Riedel Japan, originally grew up in Austria and came to Japan in 1985 as an Austrian representative in restaurant service sector of the 28th WorldSkills Competition and won first place. He credits this win to the trust he had of his supporting team who were all Japanese. Mr. Angyal has also been practicing Judo from a young age where he developed a deep respect and fascination for Japanese culture.
After working in the education sector as an instructor in Japan, Mr. Angyal became interested in working for Riedel as he was familiar with the brand due to his experience in the hospitality industry in Austria. Through persistency, Mr. Angyal met with Georg Riedel, the owner of Riedel, and secured a business development role for a subsidiary company. There, he was able to apply the skills he had gained working in hospitality and event management to promote Riedel products to Japanese restaurants and companies.
Staying true to the Riedel family motto of “stoke the fire, don’t save the ashes,” Mr. Angyal persistently approached restaurants to promote Riedel. Fortunately, this was the 80s economic boom time in Japan, and Mr. Angyal used his networks to successfully schedule appointments to meet restaurant owners in person. “I think a lot of them actually bought their first [wine] glasses, more out of pity, [thinking] this guy's sweating with this case, coming to the restaurant and waiting for two hours. Or some of them maybe were admiring the effort.” Mr. Angyal worked to establish the brand within companies to build relationships with large scale distributions.
Mr. Angyal states the main challenge for him at the time was introducing wine culture to those who were not familiar with drinking wine on a daily basis. Therefore, Mr. Angyal actively promoted the product by holding tasting sessions where people got to experience drinking wine from Riedel glasses. “If you taste the difference, it's experiential. If you taste the difference between [a Riedel glass] and another glass of drinking the same beverage, you will never forget it.”
Mr. Angyal then moved his base to Australia where he worked from Riedel’s Sydney office as the Vice President of Asia Pacific, Latin America and Southern Hemisphere. After a brief consideration of moving to China, Mr. Angyal was persuaded by an old friend to move back to Japan in 2000 where he has been since then, working as the President & CEO of Riedel Japan.
By 2000, Riedel Japan had become an independent operation and Mr. Angyal started to build his team through referrals to recruit staff. As a leader, Mr. Angyal found challenges in driving the operation side of the organization and establishing a shared vision while going through an acquisition. In order to maintain employee engagement during the merger, Mr. Angyal organized workshops, off-site meetings and external coaching. Additionally, Mr. Angyal worked to get to know his staff through open communication and personality tests. By better understanding his staff, Mr. Angyal adjusted his communication style and worked to form a more trusting relationship. Mr. Angyal notes that as a foreign leader, he is mindful of being consistent with his decision-making and tries to be predictable with his actions. He claims that constantly asking the questions “How do they see us and what do they expect from us?” is key to leading in Japan as a foreigner.
Additionally, Mr. Angyal values open communication and provides equal opportunities for his staff to be heard even if this means rejecting his own ideas in public. Mr. Angyal also seeks to bring different perspectives and ideas from his global networks and to his Japanese team in order to provide the “right fuel for their sparks.” He also has his immediate reports give him a 360 degree performance review to continue developing his leadership abilities and maintain transparency.
Riedel Japan has come up with innovation such as creating sake glasses, an idea that came out of a tasting workshop from a customer. Currently, the Japan office has independently come up with two different sake glasses - the Daiginjo glasses and Junmai glasses - by working with hundreds of brewers and testing in multiple workshops to come up with the perfect product.
For newcomers in Japan, Mr. Angyal advises to be patient and mindful of one’s actions as well as words. He recommends having small wins first and then building on that to quickly gain trust and credibility. Lastly, he advises to be authentic and to be yourself to be able to survive leading in Japan in the long term.
Karl Hanhe, originally from Germany, has been in Japan over thirty years. He set up his own company here called ONEWORLD in 1992, before selling it in 2004. After remaining in that business for a couple of years, he became the President and Representative Director of Haefele Japan in 2008.
Brendan Delahunty, who is the President of SPORTS TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY JAPAN (STH JAPAN) , first arrived in Japan for the JET Program in 1993 and has been living in the country since then, for over 30 years. His teaching experience through the JET Program led him into working at Pearson, the world's largest education company. At Pearson, Mr. Delahunty ended up working as the Sales and Marketing Manager for about four years in Tokyo and Osaka. While working at Pearson, Mr. Delahunty moved back to London to work in the global project management office there. In London, he and his team members looked after all the international projects. Based on these experiences, Pearson asked him to come back to Japan in 2007. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Delahunty became the President of Pearson Japan and led the company for seven years until stepping into his current role at STH JAPAN.
While working in various countries such as Japan and the United Kingdom, Mr. Delahunty learned about leadership and how it works in different countries. Mr. Delahunty defined that leadership is the person in the team who ultimately takes responsibility and makes decisions but involves the whole team in the decision-making process, trying to make the team feel comfortable with the leader and team. Also, he mentions the key to managing other Japanese salespeople is to be a “longman” – someone who gives advice and leads – especially since salespeople are concerned about the ability of their managers to lead with confidence.
The age factor is quite important in Japan and Mr. Delahunty also knew that. Because of this culture, he got into conflict with his team members during his first years of leadership. In order to resolve this issue and build better relationships with his team, Mr. Delahunty looked for people who were not satisfied in their current working environment at Pearson. He then set up a “voluntary redundancy scheme” to better evaluate employee performance and promote those who had the ability and integrity. And what he found was that by giving skilled, younger managers opportunities that they were not expecting to receive for another 10 years, they became increasingly engaged. As a leader, he established a new young and passionate organizational culture by adjusting the old Japanese workplace structure and promoting young talent throughout this process.
Mr. Delahunty gave some advice for newcomers to Japan. Mr. Delahunty says, the most important thing for them is “to be open when you come here…[because] the ways of working here, the meetings that you do, and the sorts of things that go on in meetings, the relationships that you have, they're all very different to working in Western cultures.” Therefore, sometimes silence is the best way to treat some actions from Japanese coworker when adopting Japanese workplace culture. Mr. Delahunty also says, “after you get used to this culture, start learning Japanese.” Because, at least a little bit of Japanese is always useful, enough to be able to go out and have a few beers and have a small conversation. Due to Japan having a drinking culture after work, it can serve as a bonding opportunity for coworkers in Japanese.
Christian Wiedmann, President & CEO of BMW Group Japan had already arrived in Japan on one first stint back in the early 2000s. He was born in Thailand and grew up in the country for all of his youth. Due to this background, he seized the opportunity to run as the Chief Financial Officer in the BMW leasing business in various Asian countries such as Thailand, Korea, Australia and Japan. Mr. Wiedmann worked in many BMW departments around the world, and through his experience and knowledge, he was appointed President & CEO of BMW Japan Group in August 2019.
During his first few years of leadership, Mr. Wiedmann found it challenging to receive input from his team to effectively run the operations. Mr. Wiedmann explains how it is crucial that the team knows their businesses, have an opinion of where they want to go, and understand their strengths and weaknesses. Mr. Wiedmann adds, "I experienced that it is much more difficult to enter the Japanese local business leader community. It is quite open to enter the expat community or the local expat community but getting into the Japanese leader community, that's certainly hard…[although] not impossible.” He realized then and now that the trick to joining the community was to “walk the talk much, much longer than anywhere else.” Mr. Wiedmann also notes there is a formal side to functions in Japan, as well as a human side that is based on relationships. Thus, Mr. Wiedmann thinks it is important to establish trust, and “make the Japanese team certainly feel more and more safe and comfortable to express their opinions”.
As the President & CEO of BMW Group in Japan, Mr. Wiedmann worked by trying to make the team members follow his idea and achieve great results. By doing so, he agreed that engaging people is the key to making sure everyone is working towards a shared goal. Mr. Wiedman describes the “special” way his team holds discussions. He explains: “so we have a discussion…then there's a pause. So someone says something and they think we should do it like this and this." By making decisions in this way through feedback and discussions, there is more engagement.
Furthermore, Mr. Wiedman talks about the challenge of leading in a culture that is risk averse and wants to have every detail mapped out before making the first step. In order to overcome this challenge, Mr. Wiedmann says, Japan's business style needs to be more honest. He particularly highlights that by saying: “the moment somebody gets a complaint from headquarters around having been too vocal in a meeting, that is when they get a big congratulatory message from me,” indicating that Mr. Wiedmann himself would welcome receiving such feedback about Japanese team members.
At last, Mr. Widemann mentions 3 steps of advice that businesspeople who are new to Japan may adopt to succeed in Japan. Firstly, Mr. Wiedmann advises to take the time before coming here to prepare oneself for a smooth transition. Secondly, Mr. Wiedmann recommends practicing active listening, acting in an authentic manner, and reflecting one’s behavior based on what one has learned through listening. Thirdly, Mr. Wiedman advises to be patient, stating: “give it time, give the organization time, and give the meetings time.” Through these steps, Mr. Wiedmann explains newcomers will successfully build respectful relationship with Japanese businesspeople.
Dan Kerrigan spent nearly six years with Citibank in Tokyo as Managing Direrctor, Head of Execution Services from 2009 until 2015. For the next seven years he had a number of roles in Hong Kong with Ohara Capital Partners Limited as Principal, then Managing Director, Head of Sales Trading and Execution Asia Paciific for BNP Paribas, later as CEO at SBI Securities, and finally at CEO Woodlands Investment Partners, before returning to Japan in his current role.
Yusuke Asai is presently the CEO at Standard Chartered bank in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Asai has spent over 32 years in the financial services industry. Mr. Asai credits much of his success and leadership qualities to Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” which he has read twice. Mr. Asai spent his first 10 years with a Japanese bank, then received a scholarship to do an MBA at UCLA in the US. He returned to Japan to work with the bank for a few more years. After this, he switched gears to Investment Banking starting with Goldman Sachs, leading him to various other organizations and eventually stepped into his current position.
Mr. Asai’s first experience in leadership was when he was working for Goldman Sachs. Mr. Asai talks about his responsibilities in the role and why it was important to win mandates to progress in the position. By winning the mandate on his own and proving himself to the leadership team, Mr. Asai was able to justify hiring a better team. Mr. Asai explains that having an understanding of what is required to successfully earn a mandate, and knowing every mechanism and role within one’s own team is essential to becoming an effective leader. Mr. Asai talks about this process and why this understanding is crucial regardless of what country you are in.
Mr. Asai talks about starting his senior leadership role at Reinsurance Group of America where he was a CEO at 45 years old. He worked hard to gain trust from his staff and listened to their advice on what is good for the company. Mr. Asai emphasized good communication and made it a point to connect with all the business heads and team leads in one-on-one conversations. He also connected with all staff members. He listened to all the voices of every employee, which led to increased trust and engagement. Mr. Asai emphasizes having happy clients as the key to building a strong business. He says that if the deal is successful, the clients are satisfied which in turn ensures stakeholders with increased revenue. Thus, business is a cycle that starts with ensuring clients are happy.
Advice given to experts coming into Japan would be to always be mindful that they are being watched by others. He credits good leadership to strong integrity. Mr. Asai thinks that learning Japanese is not necessary to being a good leader in Japan, but he does think it is necessary to provide strong value and be a leader with integrity. Mr. Asai talks about and defines what he believes leadership is with a single phrase - Noblesse oblige or integrity - meaning that a leader that has the privilege to lead, must act with honour and integrity. Mr. Asai believes this is an important core value for all leaders, regardless of country, culture or position.
Yusuke Asai is presently the CEO at Standard Chartered bank in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Asai has spent over 32 years in the financial services industry. Mr. Asai credits much of his success and leadership qualities to Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” which he has read twice. Mr. Asai spent his first 10 years with a Japanese bank, then received a scholarship to do an MBA at UCLA in the US. He returned to Japan to work with the bank for a few more years. After this, he switched gears to Investment Banking starting with Goldman Sachs, leading him to various other organizations and eventually stepped into his current position.
Mr. Asai’s first experience in leadership was when he was working for Goldman Sachs. Mr. Asai talks about his responsibilities in the role and why it was important to win mandates to progress in the position. By winning the mandate on his own and proving himself to the leadership team, Mr. Asai was able to justify hiring a better team. Mr. Asai explains that having an understanding of what is required to successfully earn a mandate, and knowing every mechanism and role within one’s own team is essential to becoming an effective leader. Mr. Asai talks about this process and why this understanding is crucial regardless of what country you are in.
Mr. Asai talks about starting his senior leadership role at Reinsurance Group of America where he was a CEO at 45 years old. He worked hard to gain trust from his staff and listened to their advice on what is good for the company. Mr. Asai emphasized good communication and made it a point to connect with all the business heads and team leads in one-on-one conversations. He also connected with all staff members. He listened to all the voices of every employee, which led to increased trust and engagement. Mr. Asai emphasizes having happy clients as the key to building a strong business. He says that if the deal is successful, the clients are satisfied which in turn ensures stakeholders with increased revenue. Thus, business is a cycle that starts with ensuring clients are happy.
Advice given to experts coming into Japan would be to always be mindful that they are being watched by others. He credits good leadership to strong integrity. Mr. Asai thinks that learning Japanese is not necessary to being a good leader in Japan, but he does think it is necessary to provide strong value and be a leader with integrity. Mr. Asai talks about and defines what he believes leadership is with a single phrase - Noblesse oblige or integrity - meaning that a leader that has the privilege to lead, must act with honour and integrity. Mr. Asai believes this is an important core value for all leaders, regardless of country, culture or position.
Noboru Nakatani has been leading in a global environment in various industries including manufacturing, IT, finance, and consulting in France, US and Japan. He is currently the President and CEO of JASTEC Co., Ltd., a leading systems integrator in Japan. Mr. Nakatani graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Keio University and holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson School. After graduation, Mr. Nakatani worked first as a Production Engineer at Canon Japan, and then led the Research and Development Department in their France operation. He then moved to New York, working as a Senior Consultant at Deloitte before joining JASTEC. As Chairman and CEO of JASTEC International, Inc Mr. Nakatani acquired a French company called LTU, and expanded JASTEC’s business portfolio. Mr. Nakatani also successfully improved JASTEC’s revenue during the first few years of his leadership after the company had been struggling.
When looking back at his early leadership years at Canon in Japan, Mr. Nakatani describes it as a “free” environment where engineers were allowed to try new things. The hierarchy was not as top-down, and the decision-making was not necessarily logical. When comparing his early leadership experience in Japan to France, Mr. Nakatani observes that both countries take their time in the decision-making process, yet the reasoning is different. In Japan, it is largely due to people being risk-averse and hesitant to make decisions, whereas in France, it is because there are so many different opinions and discussions that need to be held.
In order to maintain trust and engagement during JASTEC’s difficult times as an externally hired leader, Mr. Nakatani listened to his employees and repeatedly communicated his vision and commitment to improve their business. Moreover, he worked to readjust the organization’s client portfolio, and tried to maximize and diversity sales from existing clients. Mr. Nakatani points to internal training and research for his team’s success in upselling, by having a well-trained sales and project management team that carefully analyzed the midterm plans of companies to make attractive proposals. Additionally, when making changes, Mr. Nakatani says it is important to start things from a small scale, where there is more flexibility and room for making mistakes. He also states how essential it is to learn from these mistakes and share the experience within the team.
For foreigners coming to lead in Japan, Mr. Nakatani advises to avoid micromanagement, as this prevents people from thinking independently and creatively. Moreover, Mr. Nakatani emphasizes the importance of listening to the team, and understanding their expectations, likes and dislikes and so on at the beginning of joining the company. From there, Mr. Nakatani recommends creating goals with a clear road map to help the employees succeed in reaching them. Being an externally hired executive, Mr. Nakatani also strongly advises to show commitment to the team and communicate to them that he or she will stay until their goals are reached. Mr. Nakatani also indicates the value of understanding Japanese clients and working on business development to increase sales as the leader. Although Japanese is helpful to know, Mr. Nakatani thinks that as long as the direct reports can communicate in English, it is not essential to be fluent. Lastly, he recommends leaders to learn from other executives from different industries and participate in training to expand their perspective.
Ikuo Yasuda is the Chairman, President and CEO of Pinnacle Inc. (IMAP Japan) and is an expert in M&A business in Japan with over 30 years of experience. Mr. Yasuda graduated from Hitotsubashi University in the late 70s and entered the Long-term Credit Bank of Japan (currently Shinsei Bank) where he eventually became a Joint General Manager. After over 20 years at LTCB, Mr. Yasuda was headhunted by General Electric International Japan (GE) where he worked with Jack Welch managing business development and M&A. Mr. Yasuda also served as Country Head of Lehman Brothers Japan and Head of its investment banking department.
Mr. Yasuda says compared to a Japanese company, western companies are very much performance driven. Unlike a Japanese company, age is not a determining factor in their status, as Mr. Yasuda’s boss at GE was younger than him, and there is no seniority system. He adds that management and executive level workers also do much of the front-line work, talking to clients and making presentations. Due to the nature of such a results-driven working environment, Mr. Yasuda says he had to be very strict with his subordinates, yet at the same time, motivate them and allow freedom in how they reached their goals. He took the Ame to muchi (Whip and candy) approach in leadership, learning from his boss who took a similar style. Moreover, as his bosses were superior to him regardless of their age, and had much more decision-making power than Japanese companies, he felt more pressure to produce results. Mr. Yasuda explains that one of the “GE way” was to stretch one’s goals. For example, his team will set a goal of 15% instead of a more realistic 10%, and push themselves to reach over 10% in the end.
After GE, Mr. Yasuda worked at Lehman Brothers as the Country Head of Japan. When Mr. Yasuda joined Lehman, he felt a different kind of pressure from working at GE. As GE’s head of business development, Mr. Yasuda was required to make a series of acquisitions and develop new businesses. As CEO of Lehman Brothers Japan, Mr. Yasuda was hired to rebuild the Japan branch that had decreased and was responsible for producing profitable ROE.
After Lehman, Mr. Yasuda became interested in founding his own business, combining what he had learned from both cultures. As a result, Pinnacle, an M&A advisory firm, was born. When recruiting for people in the firm, Mr. Yasuda was able to receive great PR appearing on the Nikkei newspaper article as well as being a TV commentator on a nationally broadcasted news show on TBS, which prompted many talent people in finance to apply. Moreover, Mr. Yasuda sought to target CEOs of corporations and built up his client base by setting up lunch appointments and golfing. Mr. Yasuda also took full advantage of his business network, being part of many business leader associations, including the Tokyo Rotary Club. He explains, when the M&A research begins from the ground-level and is brought up to the CEO, the executive is more likely to turn it down because of the risk factors written up in the reports provided to him. However, by capturing the CEOs’ interests first, Mr. Yasuda thinks the M&A will most likely be implemented.
As for the future of M&A, Mr. Yasuda thinks more and more companies will be interested in order to increase their ROE. He mentions there is much more that M&A can do with Private Equity Fund and business successions in which companies do not have a successor. Additionally, Mr. Yasuda points out that the country is going through a post-industrial revolution with the rapid-changes due to technology. This will also impact the growth of M&A.
On advice to foreign nationals leading in Japan, Mr. Yasuda says, it is important to understand the Japanese corporate culture, which can be unproductive at times. Secondly, he advises to be patient when doing business in Japan. He further explains, the Japanese market is fiercely competitive, which is something foreigners sent to Japan from headquarters would have to explain continuously. The key to a successful M&A in Japan would also be a gradual process, winning trust from a minority and slowly gaining more ownership.
Mr. Yasuda defines leadership as someone who is the most productive person in the organization and can lead by example. In this way, he thinks one can earn the trust and respect of the team. Moreover, Mr. Yasuda values fairness and treating his employees equally, and being transparent with how they are compensated based on their performance.
Ikuo Yasuda is the Chairman, President and CEO of Pinnacle Inc. (IMAP Japan) and is an expert in M&A business in Japan with over 30 years of experience. Mr. Yasuda graduated from Hitotsubashi University in the late 70s and entered the Long-term Credit Bank of Japan (currently Shinsei Bank) where he eventually became a Joint General Manager. After over 20 years at LTCB, Mr. Yasuda was headhunted by General Electric International Japan (GE) where he worked with Jack Welch managing business development and M&A. Mr. Yasuda also served as Country Head of Lehman Brothers Japan and Head of its investment banking department.
Mr. Yasuda says compared to a Japanese company, western companies are very much performance driven. Unlike a Japanese company, age is not a determining factor in their status, as Mr. Yasuda’s boss at GE was younger than him, and there is no seniority system. He adds that management and executive level workers also do much of the front-line work, talking to clients and making presentations. Due to the nature of such a results-driven working environment, Mr. Yasuda says he had to be very strict with his subordinates, yet at the same time, motivate them and allow freedom in how they reached their goals. He took the Ame to muchi (Whip and candy) approach in leadership, learning from his boss who took a similar style. Moreover, as his bosses were superior to him regardless of their age, and had much more decision-making power than Japanese companies, he felt more pressure to produce results. Mr. Yasuda explains that one of the “GE way” was to stretch one’s goals. For example, his team will set a goal of 15% instead of a more realistic 10%, and push themselves to reach over 10% in the end.
After GE, Mr. Yasuda worked at Lehman Brothers as the Country Head of Japan. When Mr. Yasuda joined Lehman, he felt a different kind of pressure from working at GE. As GE’s head of business development, Mr. Yasuda was required to make a series of acquisitions and develop new businesses. As CEO of Lehman Brothers Japan, Mr. Yasuda was hired to rebuild the Japan branch that had decreased and was responsible for producing profitable ROE.
After Lehman, Mr. Yasuda became interested in founding his own business, combining what he had learned from both cultures. As a result, Pinnacle, an M&A advisory firm, was born. When recruiting for people in the firm, Mr. Yasuda was able to receive great PR appearing on the Nikkei newspaper article as well as being a TV commentator on a nationally broadcasted news show on TBS, which prompted many talent people in finance to apply. Moreover, Mr. Yasuda sought to target CEOs of corporations and built up his client base by setting up lunch appointments and golfing. Mr. Yasuda also took full advantage of his business network, being part of many business leader associations, including the Tokyo Rotary Club. He explains, when the M&A research begins from the ground-level and is brought up to the CEO, the executive is more likely to turn it down because of the risk factors written up in the reports provided to him. However, by capturing the CEOs’ interests first, Mr. Yasuda thinks the M&A will most likely be implemented.
As for the future of M&A, Mr. Yasuda thinks more and more companies will be interested in order to increase their ROE. He mentions there is much more that M&A can do with Private Equity Fund and business successions in which companies do not have a successor. Additionally, Mr. Yasuda points out that the country is going through a post-industrial revolution with the rapid-changes due to technology. This will also impact the growth of M&A.
On advice to foreign nationals leading in Japan, Mr. Yasuda says, it is important to understand the Japanese corporate culture, which can be unproductive at times. Secondly, he advises to be patient when doing business in Japan. He further explains, the Japanese market is fiercely competitive, which is something foreigners sent to Japan from headquarters would have to explain continuously. The key to a successful M&A in Japan would also be a gradual process, winning trust from a minority and slowly gaining more ownership.
Mr. Yasuda defines leadership as someone who is the most productive person in the organization and can lead by example. In this way, he thinks one can earn the trust and respect of the team. Moreover, Mr. Yasuda values fairness and treating his employees equally, and being transparent with how they are compensated based on their performance.
Yumiko Murakami is the General Partner and Founder of M Power Partners, Japan’s first ESG-focused global venture capital fund. The organization was founded by Ms. Murakami, along with Kathy Mastsui and Seki Miwa. Ms. Murakami was born and raised in Japan but studied in the US and spent a significant part of her adult life abroad.
Upon returning to Japan, Ms. Murakami was shocked to experience the Japanese consensus-driven leadership style. Ms. Murakami observes this consensus-driven culture and the labor market structure leads Japanese people to become risk averse. In large Japanese companies with lifetime employment, there is little incentive to taking risks and putting one’s reputation or chance of a promotion at stake. This notion of low-risk tolerance in Japan applies to start-up companies as well, as there are many legal and structural problems to start businesses in Japan.
Ms. Murakami does point out that things are changing. The Japanese government is trying to change the legal framework to push start-up initiatives. Ms. Murakami explains, when it comes to innovation and creating new businesses, the role of start-ups and entrepreneurs is critical. Thus, proactive initiatives are taken by the government and private sector leaders. Ms. Murakami sees tremendous potential in Japan to start creating this healthy ecosystem. She hopes if there is enough sense of crisis among leaders, things will move quickly. Additionally, many talented young people are eager to join start-ups or even starting their own business, which is a relatively new phenomenon in Japan. Things started to change around 2000 in the US where there was a shift in student employment interests. In the past, the labour market discouraged employees from taking risks, but young people today have more bargaining power as they are in high-demand.
To keep people motivated, Ms. Murakami thinks employees need to feel they have ownership and have the responsibility to make the organization better. With her organization, M Power Partners, Ms. Murakami feels everybody has a fair chance of voicing their views during the decision-making process. M Power is a small team, and there is not much of a hierarchy, although this becomes tricky when the company grows into over a hundred people. The core culture in their fund is to nurture a sense of inclusiveness, especially since the three founders including Ms. Murakami have always been a minority during the majority of their career. Since they are all different, they know that they can offer interesting perspectives that many do not see.
On advice to achieving success in Japan, Ms. Murakami says it is important for international people who come to Japan to understand the Japanese culture and values, and realize what values they can bring to their leadership role. They would have to ask themselves, what is important about them as a person and how do they want to construct their relationships with new colleagues in Japan, setting aside any cultural differences.
Ms. Murakami additionally points out that Japanese women have been a secret weapon for international companies for a long time because they are more open-minded to hire female professionals compared to Japanese companies. So when Japanese companies are not looking at this female talent pool, there is an opportunity for international companies to hire talented Japanese women.
For Ms. Murakami, leadership is not something that one could claim by having a title but, something that one should demonstrate through action. Ms. Murakami prefers a leadership approach where she grows together with her team and learns from each other.
Yumiko Murakami is the General Partner and Founder of M Power Partners, Japan’s first ESG-focused global venture capital fund. The organization was founded by Ms. Murakami, along with Kathy Mastsui and Seki Miwa. Ms. Murakami was born and raised in Japan but studied in the US and spent a significant part of her adult life abroad.
Upon returning to Japan, Ms. Murakami was shocked to experience the Japanese consensus-driven leadership style. Ms. Murakami observes this consensus-driven culture and the labor market structure leads Japanese people to become risk averse. In large Japanese companies with lifetime employment, there is little incentive to taking risks and putting one’s reputation or chance of a promotion at stake. This notion of low-risk tolerance in Japan applies to start-up companies as well, as there are many legal and structural problems to start businesses in Japan.
Ms. Murakami does point out that things are changing. The Japanese government is trying to change the legal framework to push start-up initiatives. Ms. Murakami explains, when it comes to innovation and creating new businesses, the role of start-ups and entrepreneurs is critical. Thus, proactive initiatives are taken by the government and private sector leaders. Ms. Murakami sees tremendous potential in Japan to start creating this healthy ecosystem. She hopes if there is enough sense of crisis among leaders, things will move quickly. Additionally, many talented young people are eager to join start-ups or even starting their own business, which is a relatively new phenomenon in Japan. Things started to change around 2000 in the US where there was a shift in student employment interests. In the past, the labour market discouraged employees from taking risks, but young people today have more bargaining power as they are in high-demand.
To keep people motivated, Ms. Murakami thinks employees need to feel they have ownership and have the responsibility to make the organization better. With her organization, M Power Partners, Ms. Murakami feels everybody has a fair chance of voicing their views during the decision-making process. M Power is a small team, and there is not much of a hierarchy, although this becomes tricky when the company grows into over a hundred people. The core culture in their fund is to nurture a sense of inclusiveness, especially since the three founders including Ms. Murakami have always been a minority during the majority of their career. Since they are all different, they know that they can offer interesting perspectives that many do not see.
On advice to achieving success in Japan, Ms. Murakami says it is important for international people who come to Japan to understand the Japanese culture and values, and realize what values they can bring to their leadership role. They would have to ask themselves, what is important about them as a person and how do they want to construct their relationships with new colleagues in Japan, setting aside any cultural differences.
Ms. Murakami additionally points out that Japanese women have been a secret weapon for international companies for a long time because they are more open-minded to hire female professionals compared to Japanese companies. So when Japanese companies are not looking at this female talent pool, there is an opportunity for international companies to hire talented Japanese women.
For Ms. Murakami, leadership is not something that one could claim by having a title but, something that one should demonstrate through action. Ms. Murakami prefers a leadership approach where she grows together with her team and learns from each other.
Mario Munoz is presently the President of Mölnlycke in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Munoz has a long-standing history with Japan, having first come to Japan in 1979, he was studying in middle and high school until 1982. He moved to France for the rest of high school, where he continued studying Japanese. Mr. Munoz was one of the lucky foreigners who was immersed in the Japanese language and culture at such a young age. He went to the US to continue his education and attended Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona. He had an affinity for an international career and with the program’s heavy emphasis on international business, this was the right choice.
Mr. Munoz says that to increase innovation, there are ranges provided in terms of targets provided to an individual. He says the target numbers are set but the way in which the representatives handle the accounts differ. Mr. Munoz speaks about encouraging his staff to speak. He has made Townhall meetings, there is a section called “Ask Mario” where people are encouraged to ask questions, a hot topic on their mind or something that they are curious about.
A few things have worked from Mr. Munoz to gain trust. He walks around the office to talk to people and there are two engagement surveys done a year. Mr. Munoz says something that works in Japan is analyzing the surveys and addressing low hanging fruit and pain points. In Japan he has found, flexible time schedule and encouraging people to take their holidays goes a long way. Mr. Munoz encourages people via personal messages to take holidays.
Mr. Munoz has a lot of advice for people coming into Japan. Firstly, he advises individuals to be themselves and not try to be Japanese. He also suggests learning a little bit of Japanese would be helpful in communication, as most Japanese people can read and write in English, but they aren’t as comfortable speaking English. Mr. Munoz also emphasizes that the Japanese are very patient, especially with foreigners. It helps foreigners to be patient while in Japan as well. Mr. Munoz suggests keeping an open mind, have good open communication and be ready to be flexible in the Japanese work setting. He ends by saying that investing in Japan is likely to be fruitful if you are patient.
Mario Munoz is presently the President of Mölnlycke in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Munoz has a long-standing history with Japan, having first come to Japan in 1979, he was studying in middle and high school until 1982. He moved to France for the rest of high school, where he continued studying Japanese. Mr. Munoz was one of the lucky foreigners who was immersed in the Japanese language and culture at such a young age. He went to the US to continue his education and attended Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona. He had an affinity for an international career and with the program’s heavy emphasis on international business, this was the right choice.
Mr. Munoz says that to increase innovation, there are ranges provided in terms of targets provided to an individual. He says the target numbers are set but the way in which the representatives handle the accounts differ. Mr. Munoz speaks about encouraging his staff to speak. He has made Townhall meetings, there is a section called “Ask Mario” where people are encouraged to ask questions, a hot topic on their mind or something that they are curious about.
A few things have worked from Mr. Munoz to gain trust. He walks around the office to talk to people and there are two engagement surveys done a year. Mr. Munoz says something that works in Japan is analyzing the surveys and addressing low hanging fruit and pain points. In Japan he has found, flexible time schedule and encouraging people to take their holidays goes a long way. Mr. Munoz encourages people via personal messages to take holidays.
Mr. Munoz has a lot of advice for people coming into Japan. Firstly, he advises individuals to be themselves and not try to be Japanese. He also suggests learning a little bit of Japanese would be helpful in communication, as most Japanese people can read and write in English, but they aren’t as comfortable speaking English. Mr. Munoz also emphasizes that the Japanese are very patient, especially with foreigners. It helps foreigners to be patient while in Japan as well. Mr. Munoz suggests keeping an open mind, have good open communication and be ready to be flexible in the Japanese work setting. He ends by saying that investing in Japan is likely to be fruitful if you are patient.
Christian Wolf, Managing Director of JAS Forwarding Japan originally moved to Japan straight out of university in Germany where he worked in the freight and logistics industry as a student. He first started out as a roads development manager at DHL, developing new business for air and ocean freight transportation from Germany to Japan. Upon moving to Japan from a small village in Germany, Mr. Wolf experienced culture shock, and quickly realized he needed to be “very persistent” and have high “frustration tolerance” to be successful.
Mr. Wolf then moved on to work in the project forwarding business at Panalpina where he dealt with large scale projects with complex challenges such as construction schedules, liabilities involving different transportation modes, and worked alongside engineer specialists. In 2011 Mr. Wolf joined JAS to set up a new project forwarding unit from scratch. He recalls the earlier months as a challenging time since he was pressured to gain profit quite quickly while motivating his team to keep pushing with a positive attitude.
On leading in Japan, Mr. Wolf indicates how difficult it was for him to initially gain the trust from his customers and employees and maintain a positive attitude within his team members. He claims: “You need to gain trust from the customer and it is not seldom that you are quoting for over one year without seeing them... It's a very common process. And there, even if you have a lot of setbacks, you need to be calm and need to demonstrate that we are going to get there.” When faced with challenges such as consecutive profit-losing months, Mr. Wolf says it is important to cut down on your expectations and generate rewarding situations. He also points to open and honest communication with every member of the team as a vital aspect of building trust. Gradually, the new unit grew by building on client relationships and providing expertise on complex transportation solutions. In 2014 he stepped into his current role as Managing Director, leading the 40+ year old business with around 100 employees.
In order to gain trust from an even larger number of employees, Mr. Wolf first tried to understand the history and culture of the company, instead of making drastic changes. Over the years of working in Japan, Mr. Wolf has come to realize that Japanese people value consistency and patience, which he tries to exhibit through his behaviour. During Mr. Wolf’s first year as the Managing Director, he kept all the main department managers in place in order to observe how business had been developed from the previous years. During these early leadership years, Mr. Wolf also spent one-on-one time with his managers to better understand the business from their point of view. In doing so, he also encouraged his employees to be more innovative and think outside of the box when coming up with solutions. Yet Mr. Wolf mentions the importance of respecting the hierarchy and to “follow certain rules to approach certain scenes.” For example, doing nemawashi (groundwork) before a meeting or communicating with an employee through their manager instead of them directly.
To newcomers of Japan, Mr. Wolf advises to not tell one’s colleagues how long one’s assignment is. This is to avoid people from thinking you will only be there for 2-3 years and therefore, is not worth trusting. Mr. Wolf’s second advice is to learn the Japanese language. Lastly, Mr. Wolf advises to “never give up.” He adds: “You need to have a lot of frustration tolerance. Sometimes don't ask the why just accept it.”
Christian Wolf, Managing Director of JAS Forwarding Japan originally moved to Japan straight out of university in Germany where he worked in the freight and logistics industry as a student. He first started out as a roads development manager at DHL, developing new business for air and ocean freight transportation from Germany to Japan. Upon moving to Japan from a small village in Germany, Mr. Wolf experienced culture shock, and quickly realized he needed to be “very persistent” and have high “frustration tolerance” to be successful.
Mr. Wolf then moved on to work in the project forwarding business at Panalpina where he dealt with large scale projects with complex challenges such as construction schedules, liabilities involving different transportation modes, and worked alongside engineer specialists. In 2011 Mr. Wolf joined JAS to set up a new project forwarding unit from scratch. He recalls the earlier months as a challenging time since he was pressured to gain profit quite quickly while motivating his team to keep pushing with a positive attitude.
On leading in Japan, Mr. Wolf indicates how difficult it was for him to initially gain the trust from his customers and employees and maintain a positive attitude within his team members. He claims: “You need to gain trust from the customer and it is not seldom that you are quoting for over one year without seeing them... It's a very common process. And there, even if you have a lot of setbacks, you need to be calm and need to demonstrate that we are going to get there.” When faced with challenges such as consecutive profit-losing months, Mr. Wolf says it is important to cut down on your expectations and generate rewarding situations. He also points to open and honest communication with every member of the team as a vital aspect of building trust. Gradually, the new unit grew by building on client relationships and providing expertise on complex transportation solutions. In 2014 he stepped into his current role as Managing Director, leading the 40+ year old business with around 100 employees.
In order to gain trust from an even larger number of employees, Mr. Wolf first tried to understand the history and culture of the company, instead of making drastic changes. Over the years of working in Japan, Mr. Wolf has come to realize that Japanese people value consistency and patience, which he tries to exhibit through his behaviour. During Mr. Wolf’s first year as the Managing Director, he kept all the main department managers in place in order to observe how business had been developed from the previous years. During these early leadership years, Mr. Wolf also spent one-on-one time with his managers to better understand the business from their point of view. In doing so, he also encouraged his employees to be more innovative and think outside of the box when coming up with solutions. Yet Mr. Wolf mentions the importance of respecting the hierarchy and to “follow certain rules to approach certain scenes.” For example, doing nemawashi (groundwork) before a meeting or communicating with an employee through their manager instead of them directly.
To newcomers of Japan, Mr. Wolf advises to not tell one’s colleagues how long one’s assignment is. This is to avoid people from thinking you will only be there for 2-3 years and therefore, is not worth trusting. Mr. Wolf’s second advice is to learn the Japanese language. Lastly, Mr. Wolf advises to “never give up.” He adds: “You need to have a lot of frustration tolerance. Sometimes don't ask the why just accept it.”
Please watch our most listened to episode of Japan's Top Business Interviews!
Leading A Small Team In Japan - Kervin Go: Episode #5 Japan's Top Business Interviews
Kervin Go CEO Of Curvature Japan
Because it is easy to let your inner pride at being a leader override the humility that is necessary as a leader, it is important to meet with other people to remind you to be humble.
Managing people in Japan is like having an extended family, you have lots of different children and go through their various growing pains.
Communication is the most important thing for a leader. I always leave my door open even when I am working on something and do not want to be disturbed, because most Japanese who have never worked for a foreign company think that a closed door means they cannot speak to you. When you are communicating, it is important to remember that you are connecting with a person. Remember we are all the same at the end of the day, we all eat dinner and get on trains, no matter what our titles are.
Work-life balance is a better phrase to lead by since work-hard, play-hard is getting old. Personal success is affected by things outside of work and a leader needs to consider how they can make their employee`s welfare better since all employees have friends and family that are important to them.
360-degree performance evaluations are not very popular nor common in Japan. It is often just seen as more work that people have to do. The scores are always low in Japan.
Culture cannot be forced on people. I think the company comes first, the employee comes second and the client comes third; and these are basically the decision points we try to use. We have open plan seating, lunch is eaten together, and we try to do sporting events that encourage people to engage without talking about work.
New blood is always good because it creates new ideas, different perspectives and more engagement.
We do not have walls in our offices. People often just shout out ideas and we have a conservation about that. We try and innovate that way.
Some big leaders in Japanese business would make good politicians. They always know the right words to say but it does not always translate into action. I don`t want to be like that. When I say something, I want to execute it. I would rather cut out the middleman and make sure things go ahead.
Trust and rapport have to be side-by-side. You have to listen to what people are complaining about, what they are trying to do and why they are trying to do it. That`s how you build trust. That is why sport events are very good, you build relationships through your mutual goals and learn to communicate and trust each other. Two-way traffic for communication is the key to building trust, once you have it, it is rock-solid.
When learning English or Japanese, do not worry about learning difficult words, use simple words but how you present them is more important. Written communication is useful when communicating with Japanese people but give them 1 – 2 days for it to sink in.
No one person can have all the answers so make sure you pick the brains of many people around you. The best way to grow is to have the good traits of others rub off on you, so don`t just hang out with other executives, it is too limiting.
Please watch our most listened to episode of Japan's Top Business Interviews!
Leading A Small Team In Japan - Kervin Go: Episode #5 Japan's Top Business Interviews
Kervin Go CEO Of Curvature Japan
Because it is easy to let your inner pride at being a leader override the humility that is necessary as a leader, it is important to meet with other people to remind you to be humble.
Managing people in Japan is like having an extended family, you have lots of different children and go through their various growing pains.
Communication is the most important thing for a leader. I always leave my door open even when I am working on something and do not want to be disturbed, because most Japanese who have never worked for a foreign company think that a closed door means they cannot speak to you. When you are communicating, it is important to remember that you are connecting with a person. Remember we are all the same at the end of the day, we all eat dinner and get on trains, no matter what our titles are.
Work-life balance is a better phrase to lead by since work-hard, play-hard is getting old. Personal success is affected by things outside of work and a leader needs to consider how they can make their employee`s welfare better since all employees have friends and family that are important to them.
360-degree performance evaluations are not very popular nor common in Japan. It is often just seen as more work that people have to do. The scores are always low in Japan.
Culture cannot be forced on people. I think the company comes first, the employee comes second and the client comes third; and these are basically the decision points we try to use. We have open plan seating, lunch is eaten together, and we try to do sporting events that encourage people to engage without talking about work.
New blood is always good because it creates new ideas, different perspectives and more engagement.
We do not have walls in our offices. People often just shout out ideas and we have a conservation about that. We try and innovate that way.
Some big leaders in Japanese business would make good politicians. They always know the right words to say but it does not always translate into action. I don`t want to be like that. When I say something, I want to execute it. I would rather cut out the middleman and make sure things go ahead.
Trust and rapport have to be side-by-side. You have to listen to what people are complaining about, what they are trying to do and why they are trying to do it. That`s how you build trust. That is why sport events are very good, you build relationships through your mutual goals and learn to communicate and trust each other. Two-way traffic for communication is the key to building trust, once you have it, it is rock-solid.
When learning English or Japanese, do not worry about learning difficult words, use simple words but how you present them is more important. Written communication is useful when communicating with Japanese people but give them 1 – 2 days for it to sink in.
No one person can have all the answers so make sure you pick the brains of many people around you. The best way to grow is to have the good traits of others rub off on you, so don`t just hang out with other executives, it is too limiting.
Mark Militello is the Country Representative of the Bank of New York Mellon. This is his third posting to Japan, though he has had a long history within the Investment banking space. He was most recently with the Bank of New York Mellon in Hong Kong for 10 years before relocating to Tokyo.
When leading in Japan, Mr. Militello explains how Japanese employees may not feel comfortable asking specific questions to their clients. This may be due to their lower rank in the company or the Japanese culture. He says that it is important for him to sometimes step in and ask those hard questions to ensure the operation is running smoothly. Although banks as an industry are not known to be creative, Mr. Militello says that creating a safe, relaxed environment for his team, especially the junior employees, can bring out more innovative ideas. Mr. Militello further explains that gaining the trust of Japanese employees can be a challenge for a foreign leader. He adds, letting the Japanese staff know that you have their back, that you are invested in them and will fight for the team with headquarters has helped with establish trust.
A way of getting people engaged in the company is to be transparent. Mr. Militello emphasizes that they must try to give everyone a voice and that must go beyond the leadership team. He says that leadership is typically of a certain demographic. Leadership may be men that are of a certain age and background with a traditional way of thinking. This is not representative of the views of the whole company. Mr. Militello emphasizes being mindful of this and trying to hear everyone’s views, even people lower down on the hierarchy, is essential.
Mr. Militello advises people to come to Japan with an open mind. He also suggests unlearning most of the things that they may have learned, as they may not apply to Japan. Furthermore, Mr. Militello referred to his experience to nearby countries. He says that people in Hong Kong and Korea have more English speakers in the population, whereas in Japan it is a lot less and thus it is important to be mindful of this. He recommends trying to learn Japanese, even if it is a few phrases to show your commitment. Mr. Militello also suggests getting to know Japan outside the office. He says there is a lot to enjoy, especially the green spaces and the fantastic food.
Mr. David Bennett has been in Japan for more than 10 years in total. He has lived in Japan throughout his student years, and came back after graduation on the JET program for two years before joining AMD, an American multinational semiconductor company in Tokyo. His first leadership role would be with Lenovo Japan and NEC. Currently, Mr. Bennett has moved on from Japan and has become the Chief Customer Office at Tenstorrent Inc in the US.
As the President of Lenovo Japan, and the CEO of NEC Personal Computers, which is a joint venture between Lenovo and NEC Corporation, Mr. Bennett led both a foreign and domestic company. Since the skillset required to lead a multinational company versus a traditional domestic company is different, he created a hybrid culture, blending the best of both worlds. He took certain parts of Japanese traditions and business approaches and fine-tuned them to make them more suitable for the organization. Additionally, the organization spent much time holding cultural and social events to increase employee engagement and cooperation.
To get innovation while managing two companies with different characteristics, the company would implement many initiatives such as holding contests and giving out awards. These activities pushed the team to feel they could be more open and try something new, and others will have their back. As a result, the company kicked off things that had never been done before in the PC industry, like the world's first Gaming PC Leasing Service, Sugu Game. Mr. Bennett accepts mistakes as long as the reasons behind them are rational and the intention was to benefit the business. Moreover, Lenovo has a concept called Fu Pan. This is similar to Kaizen which is a continuous process of reflection. After major sales activity, the team would go back and reflect on what went right, what didn't go well, and what can they learn. Mr. Bennett says through those meetings, people gained innovation and felt empowered to try new ideas and take risks.
To get employees further engaged, Mr. Bennett has several mantras he follows since becoming a leader. One of his mantras is “win together, lose together.” Although everyone understands the meaning of “win together”, he frequently got questioned, “why lose together? “ Mr. Bennett explains that it is easy to win together. But if something bad happens, he says it is important for everyone to take responsibility and figure out a solution. He is proud of helping to change the culture at Lenovo and NEC in a way that the team came together and started taking risks. Being explicit with the head office also helped him win the trust of the organization. However, Mr. Bennett notes the difficulty of ensuring his messaging permeates to the bottom of the company, past his direct reports. He insists, when you have a large organization, it is important to be consistent with your messaging.
On advice to newcomers wanting to lead in Japan, Mr. Bennet says the most important thing is to listen and understand what is working for the team and what you can learn from them. He says that in Japan, what people tell you about the business may not necessarily reflect the actual state it is in. Mr. Bennett further adds, one cannot completely change how the Japanese ecosystem works, nor how one’s partners, customers and the commercial buying behavior works. Hence, it is important to truly listen. Secondly, he advises to become familiar with the Japanese language. For Mr. Bennett, knowing Japanese has helped him gain quicker connection with his team. Therefore, the combination of understanding Japan, the Japanese language, and his management style and supportive approach helped create trust and engagement.
Mr. Bennett’s goal is to empower his employees and to make his team successful. To him, empowerment means everyone is facing the same direction. Mr. Bennett feels it is essential to inspire and empower people to work towards the same goals and encourage them to take risks. By doing so, he believes people will become further engaged and the organization will continue to grow.
William “Bill” Hall is currently the President at Ipsos Healthcare Japan Ltd. Mr. Hall has a long-standing history with Japan. He first visited the country in 1969 on a scholarship for post-graduate research, having majored in Japanese and Economics at Sydney University. After graduation, Mr. Hall worked in the consulting and marketing research field, starting his own market research company, and eventually leading Sterling Winthrop, a pharmaceutical company. Mr. Hall then worked for Kodak which had acquired Sterling Winthrop at the time, before becoming the Japan President of ISIS, a medical market research company. After selling ISIS to Synovate, Mr. Hall then expanded the health care division within the new organization. Finally, after Synovate was acquired by Ipsos, the global marketing research company, Mr. Hall stepped into his current leadership role at Ipsos.
Mr. Hall recalls one of the first leadership challenges he encountered was finding the right people and building a team from scratch. He found it especially difficult as a foreign company to convince people on the longevity of the organization. To overcome the issue, Mr. Hall tried to provide opportunities for people who joined the company to be exposed to the discipline of market research, such as conducting interviews, which is still not seen as a profession in which people study for years to be in. Mr. Hall also was fortunate to find foreign workers who spoke Japanese. He says the key is to sometimes take a gamble and try to see the potential of the person, instead of trying to find someone who is already well-developed.
A common problem many leaders of foreign companies in Japan have, is explaining the difference in employee engagement scores across different country branches to the head office. Mr. Hall says, this is a complex matter, as there are many cultural factors that need to be taken into account, and companies are “reading the scales wrong.” For more information on engagement scores and cultural bias, please contact Mr. Bill Hall at william.hall@ipsos.com and he will be able to provide a whitepaper regarding this topic.
Mr. Hall finds that engagement depends greatly on the history the employees have with the company. For example, he says that people who are initially engaged when a company is in the start-up stage, may not be as engaged 20 years later when the scale of the company has grown. Mr. Hall adds that sometimes handling long-term staff can be complex. It is important to pay close attention to these worker who have helped the company become what is it today, while finding the balance between the long-term staff and younger employees and adjusting the organization structure accordingly.
Mr. Hall advises people to learn basic Japanese if they are coming into Japan in leadership positions. He agrees that Japanese can be a difficult language to learn. He understands someone in a senior leadership role will have multiple aspects to juggle in their life such as family commitments, generating revenue for the organization and others. Yet Mr. Hall suggests learning a little bit of the Japanese language will enable foreign leaders to better communicate with the local staff within and outside the office. Basic communication is important, however Mr. Hall also suggests having a bilingual assistant to translate the important business materials, so that the individual is not dependent or pressurized to learn fluent Japanese quickly.
Jennelle “Jennie” Petit is the President of TUV Rheinland in Japan. Over 30 years, Ms. Petit has gone through different positions in a various companies including the service and manufacturing industry. Her first leadership experience was after her first year in Japan when she was training new teachers who had come to Japan to teach English. In the corporate world, Ms. Petit first had an opportunity to lead a team when she was about 35 years old in the hospitality industry. Her main function was training and development of all the staff in the hotel.
Ms. Petit feels that trust is an essential factor in motivating team members and encouraging collaboration. According to Ms. Petit, many Japanese employees prefer to take orders and avoid responsibility. Therefore, she tries to have an engaging conversation with them in the beginning. She claims, it is important to take a collaborative, soft, low-key approach and try to understand the culture. Ms. Petit adds, this approach needs patience. She tries to be authentic and consistent, treating people equally. She also points out that trust comes from communication, and if you are not communicating with anybody, you cannot expect to have a high level of trust.
To get engagement in Japan, Ms. Petit takes a bottom up style. Although it is difficult to implement change in Japan, trust is what makes it possible. One of the examples is teleworking. Ms. Petit was already looking into teleworking before the pandemic. Work-life balance was the key word. She focuses on having engagement, empathy, and a bottom-up approach to her leadership. By listening to the voice from the field-level, Ms. Petit is constantly rewriting the employee committee and guideline and other implementing changes.
In terms of making innovation, Ms. Petit encourages it through regular meetings. TUV Rheinland has different committees and different groups of people that meet regularly. They have discussions about strategy, and how to grow the company. In doing so, they are able to create an open culture and environment.
Ms. Petit is the first female to run TUV Rheinland in Japan. She says, even as a woman, you can do a lot if you focus on the right things and find people that are willing to work with you. Trying to be open to those things is also important. Ms. Petit adds that in order to increase female leaders in Japan, we need to provide training on diversity, in order to prevent discrimination among both men and women.
As an advice for new leaders, Ms. Petit raises two points. Firstly, to listen before you start to make any changes. Secondly, to make an attempt to learn the culture of the language.
Ms. Petit suggess to not try to change people’s culture in Japan but to work with it and put your assumption aside.
On defining what is leadership, Ms. Petit says, leadership happens first with the leader themselves. It is the ability of a person to reflect and then take the appropriate action based on a particular situation. Leadership is also possessed by people that look at things in general and are willing to say, we can do something better here, and make a split decision. Moreover, Ms. Petit adds, leaders should always ask and answer “why”, and provide information on their decisions. On whether one should learn Japanese or not, Ms. Petit says being able to speak Japanese is an advantage, but it is more important to understand the culture.
Jennelle “Jennie” Petit is the President of TUV Rheinland in Japan. Over 30 years, Ms. Petit has gone through different positions in a various companies including the service and manufacturing industry. Her first leadership experience was after her first year in Japan when she was training new teachers who had come to Japan to teach English. In the corporate world, Ms. Petit first had an opportunity to lead a team when she was about 35 years old in the hospitality industry. Her main function was training and development of all the staff in the hotel.
Ms. Petit feels that trust is an essential factor in motivating team members and encouraging collaboration. According to Ms. Petit, many Japanese employees prefer to take orders and avoid responsibility. Therefore, she tries to have an engaging conversation with them in the beginning. She claims, it is important to take a collaborative, soft, low-key approach and try to understand the culture. Ms. Petit adds, this approach needs patience. She tries to be authentic and consistent, treating people equally. She also points out that trust comes from communication, and if you are not communicating with anybody, you cannot expect to have a high level of trust.
To get engagement in Japan, Ms. Petit takes a bottom up style. Although it is difficult to implement change in Japan, trust is what makes it possible. One of the examples is teleworking. Ms. Petit was already looking into teleworking before the pandemic. Work-life balance was the key word. She focuses on having engagement, empathy, and a bottom-up approach to her leadership. By listening to the voice from the field-level, Ms. Petit is constantly rewriting the employee committee and guideline and other implementing changes.
In terms of making innovation, Ms. Petit encourages it through regular meetings. TUV Rheinland has different committees and different groups of people that meet regularly. They have discussions about strategy, and how to grow the company. In doing so, they are able to create an open culture and environment.
Ms. Petit is the first female to run TUV Rheinland in Japan. She says, even as a woman, you can do a lot if you focus on the right things and find people that are willing to work with you. Trying to be open to those things is also important. Ms. Petit adds that in order to increase female leaders in Japan, we need to provide training on diversity, in order to prevent discrimination among both men and women.
As an advice for new leaders, Ms. Petit raises two points. Firstly, to listen before you start to make any changes. Secondly, to make an attempt to learn the culture of the language.
Ms. Petit suggess to not try to change people’s culture in Japan but to work with it and put your assumption aside.
On defining what is leadership, Ms. Petit says, leadership happens first with the leader themselves. It is the ability of a person to reflect and then take the appropriate action based on a particular situation. Leadership is also possessed by people that look at things in general and are willing to say, we can do something better here, and make a split decision. Moreover, Ms. Petit adds, leaders should always ask and answer “why”, and provide information on their decisions. On whether one should learn Japanese or not, Ms. Petit says being able to speak Japanese is an advantage, but it is more important to understand the culture.
Originally from Australia, Mr. Campbell Hanley is presently the Managing Director of Weber Shandwick, Japan. After graduating from university, Mr. Hanley was looking to go to a country that was non-English speaking, which led him to Japan. Since then, Mr. Hanley has worked with various organizations, the latest being Weber Shandwick for the last 8 years.
Engaging people in the workplace is important as employees are more likely to be loyal and not quit on a whim. Mr. Hanley tries to ensure consistency and fairness in the workplace. He tries to make sure he is calm and reacts the same way to things, so people can predict his behaviours and reactions. He also emphasizes being authentic in giving honest feedback to people and ensuring his staff knows the things that they are doing well. Mr. Hanley tries to have breakfast or lunch with a different staff member every week. This is usually a short, informal meeting outside the office to try and get to know staff one-on-one. Mr. Hanley says these meetings make him more approachable, and he finds out many things during these sessions and sometimes can catch problems early.
He talks about innovation as well, and says that if people care about the business, they want to build a better, more innovative workplace. Mr. Hanley says that they have a suggestion box set up in the office to gather feedback, highlight problems or suggestions. He ensures anonymity by sharing the website of this anonymous suggestion box. The staff are digitally literate and thus they know that they are truly anonymous and there is no way to track who has made the suggestions. This is to ensure they know that they are anonymous, and the company gets accurate feedback. He also ensures that the staff know that they would not be penalized for anything they say in this suggestion box.
Advice that Mr. Hanley would give would be to be patient. He also emphasizes good communication. He has three points that he suggests to people coming into Japan.
- Trust their instincts
- Trust their employees
- Have a group of advisors or counsel on your side
Mr. Hanley advises people that first come into Japan to trust their instincts. Sometimes he feels foreign leaders shy away from sharing their views or ideas on business plans as they are concerned about offending the locals. He advises them to trust their instincts and their business experiences and knowledge in such cases. He also recommends placing trust in the Japanese employees and understanding that hard work, loyalty, and teamwork is in their culture and many times there isn’t a hidden agenda to their hard work. Lastly, he advises to have a few people that you can trust on your side in case the first two fail.
Originally from Australia, Mr. Campbell Hanley is presently the Managing Director of Weber Shandwick, Japan. After graduating from university, Mr. Hanley was looking to go to a country that was non-English speaking, which led him to Japan. Since then, Mr. Hanley has worked with various organizations, the latest being Weber Shandwick for the last 8 years.
Engaging people in the workplace is important as employees are more likely to be loyal and not quit on a whim. Mr. Hanley tries to ensure consistency and fairness in the workplace. He tries to make sure he is calm and reacts the same way to things, so people can predict his behaviours and reactions. He also emphasizes being authentic in giving honest feedback to people and ensuring his staff knows the things that they are doing well. Mr. Hanley tries to have breakfast or lunch with a different staff member every week. This is usually a short, informal meeting outside the office to try and get to know staff one-on-one. Mr. Hanley says these meetings make him more approachable, and he finds out many things during these sessions and sometimes can catch problems early.
He talks about innovation as well, and says that if people care about the business, they want to build a better, more innovative workplace. Mr. Hanley says that they have a suggestion box set up in the office to gather feedback, highlight problems or suggestions. He ensures anonymity by sharing the website of this anonymous suggestion box. The staff are digitally literate and thus they know that they are truly anonymous and there is no way to track who has made the suggestions. This is to ensure they know that they are anonymous, and the company gets accurate feedback. He also ensures that the staff know that they would not be penalized for anything they say in this suggestion box.
Advice that Mr. Hanley would give would be to be patient. He also emphasizes good communication. He has three points that he suggests to people coming into Japan.
- Trust their instincts
- Trust their employees
- Have a group of advisors or counsel on your side
Mr. Hanley advises people that first come into Japan to trust their instincts. Sometimes he feels foreign leaders shy away from sharing their views or ideas on business plans as they are concerned about offending the locals. He advises them to trust their instincts and their business experiences and knowledge in such cases. He also recommends placing trust in the Japanese employees and understanding that hard work, loyalty, and teamwork is in their culture and many times there isn’t a hidden agenda to their hard work. Lastly, he advises to have a few people that you can trust on your side in case the first two fail.
Ernest (Ernie) Higa shares his extensive leadership and entrepreneurial experience starting from his mid-20s succeeding his family business and leading various industries including lumber, medical device, and food and services. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Mr. Higa graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in International Business. He also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (MBA) from Columbia Business School. After university, Mr. Higa joined his family business, Higa Industries Inc. (now Domino's Pizza Japan). Shortly after, he became the company's Representative Director. Mr. Higa then began developing the Domino's Pizza chain within Higa Industries, and became the President in the early 1980s. Presently, he is the Chairman and President since 2015. Mr. Higa has led many other corporate and professional organization including the Representative Director of Wendy’s Japan, First Kitchen and Director of Shinsei Bank and Del Sole Corp.
Leading a lumber business company which was part of Higa Industries at just 26 years old was one of the first leadership challenges for Mr. Higa. Mr. Higa was fortunate to be able to hire employees who had retired from major trading firms and other large corporations, but still wanted to work. He says these people had a wealth of experience and contacts that allowed him develop his company. Being Japanese American enabled Mr. Higa to not have to play by the rules when leading staff who were much more experienced and senior then him. Being in the trade industry, working between Japan and the US, his experience and knowledge of working in the states and knowing how to communicate to English speaking businesspeople also helped him earn the respect and trust from his employees. Mr. Higa adds: “there's a certain rule that you can break because you're not Japanese and that becomes an advantage, but you have to know what those rules are. And so it really requires understanding the Japanese culture.” Eventually, Mr. Higa grew the business from 20 people in 1985 to 9000 people including full-time and part-timers, by 1997.
In addition to the lumber business, Mr. Higa had diversified into the medical business with neurosurgical implants and then started developing Domino’s Pizza in Japan. Regarding his success in Japan, Mr. Higa credits his ability to position himself in the niche Japanese marketplace and adapt foreign products to Japanese consumer needs. Moreover, the experience of starting Domino’s Pizza made Mr. Higa take a more bottom-up leadership approach as he realized the head office executives are there to support the store managers to successfully drive their business, which then increases the entire company’s profit. He adds that building and maintaining trust with the customers is essential in the sustainment of the business and if there are any errors made, it is important to take care of it right away.
Having worked in various industries, Mr. Higa claims a strong corporate culture is the key to good employee engagement across all organizations. Mr. Higa says due to his entrepreneurial background, the culture of his organizations reflects this spirit, and emphasizes a positive, “can do” mindset. Due to this approach, Mr. Higa’s organizations have attracted employees who enjoy being in a more flexible environment that encourages innovative thinking and growth. Mr. Higa also developed a training centre to ensure this corporate culture messaging was communicated right from the beginning at the orientation stage to his staff. Additionally, his company holds many internal events to motivate the employees, including full-time and part-timers. By having a unique but consistent approach to building corporate culture across various sectors, Mr. Higa thinks this set them apart from the more established, larger corporations and enabled his business to grow.
On advice to newcomers leading in Japan, Mr. Higa advises to be respectful of the Japanese culture and understand there are differences from the western way of doing business. This mentality is important when launching products and making strategic decisions, as well as managing people. Mr. Higa adds one must “think global and act local, but don't go too native. If you go too native, then you are managing completely like a Japanese corporation, then you'll miss out. I think you'll lose against the Japanese companies who are Japanese. But it's a moving target, what is global, what is local, and what is going to be native? And you always have to adjust.” Mr. Higa thinks learning Japanese does help, but the most important thing is realizing there’s a difference in cultures and respecting that.
Mr. Higa defines leadership as something that changes depending on the leader, as there is no one-size-fits-all format. He adds: “I try to lead by example, I try to get the respect of my people but I also try to enhance my people and work with my people so that they make a lot of decisions themselves.”
Originally from Austria, Mr. Dieter Haberl has a wide array of experiences, the most recent being the President and CEO of Furla Japan. Previously, Mr. Haberl has worked with well known names in the retail space such as Adidas, Toys R Us, Lacoste, Reebok, and GAP. Mr. Haberl went to the US after high school. He first went to Northern Michigan for his undergraduate degree, and then to Arizona for his master’s degree in management. He developed a strong interest in Japan very early on, selecting Japan as his regional specialization in university and later doing an internship in Japan.
In the organizations that Mr. Haberl has worked in, he has tried to improve team culture by trying to bring people together. He says that many times, people are divided based on their departments, i.e., Marketing, Finance etc. He says that creating culture can be a top-down approach, where senior leadership is involved. He suggests bringing people together for dinner and drinks and says that this works well in creating good culture. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic age, this can be difficult, and he suggests bringing people together in smaller groups and having virtual meetups.
Mr. Haberl advises trying to engage his team by listening first, learning from them, and then leading them. He says that teams get engaged when they realize you are paying attention to them and that you care. Moreover, driving innovation involves taking risks. However, Japanese culture and education teaches people to be risk averse. This can be a problem when trying to innovate or seek new novel ideas or ways of doing things. He stresses that this can be overcome by creating an environment where people know it is okay to make mistakes and then learn from them.
Advice that Mr. Haberl would give to someone coming to Japan would be to find people that you can trust. He suggests trusting your instincts and asking yourself who you can trust and who you cannnot. He also suggests being patient, listening and learning as much as possible. Sometimes offices with overseas headquarters are unfamiliar with Japanese culture and thus may have unrealistic expectations. He recommends having honest conversations and communicating well with headquarters. Mr. Haberl has noticed that loyalty is a trait unique to Japan. Both Japanese customers and staff are known to be extremely loyal, and it can work to the company’s advantage if they can capitalize on this. Additionally, Mr. Haberl recommends learning Japanese, even if it just a few phrases to communicate better with the locals.
Masatsugu Shimono is the former Senior Vice President at IBM Japan. Mr. Shimono has a longstanding career of 40 years with IBM, primarily in Tokyo but with a short stint in New York. Mr. Shimono majored in Computer Science at his university when computers were new and computer science was quite different to what it is now.
Mr. Shimono says that to gain engagement on his teams, he focused on closely managing his 10 direct reports. In addition, he held regular meetings, and communicated well with them. He says that he held round table discussions and regular Monday meetings. Whenever there was a need for innovative ideas, Mr. Shimono says he tries to lead the discussion in an innovative way. He praises IBM for being so diverse in terms of racial background, gender, nationality, and age, so gaining diverse perspectives is easier at IBM than it may be in other companies.
Mr. Shimono says that the understanding of the Japanese culture is quite important and the general awareness about Japanese culture is much better than it was 20 years ago. His advice to colleagues and people looking to come to Japan would be to be patient. He believes there is globalization on various levels, 1) Globalization of Japan 2) Globalization of Japanese People 3) Globalization of Japanese companies. For newcomers to Japan, he suggests making changes and innovating Japanese companies, as this will be received well. However, trying to change Japanese people and their culture may be met with resistance. He advises even if someone doesn’t agree with the Japanese way of doing things, forcing change can be tricky and advises people to keep an open mind and be patient.
Mr. Shimono says learning Japanese is not necessary when coming to Japan. He says learning the Kanji script is integral to the Japanese language and this can be quite difficult and incredibly time consuming for adults. Mr. Shimono says nowadays there are a lot of interpreters available and many software programs that can bypass the need to learn the Japanese language.
Philippe Jardin is the Country Manager for Pierre Fabre in Japan. His interest in the global world was greatly inspired by his parents who had an interest in Asia. Mr. Jardin learned Judo in school and during business school he had an opportunity to learn Japanese. As a part of the curriculum, which included doing internships, Mr. Fabre chose to do all of his internships in Japan. Mr. Jardin chose the marketing route after his undergraduate degree which led him to do an MBA and enroll in the Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires (INSEAD) which was partially in Singapore and France. This led to him furthering his career with various organizations in the corporate world in Japan before coming to Pierre Fabre.
One thing that helped Mr. Jardin with his job was his intuition. He explains the importance of reading the room or reading between the lines. Sometimes in Japan, not everything is explicitly said, and being more intuitive has helped him greatly. Understanding without explicitly asking is a soft skill that he says has been essential in his career. Mr. Jardin faced some challenges with his first posting to Japan including how to improve profitability. He said he overcome this by identifying exactly what the issue was and reinforcing to his staff that they need to break even and make a profit.
When starting a new leadership role, Mr. Jardin takes a systematic approach to evaluating the company. He sits down and talks with everyone on the staff and asks some questions. The first type of question is their personal evaluation of the power of the company by rating the company out of 5 or 10. The second question would be their opinion on the power of the brand. This provides them with some valuable findings regarding the strengths, weaknesses, and issues that the company is facing. Then they are better able to tackle them as a team.
Advice that Mr. Jardin would give to someone who is being sent to Japan for a posting is to be open. By being open he means don’t judge too quickly. He also suggests being patient as Japanese work culture can be unexpected and taking things slowly is beneficial. He suggests learning the language to the extent possible, though he knows that someone younger may be able to learn the Japanese language faster than someone older. Regardless, Mr. Jardin would still suggest for people to learn a few phrases in Japanese for a more comfortable daily life.
Hans Werner Burg is currently the Representative Director for Leschaco KK in Tokyo Japan. Originally from Germany, Mr. Werner Burg describes himself as a working-class kid raised in Western Germany close to the French border. He went to university to study Business Administration and that was when he had the opportunity to do an internship at a subsidiary of a car parts manufacturing firm in Hokkaido.
Mr. Werner Burg explains his leadership style and the way it evolved over the years. He claims that in the beginning he was trying to get his team to improve by finding faults in everything they did, and this did not work well. He says he did not like that approach himself. So, he slowly changed overtime. He mentions that in Japan, an apology can be seen as a cultural way to admit that you may have caused the client inconvenience and will rectify for the next time. In comparison to Germany, an apology may be seen as an admission of guilt. As apologies are typically made for larger mistakes in Germany, the company may be taken to court for that admission.
Mr. Werner Burg says he tries to encourage engagement by keeping an open-door policy and trying to speak with people in smaller groups for around 40 of his staff in Tokyo and Osaka. He understands that people in Japan are less forthcoming with ideas and engagement than in the West, and it takes more for them to open up and share their thoughts and ideas. He says he tries his best to be approachable and is calm by nature and doesn’t get upset with anyone who disagrees with him. Once they have good engagement with his team, Mr. Werner Burg encourages innovation and good ideas from his staff. In the past he has tried to have a limited agenda at meetings to keep it open for ideas. Mr. Werner Burg notes, engagement and sharing of ideas have become harder as most people are still working from home due to COVID-19.
Mr. Werner Burg explains that Japan is a country where trust is very important. He emphasizes the importance of being authentic and transparent to earn the trust of his staff. Additionally, Mr. Werner Burg says that he shares credit with his team. For example, if Head Office congratulates him on a target that was achieved well, Mr. Werner Burg will make sure his staff members who were involved in the project are acknowledged as well. On the contrary, if there is a problem, he tries to tackle the problem together with his staff, by admitting the mistake to clients as needed and taking responsibility for the company.
Mr. Werner Burg says that knowing the Japanese language can be helpful, as it is a useful tool, though he has seen people succeed without it.
Scott Smalley is presently the Managing Director of DSV in Japan. Mr. Smalley is originally from Michigan in the United States and his first introduction to Japan was through an exchange he did with Japan during his schooling at Michigan State University. He returned to the US to finish his degree in Economics and Anthropology before starting to explore more opportunities in Japan. Mr. Smalley worked in Sales for a few years before pivoting into Logistics starting with Herbalife in Japan. After this role, he held various mid-level and senior leadership positions in Logistics in the US and Japan.
Mr. Smalley defines leadership as leading by example. One of his biggest leading examples is taking a vacation. In Japan, Mr. Smalley finds that many people have not taken a vacation in 5, sometimes even 10 years. He emphasizes that without ample work life balance, people are not at their creative best. He emphasizes that taking vacation will encourage people to be more innovative and to work smarter not harder. Working long hours does not necessarily mean that someone is more productive, and he tries to show his staff this by leading by example.
Mr. Smalley explains that they try and reward innovation by giving out $100 Amazon gift cards as they are a big motivator. He explains that in Japan, the culture is so unique that you really must try as a non-Japanese leader to make that connection, which starts with understanding the language and culture. He emphasizes that to make people drop their defenses, you must show them that you value their culture, be honest and straightforward, and try to share your own experience of being in Japan. Additionally, Mr. Smalley connects with his staff over drinks after work, holding meetings in the mountains and connecting with people at Onsen, the Japanese hot springs.
Mr. Smalley would advise newcomers to Japan to really listen and get to know people outside of work, perhaps through a drink after work. He says that learning Japanese has become easier now with more technological options. He recommends trying to learn Japanese, which will help with communication, getting people to let their guard down and in ensuring good teamwork in Japan.
Per Rasmussen is currently the President and Representative Director for Millet Mountain Group, Japan. Mr. Rasmussen is originally from Denmark, and he studied Business at University of Southern Denmark. His first introduction to Japan was through his Japanese wife who was based in Denmark when they first met and his first job after graduating was with the Lego Group in the marketing side of strategic product development. After working in Denmark for 4 years, Mr. Rasmussen transferred to the Tokyo office and in Tokyo he worked in progressive marketing roles over the years with various companies. This led him to working in senior leadership roles such as Managing Director and President in recent years.
Mr. Rasmussen talks about bringing change through his work with the Danish Toy Company, The Lego Group. He says that in parents’ minds education is one of the most conservative things and specifically in the Japanese market, as they do not want to take risks with their children’s future. At the time in Japan, education was more closely associated with knowledge and not so much with creativity. They worked to change the product slightly and the commercials to try and market Lego to the Japanese market. He says that trying to increase sales of the products and increased revenue to the company brought about some resistance from employees. Many employees said they had joined for the stability of the organization and were not in favour of change. One of their most popular products was a large bucket full of Lego Bricks which some people thought was boring. After some tough negotiations with headquarters, they introduced The Elephant Bucket to the Japanese market. While most toys last only 3-6 months, the Elephant Bucket was so popular that it lasted on the market for 20 years.
In terms of getting engagement in Japan, making the distinction between success and failure is important in understanding success. Success is spoken of as non-failure. Mr. Rasumussen emphasizes not singling people out if a mistake is made and trying new ways, or new things in the workplace works differently in Japan. In Japanese workplaces, it is okay not to try. But if someone tries to do something, they must succeed. Thus, if someone doesn’t try, that is alright with everyone, but they would prefer not trying rather than trying and failing. Japanese work culture can be seen as risk-averse in this regard. Being mindful of this when trying to bring about change can be important.
Mr. Rasmussen would advise newcomers to Japan to come with an open mind, understand that Japan works differently, and do not try to tell Japan how Japan works. He gives an example of his early years, where he would become frustrated because Japan worked at a slower pace. This pace of innovation and change was slower than he was used to. He would also advise investing the time and energy in learning Japanese only if the intention is to stay 15 or more years in Japan as it is a significant time commitment.
Doug Hymas was the previous Japan Country Executive for the Bank of New York Mellon Group. Many years ago, during his college days, Mr. Hymas served in Japan as a Mormon missionary based in Tokyo. He returned after this stint and finished up college at the Brigham Young University (BYU) back in the US. He developed an interest for Japan, while he was at college in the 1980’s and Japan was at the frontier in business and culture. Mr. Hymas was glad he was given the chance to develop his Japanese at the university and through his missionary work in Tokyo. During his time with the Mormon Church doing missionary work in Japan, he focused mostly on verbal Japanese and not on the Kanji Japanese script as most of their work was verbal. After about 6 months in Japan, he was very confident in his conversational Japanese abilities. He later did get a chance to develop his written Japanese through BYU, which had a strong focus on Japanese and other languages. The retuned missionaries often teach courses to current students at the university, and this gives students a fresh perspective of people who have experienced Japan.
Mr. Hymas later returned to BYU to do a Law degree and graduated as a lawyer. He started working with KPMG and was later transferred to Japan. He then worked by advising Japanese clients on International Law. Afterwards, Mr. Hymas was headhunted by a Japanese firm called Minebea Company Limited, where he worked as an in-house counsel advising on legal matters outside of Japan, primarily in the US. Mr. Hymas loved this job, but the pay was very low. At this point one of his friends was building a team of lawyers within the Lehman Brothers and invited Mr. Hymas to join his team at Lehman. At this role, his salary tripled but he says his lifestyle went down. He stayed with Lehman brothers for 3 years, which led him to his role at BGI, who were the world’s largest indexing investment manager at the time. He liked the business model at BGI as he felt that the company’s interests aligned with the clients−if they did well, their fees increased. If they didn’t do well, they received a reduced fee. This business model was one of the reasons he stayed within Investment Management for 10 years thereafter. Afterwards, Mr. Hymas was headhunted by Citigroup, which allowed him to step away from the legal world and into business. Soon after, he started leading the organization.
To foster creativity in the workplace, Mr. Hymas reminds his staff that they are not government workers, and their success is dependent on working hard with engagement. Mr. Hymas says there are many ways to be creative in his work. For example, it can be a creative solution in sales, the actual product design, or innovative ways to provide customer service by understanding client needs. Mr. Hymas emphasizes that some people are motivated by financial incentives, but many are not, and acknowledgment through public recognition is also important.
Mr. Hymas advises those new to leading in Japan to be open to cultural differences and try and understand the strong team culture. He observes that Japanese people work well if the team is working well. Thus, trying to understand what you may see in a meeting may not be the real picture. For example if the staff are nodding and agreeing to something in the meeting, that may not necessarily be the case, and there may be something they are holding back. Being mindful of this and trying to understand what is happening in between meetings is important. Mr. Hymas also recommends the person coming in getting a confidant. By building a relationship with people you trust on the team who act as your eyes and ears, Mr. Hymas says you can get a better understanding of Japanese people and workplaces.
Mitch Kristofferson is currently the Director of Customer Service Japan for UpClear. Mr. Kristofferson was a Pre-Med student during his bachelor’s degree at Stanford University. His first experience of Japan was when he came on exchange, and was place in a teaching hospital at Yamaguchi prefecture. He graduated from his undergraduate degree and worked in the oil exploration space for 5 years before doing his MBA at Stanford. The MBA led to a pivot for Mr. Kristofferson, and he moved into marketing, working in various companies in Japan and the US.
Mr. Kristofferson explains how leadership and bringing about change in the workplace can take multiple steps. He admits the challenge of stepping into a new role and making changes. Mr. Kristofferson starts out by explaining the direction he wants to take the company but in many cases, he initially gets resistance from people who want things done the old way. He explains that when something like this comes to light, people are divided into 3 groups - those who are keen to innovate and bring about change, those who are hesitant and in the middle, and the third group who are not willing to listen at all. Mr. Kristofferson says that he must deal with each group differently. Mr. Kristofferson explains that not everybody is ideal for every job in every company, and in some situations, it is a matter of finding the right fit within the firm. For those in the middle group, Mr. Kristofferson has attempted to encourage them to try new innovative ideas. For example, Mr. Kristofferson has brought the middle group of marketing professionals with the sales team. He says that the sales department typically has good innovative ideas as they are on the ground and meeting customers and talking to clients everyday. Hence, trying to engage the middle group with such groups seem to work well. On the contrary, he explains that the early adopters are usually the people that have the best ideas and sometimes they reach out to Mr. Kristofferson and try and fast track the innovation for the company.
Mr. Kristofferson has many advice for someone coming into Japan. He explains different cultures in terms of their approach to conflict and expressiveness based on a Harvard business review article. He cites the example of the Philippines where people are expressive but don’t like conflict. In Germany, people are not too expressive but are alright with direct communication and conflict. Japanese don’t like conflict and they aren’t very expressive either. Someone coming into Japan needs to be mindful of the more reserved nature of the Japanese. People may have some great ideas, but they won’t necessarily be direct in sharing them. Becoming comfortable with silence in meetings is something that newcomers can be mindful of. Mr. Kristofferson explains that things are slower paced in Japan, but great ideas come out of people and solutions are more methodical and sometimes end up with more fruitful results in the long term.
Peter Cammaerts is currently the Managing Director, AB InBev in Japan. Mr. Cammaerts is originally from Belgium. He studied in Leuven in Belgium, which is still where AB’s headquarters are located. He started working at AB as a student and worked in different positions first as a sales rep where he was visiting stores and ensuring good store execution and then moved up into different positions in Belgium. After 9 years in Belgium, he moved to France before relocating to Japan in 2020 for his current role with AB InBev.
Mr. Cammaerts says he builds trust with his team by showing his effort to learn Japanese and the culture to ensure that he is invested in the team in Japan. He tries to run the company as if it is his own business, which shows ownership to the firm. He also tries to connect with the team by holding 30 minute one on one conversations with all 70 of the staff members. During COVID, these conversations were held on Zoom, and he believes that they helped in building a trusting relationship. Additionally, delivering results was another big factor in establishing credibility. Mr. Cammaerts explains that if people can see the results, they are more passionate and more likely to work hard on those projects. Similarly, they will not be as passionate if they don’t see the results materializing.
Mr. Cammaerts would advise a new person coming into Japan to try and learn Japanese if they are willing and able to invest the time. Mr. Cammaerts also light-heartedly suggests learning golf before coming to Japan. He explains that many people in Japan have asked him whether he plays golf, and many customers would like to play golf so that is a good way to connect with people. Mr. Cammaerts would also recommend that if anyone is considering relocation to ensure they are happy in their personal life as well. He gives his example of ensuring that his family was happy, and he was able to deliver well in his professional life because his personal life was sorted.
Nikolaus Boltze is currently the country representative for Thyssenkrupp in Japan. Mr. Boltze first came to Japan in 1972 as a child, while his father was working with the German embassy and was posted to Japan. He attended the German school which was at that time in Ōmori and since that time he has a certain soft spot for Japan. They returned to Japan in the early 80’s and he finished his graduation from high school at the German School in Japan. He returned to Germany for his University in Engineering and military service.
When Mr. Boltze was applying for jobs after university, he came across a Japanese company starting its operations in Europe called Daifuku. The job description listed a variety of initatives, from setting up an office, finding additional staff, reaching out first to new customers in Germany, transferring the products, which had an excellent Japanese design, but make them fit for the European market and so on. This role got him excited as a young engineer without any previous experience as it was much more than just designing the rear back wheel for a Mercedes Benz, which would be the typical start position for a young engineer. He stayed in this role for 5 years and then later took a position at an automotive supplier called Bayer based out Stuttgart and they were looking for a Project Manager. He took this role and spent a year developing a strategy for entering the Japanese market based in Stuttgart. He presented this to the board, and they came back to him and asked him if he was willing to implement his own strategy and go work from Japan. So, he returned to Japan and started looking for an office and a secretary to start Bayer’s work in Japan. He was in this role for about 6 years until 2005.
Mr. Boltze says they have not been too successful in hiring new graduates in Japan. Typically, new graduates in Japan are focused on working for Japanese firms and they also may have some family pressure to work for well-known Japanese companies. They feel they have better success with mid-career employees who have returned to Japan after working in the US, Europe, or Southeast Asia and they don’t feel well suited to the Japanese environment. Mr. Boltze says that female engineers are another of their hiring strengths. Hiring female engineers has been good for the company because a lot of the time women feel more comfortable and less restricted at a global company rather than a Japanese one, Mr. Boltze also says they don’t discriminate based on gender so women may feel more at ease at Thyssenkrupp. Another segment of people they hire are people from other Asian countries such as Korea, Taiwan or Malaysia who have a degree from Japan and are rather well versed with the culture but for work, they may prefer to work for an international firm.
Advice that Mr. Boltze would give to someone new to Japan who is not familiar with the culture would be to understand that Japan is a G7 nation and if you are bringing a novel idea or a new way of doing something, chances are there may already be a Japanese way or a local firm doing this, and it is harder to penetrate that. Ensuring that firms understand that Japan is a unique island nation and there is likely a local way of doing the thing that you are wanting to do in Japan is beneficial. Learning Japanese isn’t going to hurt but on the other side communication is very important. Japanese as a language is vague and not very precise and sometimes communicating in German or English can be more direct, setting clear goals and giving directions to staff may be more beneficial in German or English.
Joe Latteri is currently the Managing Director for Customer Success with Meltwater Japan. Meltwater is a global company and originally started in Oslo, Norway. Meltwater was founded by a tech entrepreneur named Jorn Lyseggen, who currently oversees the global board. They are a global leader in media intelligence and social media analytics. They work with close to 30,000 companies around the world including 800 clients and about 50 employees in Japan. Mr. Latteri’s history was quite unique and with Japan started when he was 6 years old, his parents encouraged him to pick a language and he opted to do a Japanese immersion program in elementary school. Mr. Latteri went to an English-speaking Middle School, but he tried to keep up his Japanese and although he was a business major, he took a minor in Japanese at University to keep up with some of his language skills. His plan was to work in the US and was hired in Sales at Meltwater in the US, but he started working in London and then later moved to Singapore and he had more success in Singapore and that was when he started to research Japan and he spoke Japanese. Mr. Latteri launched the team in Japan in 2008 with 3 other team members. Initially he thought he would be in Japan for a year or two but there was a lot of potential in Japan, so he kept getting drawn back to Japan.
Mr. Latteri says that something that drives engagement is finding the best fit and that would mean finding someone who has the same core values that the company has. Fun is the first core value of Meltwater Japan. He says that he believes that is a very important core value, fun can mean going to Karaoke after work or it can mean having a pleasant customer meeting and he emphasizes that since the employees spend so much time at work, they need to be having fun while they are doing it. Enjoying the personal development that comes from work, the thrill of doing the job or trying to be the very best also provides enjoyment and satisfaction for some people.
Advice for someone that is new to Japan from overseas is to try and understand the team and be patient. Mr. Latteri says to try and understand the staff and the influencers within the team. Mr. Latteri says that usual way of doing things is engrained into people’s way of doing things and the staff really needs to understand that you are here for a long time with them. He also suggests being humble and be open. He suggests being humble and open to new ideas, hear their staff out and try and implement their ideas. Approaching the staff as people is always a good approach and embrace Japanese culture. People pay close attention to little things, if you are open to learning about Japan, if you attempt to speak and learn the language, if you attempt to eat using chopsticks, these things are noticed and will go a long way. Embracing Japan will get you a more positive response as the people think you are open to learning about Japan and you like Japan and people are more willing to trust and like you. If you are coming to Japan, it is important to be genuine and work to build that trust. If you really want to have long-term success, being genuine and consistent builds a lot more integrity and trust and builds stronger relationship. Owning your mistakes and being humble are core tenants of leadership, especially in Japan.
Meghan Barstow currently is the President at Edelman Japan. Ms. Barstow is originally from Alaska and Japan and Alaska were strongly connected through the fishing industry and the airline industry, as many international flights land in Anchorage. The Japanese economy was booming when she was in high school, so she decided Japan was a good place to be.
Ms. Barstow first came to Japan exactly 30 years ago which was the obvious step as she majored in English Literature with a minor in Japan. She first came to Japan as a third-year university student, she studied at Osaka from Kansai Gaidai for her year abroad. Prior to university, she studied at a school in Middlebury with an immersive Japanese program prior to coming to Japan in her third year of university. She completed her degree back in the US before returning to Japan through the JET program. She was in Japan in a very rural area in Japan for 3 years for the JET program, she was an ALT teaching English for 2 years and the last year as a CIR working for the local government. She was the only ALT in that region, so it was a wondering immersive experience for her. After completing the JET program, she returned to Seattle in the US, and she again wanted to use her Japanese skills and she worked for Kyoga prefecture in the Business and Culture centre and later she also taught Japanese at a local public high school filling in for someone on maternity leave. After this she retuned to Japan again for her third round in Japan working as an editor creating business textbooks and English textbooks at Time Life.
At this time, she had many friends that were expats, and they were doing communications for automobile companies such as Mercedes and Reno and it sounded like many of the skills Ms. Barstow had such as meeting people, writing, editing, communicating but also strategizing. This led her to apply for a job in an English Language newspaper and that’s where her journey in PR started.
It can be hard to earn the trust of colleagues and especially as a foreigner coming in during COVID Ms. Barstow found this to be quite difficult in Japan. Ms. Barstow feels that Edelman is doing very well with regards to having female leadership and equity in the firm. Traditionally, you’ll find that more women are present at the junior levels and as you go higher up, there are less and less women. At Edelman, Ms. Barstow says that there are a lot of strong female leaders, and she has felt very supported by the female leadership at Edelman.
Ms. Barstow has found that Edelman is very creative in many ways, the team often call themselves entrepreneurial, by constantly thinking of new products, new evolved techniques, and new and creative ways to do things. She feels the staff is constantly learning and innovating. For creativity and one of their passions is to be constantly curious as every day is new, and she finds herself learning every single day. She feels to be creative; employees need to given freedom and time to become creative. At work, they have various working groups in various topics, such as an ESG group and an Olympic working group. Staff join these working groups based on their area of interest, for example someone interested in the environment, might join the ESG working group.
Advice that Ms. Barstow would give to someone coming into Japan would be that listening is very important and asking for feedback and spending time 1-on-1 with the staff. Building trust and understanding that change takes more time in Japan. She says that Japan seems contradictory to her that though Japan tends to seem a hierarchical country but in other ways it can be a country that is very bottom-up, so striking that balance is hard and navigating that as a foreign leader can be challenging as well. She ends on the powerful note that leadership is not about the leader but is the power of those who report to you because the organization is not about one person.
James Yamanaka is currently the President of BAT Japan. Mr. Yamanaka has had a truly global career, he started out at Deloitte in Consulting, then moved on to work in the Telecom industry and then started at BAT and his career has mostly been at BAT. Mr. Yamanaka is a 4th generation Japanese American; he grew up in California, started his education in the US but ended up going to Business school in London. 22 years ago, Mr. Yamanaka was working with BAT as a client in the Middle East and transitioned to working at BAT 18 years ago. His time at BAT has taken him across the world and he has worked in London, Germany, Sri Lanka, back to London and then to Denmark and now Japan. Mr. Yamanaka grew up in a heavily Japanese area called Torrance in the state of California in the U.S. When Mr. Yamanaka found out about his posting to Japan, he felt both worried and excited. He was excited to be closer to his Japanese roots and to find out where his ancestors came from. Although, Mr. Yamanaka is ethnically Japanese he hadn’t lived or worked in Japan prior to his posting with BAT.
Mr. Yamanaka talks about improving engagement with his staff. He tries to achieve good engagement by trying to talk to his employees across the organization and goes 2 or 3 tiers below in rank and asks for feedback maybe about 4 times a week from his staff members. He follows a list and makes sure the organization is on the right track and doing the right thing, and secondly, he tries to ensure through these meetings that they are not missing anything vital. Sometimes, he also sits in into other teams’ meetings and listens in. Mr. Yamanaka emphasizes that they treat BAT as an outlier company and as a company that has over 20 nationalities in their staff, BAT prides itself in being in a unique position compared to other multinational companies. Many other companies tend to be very heavily Japanese with a few expatriate staff at the higher levels. BAT has a large foreigner population, not all are expats and has a lot of foreign staff at the junior levels as well. He says that due to this outlier position, their recruitment strategy differs from other organizations, and they have accepted that they are an outlier company and thus recruit differently. He says that if you come to BAT, you can experience leaving Japan without actually leaving Japan.
Advice to someone coming to Japan for the first time, someone who doesn’t speak Japanese and has not been to Japan would be to do the typical things, such as reading some books about the formalities in Japan, listen to the cultural things, try to read a real “yes” versus a yes that’s said to you just to be agreeable. Someone who has been brought to Japan is usually in Japan to make some change, Mr. Yamanaka says that identifying a team that is willing to work with you to make that change will make a large difference. Learning Japanese would certainly help to work in Japan. Mr. Yamanaka says that he understands the cultural nuances as he is ethnically Japanese and recognizes the culture from his family back home. Mr. Yamanaka also says that as an ethnically Japanese person, the expectations of him with regards to learning the language are higher, yet this wouldn’t be the case for most people, and they should learn Japanese if they are able.
Will Shaffer is currently the President of Boeing, Japan. Mr. Shaffer is originally from the US and started out as a pilot in the Navy, stationed out of Whidbey Island. After working as a pilot, Mr. Shaffer went to Business school and then worked in Consulting in the Seattle area. It was in this role within the consulting space, that Mr. Shaffer got accustomed to Boeing. Before coming to Japan with Boeing, Mr. Shaffer worked for many years in the Puget Sound area working across multiple roles within the supply chain organization. Prior to his posting to Japan over 2 years ago, Mr. Shaffer had some prior exposure to Japanese culture. When he was in the military, he was deployed to Japan several times. He later visited Japan many times when working in Boeing’s Japanese suppliers. He says that an advantage of working at a global organization like Boeing is that though it is in Japan, there are Japanese hires but there are also international staff on the team that were hired locally.
He says he has noticed that many of the employees in Japan are a bit shyer when sharing ideas than perhaps other countries. Mr. Shaffer says that sometimes it takes a bit more effort to draw those ideas out from these people. He says the advantage that Boeing Japan has is probably staff that are more outspoken than an entirely Japanese firm. Sometimes drawing out these ideas can take a bit longer in Japan. Boeing is a highly regulated company, on both the commercial and defense sides so it can be easy to get caught up in the process and rules. He says that encouraging and rewarding managers that encourage innovation on their team while meeting safety and quality requirement is a way to encourage innovation.
He uses a variety of techniques to engage teams and garner ideas outside of them. Before COVID, he says he walked around to talk to people personally for the staff in Tokyo. Boeing has employees dispersed throughout Japan, so he would periodically go visit those regions to engage with those staff in-person. During the COVID period, this has shifted to the virtual world, Mr. Shaffer says that he has noticed that the virtual environment through chat and Webex has enabled some people to speak up and ask questions that they may not have asked that question in an in-person meeting.
Mr. Shaffer’s advice to someone coming into Japan who doesn’t know Japanese, or the culture would be to be humble. This advice could be different from US based or multi-national companies where you are supposed to be louder and advocate for yourself to succeed in the workplace. Another piece of advice would be to have patience, Japan does move at a slower pace and just being positive and celebrating the smaller wins will be helpful. He also suggests exploring the country and culture as that can bring you closer to colleagues and clients as well. Getting to know your team and people is a good step to bring you closer to your team, after-work culture and having drinks with your colleagues. Mr. Shaffer gives his personal advice on respecting privacy but also getting to know his team and workplace and asking about their weekends, sharing more about his own personal life on the weekend and hobbies brings him closer to his team.
Noriko Silvester is the President and Founder of Candlewick. Candlewick is a Public Relations consulting firm that works with clients in the Food, Beauty, Travel and Education space with a strong focus on products that influence people’s wellbeing. They support overseas clients with their transition into the Japanese market, developing a strategy that considers differences in consciousness, customs and business in their home market and Japan. Mrs. Silvester started her career working as a secretary working at an American Financial Institution in Japan. She later realized that she wanted to get more involved in the business side of things and moved her way into sales and then got into Japanese cosmetics. She did marketing and sales for 8 years before moving briefly to a pharmaceutical company that had moved into Japan at the time, the company pulled out of Japan. She later started working at a Swiss company as a Brand Manager and they also pulled out of Japan. At this point, she started to feel that someone else was dictating her life, so she decided to start her own business. She founded Candlewick in 2004. She wanted her company’s name to have some meaning. Candlewick was the name of her husband’s grandmother’s home which was also close to Candlewick Lake. She also added that the wick is the string at the core of the candle that is necessary to light it, so it is like the message that is core to a business functioning well.
Mrs. Silvester says that she finds that sharing knowledge and sharing experience makes people more open and likely to share. She also notes that the default Japanese tendency is to be less proactive. She is currently trying to get people on her team to be more proactive. She says providing people with experiential learning automatically forces them to be more proactive. For example, there is a foreign staff member on her team and most of their clients are overseas clients, so her staff automatically must be more proactive to work properly. The handling of mistakes depends on the staff’s attitude, if the staff consult with upper management and do everything within their power to do things correctly and there is still a mistake, she says that upper management takes responsibility of that, however, is someone is very casual about making mistakes and not taking responsibility, she can be very severe about that.
Mrs. Silvester’s advice to someone coming to Japan for a posting to Japan who doesn’t speak Japanese and doesn’t know Japan she would say to cover 4 areas:
- Staying in the box is the default option. Staying comfortable with the familiar is ingrained into Japanese culture
- It is good to have a mentor, a leader who is heading an organization would be helpful. A foreign mentor running a company in Japan would be helpful to speak with and learn from.
- Reading books about leadership in Japan to allow them to gain some insights before coming to Japan. Mrs. Silvester says she recently read a book with the title is "Making Rules, Breaking Rules that she found insightful.
- Experience and join the community. She says Japan has a long history and things are ingrained in the culture and people have a way of working. Learning and trying to understand this would be very helpful. Learning Japanese would be helpful in the workplace as well.
Darren Morrish is the General Manager of the Tokyo American Club and a numerous-time five-star hotel general manager throughout Asia, including Japan. Mr. Morrish is a Chef by trade and has been in the hospitality and hotel industry for many years. Mr. Morrish has a long history with the hotel industry as his parents were into the business of buying and selling hotels in Australia, so Mr. Morrish grew up moving a lot and exposed to the world of hospitality from an early age. Mr. Morrish wanted to start working as early as possible, so he started out by becoming a chef and then slowly moved out to the floor and worked his way through different levels of management with different hotel groups, both in Australia as well as stints in Malaysia, Singapore, China before moving to Japan permanently in the early 2000s. Mr. Morrish also worked in Korea and says that his experience there was very different from Japan.
Mr. Morrish says that to get people to be more creative is to have meetings in smaller groups. He says that in Japan, the smaller the group, the braver people feel to speak up and ask questions, whereas in a large group of 300 people, people typically would not ask questions. He says that Japan has changed over the years, the change is slower than what might be expected but compared to years ago, Japan has changed. In Japan, there are some very incredibly creative people, and they tend to stand out as there are fewer of them that go against the norm. He says that when he wants staff to be creative or have open discussions, he refers to Japanese success stories when talking with his colleagues, as these are examples that his staff can relate to. Mr. Morrish talks about Toyota or a local café as success stories when speaking with his colleagues as they will be able to relate to these examples more than they can relate to an example from Australia.
Mr. Morrishs’ advice to someone coming for a posting to Japan would be to have a lot of patience. He says Japan may not be exactly what people think it is coming from outside and it is a very old culture, so things do not change quickly and just being mindful of that and being patient would go a long way. The second piece of advice would be to get involved in the culture, immerse yourself in the culture and build trust and enjoy your time in the country. Japan can be lonely if you are coming alone, so immerse yourself in the culture and meet other people. Another piece of advice would be not to make a quick judgement to say that Japan is different from anywhere else. He advises people to be flexible and try and learn from Japan. He says Tokyo is quite different from elsewhere in Japan and even Asia, it is perhaps the only Asian city that operates globally in the region. The diversity and the things you can experience in Japan is unique. China, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore are all quite different in terms of experience and work culture and one should take this time in Japan as an opportunity to learn and grow with the culture.
Klaus Meder is the President of Bosch in Japan. Mr. Meder has been in Japan for almost 10 years in total, he worked in Japan from 1996 to 2000 and then shifted base to Japan again in mid 2017. During his initial visit to Japan, Mr. Meder was a part of a joint venture between the German company Bosch and the Japanese company Zaxel. The joint venture had about 100 people including the production team. There were 4 German staff members, and the rest were all Japanese. Mr. Meder said that at the time it was quite challenging as he didn’t speak Japanese and although he had a full-time translator with him, he still found the language barrier to be a problem, he says have expert knowledge of ABAC control systems helped him a lot. Mr. Meder also said that as he was a specialist in the field and knew the current and next generations of modules this helped him a lot in his early days in Japan.
When Mr. Meder returned to Germany after his first stint in Japan, he said he learned to communicate really well with his small team in the countryside in Japan and he tried to emulate that back home in Germany. Another benefit he felt was that in the countryside in Japan, there were very few distractions and people were able to better focus on their work, in Germany he feels there is a lot to do outside of work so it can be a bit distracting. Upon returning to Japan the second time, Mr. Meder felt that a lot of things had changed. When he left the first time Bosch had less than 500 employees and now, they are over 7000 employees. Another interesting distinction Mr. Meder noticed in Japanese employees was the answer to the typical survey question, “Would you recommend Bosch to your family and friends?”. He says that globally, over 90% staff say yes to that question, however, in Japan the number is lower. This could be due to the cultural factor, where Japanese staff feel more of an obligation towards making sure their friend/family member is a good fit for the employer and also, they feel more obligated about giving Bosch a good employee.
Mr. Meder’s advice to someone coming into Japan would be to be respectful and don’t say no right away. He says that being respectful usually doesn’t hurt in Japan and small actions, words can go a long way. In Japan, where customer satisfaction and harmony are of most importance, if something doesn’t seem like a good fit, don’t reject it right away but consider it. Another piece of advice to foreigners would be to try to learn the language in Japan. Though, the language can be complicated to learn, effort is also rewarded, and locals really appreciate it even if you know a few words. Learning gestures and body language in Japan would be beneficial for someone coming to work in Japan, and body language is also very important. A point that Mr. Meder makes that is useful as well is that he thinks that the ideal time for a role in the workplace is 3-5 years as he feels that you can learn and master the role in that time. He has noticed that Japanese associates typically take longer in one role partly because it is discouraged to make too many changes and that employers might retain employees longer than they’d like because it is so difficult to fill vacancies. He feels though to learn and grow and be beneficial to the individual and the team, 3-5 years is an optimal duration in a role.
Hiroki Ishida is the Representative Director and President of BASF Japan Ltd, a German multinational chemical company. Mr. Ishida originally joined BASF in the early 90s as a new graduate and worked his way into leadership roles. He has also worked in the company’s headquarter in Germany as a research chemist which he recalls as a challenging experience due to the language barrier and environment. Mr. Ishida then switched into sales and marketing as he realized he could add more value there. In addition to Japan and Germany, Mr. Ishida has developed global leadership experience working in Malaysia and Hong Kong.
The first thing Mr. Ishida noticed about working in Germany was the need to ask questions and show initiative. He recalls not getting his laptop because he did not ask for one on his first day at the office. In total, Mr. Ishida worked in Germany for 3 years before returning to Japan. During this time, Mr. Ishida focused on new business development which he started in Germany to introduce some new products to the Japanese market. Back in Japan, Mr. Ishida found the need to adopt a “hybrid” business mindset working for a Japanese market with a Japanese team, but in a global environment.
When working in Malaysia as a senior manager of sales covering multiple Asian countries, Mr. Ishida experienced further cultural differences. In the beginning, Mr. Ishida tried to implement changes that were successful in Japan, but completely failed. Overtime, Mr. Ishida realized unlike his Japanese employees who would follow the boss’s instructions, he needed to his Southeast Asian employees to buy in to his initiatives. Mr. Ishida learned to understand his team’s background and their source of motivation, and properly explain why he needed things to be done a certain way. In the end, Mr. Ishida recalls his experience in Malaysia as “fantastic” as he was able to further develop leadership while valuing diversity and inclusion and learning from his colleagues.
To this day, Mr. Ishida says he has a team-oriented approach to leadership. He explains: “my motto is [to] get together…sometimes my ideas are better, but sometimes my colleagues’ ideas are better…so I don’t care about organizational hierarchies.” In adopting this respectful and enthusiastic approach to leadership, Mr. Ishida thinks his team enjoys working together. When encouraging others to have high engagement, Mr. Ishida is careful not to simply give out instructions when delegating but also explain the objective, reasoning, and benefits people will receive by completing them. By giving a clear framework of the task but leaving the detailed process to the workers, Mr. Ishida gives both accountability and flexibility to his team. He is also understanding of mistakes and failures, and emphasizes the importance of analyzing the mistake and learning from them. Mr. Ishida adds: “In the VUCA era, we need to be more passionate, encouraging mistakes [and] bolder ideas…particularly in Japan, under these uncertain situations, we definitely need such a leader in the future.”
On innovation, Mr. Ishida recognizes the challenge of fostering creativity as BASF is a very task-oriented company with structured targets. He explains that top and mid-level leaders need to encourage bolder ideas instead of just focusing on achieving the already set goals. Mr. Ishida observes that BASF is beginning to focus on long-term success based on customer needs, understanding of industry trends, and encouraging newer ideas.
To newcomers of Japan who want to succeed as leaders, Mr. Ishida advises to understand and respect the deep-rooted Japanese culture. In Japan, harmonization is highly valued, so people may not be as comfortable speaking up compared to the west. Usually when foreign leaders enter a Japanese company, Mr. Ishida points out that it is because the organization wants to implement some sort of change. By being aware of the background and culture of a Japanese organization and clearly communicating your mission to the team and customers, Mr. Ishida thinks newcomers will establish more trust. Mr. Ishida thinks learning Japanese in an international company is not necessary, but in smaller organizations, it is beneficial to learn a few words to develop good relationships.
Mr. Ishida defines leadership as someone that inspires others and make speedy decisions particularly in uncertain situations. Additionally, it is someone who communicates with positivity, is approachable, trustworthy, and encourages open communication.
Tim Schlanghecke is the Country Director for Flavour of Symrise in Japan. Mr. Schlanghecke has been in Japan ever since he graduated University from his home country, Germany. He says that he is not able to compare Japanese workplace and management to Germany since he did not work much in Germany. Mr. Schlanghecke says that his first venture was a small brewery that he started in the Japanese countryside, where people did not speak much English. He moved around Japan quite a lot in his early years in Japan, he spent some time in Fukuoka, Hokkaido, Mishima, Shizuoka, Yamagata and the spent some time in the Kansai area before coming to Tokyo. As someone who was passionate about breweries, the natural inclination for Mr. Schlanghecke was to go to the Japanese countryside to work there. The businesses plateaued at one point and then Mr. Schlanghecke decided to move to Tokyo to start his own consulting business, in his expertise niche which was consulting breweries.
Since Mr. Schlanghecke is in a unique industry, Mr. Story asked Mr. Schlanghecke if it was challenging to convince Japanese board members and junior staff that they should come work for his smaller organization and not a larger, more stable, typical Japanese firm. Mr. Schlanghecke says he is passionate about his work and that translates outward and a lot of the time he hopes people see it and join him because of that passion. Japan works differently than other countries, resistance to change is one example of one thing that is different in Japan. Mr. Schlanghecke says that this is almost a philosophical topic as the resistance to change is deeply embedded in Japanese culture and it goes back hundreds of years. Japan’s work culture has achieved astronomical things, the amount of total wealth that Japan has generated and the distribution of wealth in Japan has improved phenomenally over the years. Though Mr. Schlanghecke suspects that what worked in the past will not be the same way to be successful in the future. He believes though that we are at a turning point in society and industrialization and modern capitalism as we know it is likely not the way forward. He believes that for the world to be sustainable for future generations, we need to think about climate change, change our way of thinking about society and change the ways of working due to a changing demographic of an aging population. Though Japan has resisted change in the past, it may need to start slowly accepting it given the circumstances.
Mr. Schlanghecke’s advice to someone coming into Japan would be to listen first and don’t complain. He says a lot of the time people come in and make assumptions on the little knowledge of Japan they may have; he also encourages them to go into details and be more Japanese. Learning about Japan and the Japanese way takes time and patience and an in depth understanding of Japanese. Having been in Japan, Mr. Schlanghecke says that for a foreign company to work in Japan, they need to have 100% backing and support from their head office, all the successes he has seen have worked in this way. Though Mr. Schlanghecke speaks Japanese and he used to work in the Japanese language, he has recently shifted back to communicating in English. He states that the reason for this is that Japanese tends to have nuances and be misunderstood by the other party because of the subtleties, he feels English is a more direct language and people are better able to understand instructions if he speaks in English.
John Flanagan is a General Manager Japan and Regional Head of Programming and Marketing Asia at A+E Networks Japan G.K. Mr. Flanagan has been in Japan for 30 years. Originally, he is from Denver, Colorado in the United States. He studied Political Economy for his undergraduate degree and was at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. He has been based in Media and Marketing for his career in Japan. Mr. Flanagan has a long history with Japan, as he was born in Tokyo because his father was a Professor of Japanese Political Science, but they returned to the US when Mr. Flanagan was 2 years old. In 1985, he returned to Japan as his college had an exchange opportunity with Waseda University and he did an exchange in the third year of his college. He went back to the US to graduate college and looked for ways to come back to Japan, he says one of the easiest ways to come back was through the well-known JET Programme. Mr. Flanagan applied to the JET programme in the first year it started, and he was placed to the sister state of Colorado which is Yamagata. The JET programme was his first exposure to Japanese work life which led to a career in Japan.
One thing Mr. Flanagan remarked was that the office location is very important in Japan, which is different from the US. In the US, people are more used to driving to work so location is not so important and it’s alright to have an office in the suburbs. In Japan, people rely on the trains so location needs to be central so people can get into the office. Mr. Flanagan also remarks that the Japanese style of working is much more risk averse than the Western style. He emphasizes its important to understand why the people are so risk-averse, he cites an example of a colleague who revealed to him that he had made a mistake in the past and it is like a black X in his career. Traditionally, Japanese people are employed for life, so it is easier to be very risk-averse, not make many mistakes and have a nice stable paycheque for the rest of your working life. Mr. Flanagan talks about the Japanese old-school system is typically to hide mistakes from upper management because it can be common to be publicly scolded for smaller mistakes. He tries to keep a positive, open culture so people come to him when there is a mistake that has been made and he asks them what they learned and how the mistake can be rectified.
Mr. Flanagan would give someone coming into Japan from headquarters for 3-5 years a lot of advice. He says that what helped him the most was understanding the Japanese culture and language. Being patient is another thing that he felt was important and he overcame this by asking questions. Sometimes due to the cultural aspect, people do not want to seem too critical or point out faults, yet they may be trying to say something indirectly. It can take some time to grasp this and try and understand the point or hint someone is trying to make. In Japan, harmony is more important than truth which can be seen as all aspects of business and culture. Sometimes people coming from headquarters are told to do things in the same manner as they are done in that country and that won’t necessarily work in Japan. Trying to learn the language, the culture and enjoying the food can bring you closer to your staff. Trying to pick up the nuances of Japanese culture can be difficult to grasp for some people so being patient with that is helpful. A challenge that Mr. Flanagan found that the time to take a decision is longer in Japan and trying to understand that there is more convincing and more nuanc
Professor Jody Ono is a Specially Appointed Professor at Hitotsubashi University Business School, School of International Corporate Strategy (ICS) in Tokyo. She teaches courses in Leadership Development and Leading for Sustainability for MBA students and business executives. She is a graduate of Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs (MPP '03), New York University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (MA '93), and American University's School of International Service (BA '89). Prior to her move to Japan in 2014, she worked for 7 years in the US, at the George HW Bush School of Government, Texas A&M University and for 10 years in Sweden, at the Stockholm School of Economics.
When discussing improvements to workplace engagement, Professor Ono says engagement can be defined as how excited people get about their work, how engaged they are with their workplace, and how much they look forward to going to work. She proposes that engagement has changed from the 20th century: employees today need continuous stimulation in the workplace through interaction and exchange of ideas. Younger employees, especially, need to feel personally seen and valued in the workplace. Professor Ono says it is really very difficult to change an organization fast, and typically the largest companies struggle with maintaining high engagement. While so much is implicit in Japanese culture, she says, in order for intentional change to happen, decisions about change must be made explicitly and then communicated often and via multiple means.
Building trust takes time, Professor Ono explains, in part because individuals trust others at different speeds and levels depending on their lived experiences and related learning. For leaders to be viewed as credible, they need to be clear about standards and expectations for performance. Clarity on these points makes it much easier to have real conversations that foster mutual trust in the workplace.
Professor Ono cautions against “stylizing your facts” when coming into Japan. By this she means that individuals should be cautious to question cliched assumptions about Japan and its people. She advises newcomers to cultivate a diverse network, with people of all ages and backgrounds, to construct a holistic view. In addition, Professor Ono notes that people Japan has different leadership traditions from many western cultures. Leaders should display patience, competence, and disciplined thinking in order to build constituency for the change they desire.
Arthur Mitchell is a Senior Advisor at White & Case in Tokyo. White & Case is a global law firm with a global presence. White & Case is just over 120 years old, having started in 1901, it has progressed to the global firm it is today and serves clients worldwide. Mr. Mitchell has a long history with Japan. He has been in Japan for 54 years. Mr. Mitchell came to Japan when he was 14 years old for a short trip, again when he was 17 and a few years later again as a third-year exchange student in college. After this exchange, he returned to the US, to complete his undergraduate studies at the University of Berkeley and went on to Harvard University for Law School. After Law School, in the US it is typical to get hired at a firm that you did an internship in a previous summer, but Mr. Mitchell didn’t want to work immediately after graduation, so he decided to take up a Fellowship at Kyoto University.
Mr. Mitchell is getting the sense that there are innovative things going on in Japan. He is seeing that the young people are not necessarily aspiring for government roles or large corporate roles, they are aspiring for more entrepreneurial roles or ventures. Speaking from the perspective of law, he says that the law usually changes with innovation. He is seeing from the 2 companies, where he serves on the board, that the senior management is seriously considering moving towards digital transformation and innovation. Mr. Mitchell not only relies on younger staff within his firm, but also young friends outside the firm to help him further understand technological innovation.
Mr. Mitchell explains some of the things that he has been doing to improve engagement with his employees. Before COVID they used to have in-person seminars, this moved to online webinars, but these leave very little room for personal interaction. Typically for more complex matters, the best way is to sit in a conference room, use a whiteboard and have back and forth discussions, but COVID has made this very difficult as everyone is working remotely, and it becomes very difficult to read the roam in a virtual meeting.
Regarding foreigners coming to Japan, Mr. Mitchell has heard one of the biggest challenges foreign staff face in Japan is explaining the situation back to their home offices. The larger, better organizations understand Japan’s work culture and their managers and staff are better equipped to work in Japan. Sometimes, newer organizations that haven’t had much exposure to Japan previously, it is challenging to explain the situation back to the home office. The pace of Japan can be quite slower compared to other countries, for example a decision can involve many coffee meetings, talking with multiple stakeholders and convincing a lot of people. Many of the global companies, Mr. Mitchell works with, have realized that they need to speed up the pace of decision making, their changes and their approach to the markets. Mr. Mitchell defines leadership as setting a clear vision and defining the mission. Mr. Mitchell also suggests that in the upcoming years, organizations may need to change the way hiring is done. Currently, companies recruit from the Legal and Economics departments, but if technology is going to play a more important role in the future, perhaps hiring needs to be done from the Science Faculties. Mr. Mitchell also notes that Japan has a shortage of people. Lastly, he says that leading in Japan requires a lot of listening and being a good listener works well for business.
Simon Wallington is the Managing Director of Insurance for Cornes in Japan. Cornes and Company was established in Yokohama in 1861 and is the oldest international trading house in Japan. Mr. Wallington worked in the UK from 1977 to 1985 and was looking for international experience, so when an opportunity opened in August 1985, he relocated to Japan as number two for Sedgewick Forbes Japan. Mr. Wallington worked in Japan until 1991 and then decided to move to Sydney, Australia. In 2009, Mr. Wallington’s former boss moved to Cornes and asked Mr. Wallington to join him, so he did. In 2011, he took over as Managing Director in Japan and has been in this role since then.
Mr. Wallington believes that a trait unique to Japan compared with some of the Western countries is that the people are not very expressive, so it is more difficult to understand how employees are feeling. Mr. Wallington tries to spend some one-on-one time with employees by taking employees out to coffee individually every 2 months. He tries to engage with the employees to see how they are doing, how their work is going and to pick up on any cues on mental tiredness. He says that recognising mental tiredness is especially important during these COVID times.
Mr. Wallington talked about how the meeting matrix works at his company. They have four teams, and they have a weekly team meeting and a monthly division meeting. The news is given at the monthly division meeting. The teams each have team leaders, a general manager and five or six people on each team. He says his teams work very hard and the demarcation between home and work is less, especially nowadays. Currently, his teams come into the office three days a week and work two days a week from home. For families with very young children, they provide more flexibility. Mr. Wallington finds remote working more difficult as it is more difficult to read body language and trying to get his point across. He thinks he is maybe 70% more effective as a leader when he is working in the office as for example, he tries to explain to his staff why certain things are done in a certain way so that they will not need him for future similar problems, and this will be more efficient in the long term.
In Japan, culturally people tend not to disagree with the boss. Mr. Wallington says that his general management team is quite good with disagreeing with him when they don’t think an idea is going to work. When asked how Mr. Wallington got his staff to openly share their thoughts with him, Mr. Wallington says he credits this to two things, the first is his open communication and getting to know each staff member individually and the second is admitting to making a mistake. Admitting you have made a mistake or when something wasn’t a good idea allows the staff to see that they can share their views with him and their boss is humble enough to admit when he is wrong, this provides open communication and more freedom for them to share their views with him.
Mr. Wallington shares his view that the most effective leaders he has seen follow a servant leadership mentality. He says you do this by rolling up your sleeves and being there with them and solving problems together. This creates mutual understanding and a closer understanding of working relationships. He believes in the servanthood methodology of leadership and leading in this manner has worked well but when he needs to make a hard decision, he does that. Mr. Wallington is Christian and serving is in the Bible. He tries to apply this principle in many aspects of his work. Because after leading this way, results and good relationships follow.
For foreigners coming to Japan. Mr. Wallington advises having a sense of humour helps. To get the best of the employees, the employees must see that you are here to stay and not just here for your short stint. Although, many foreigners are in Japan only for a few years, making sure that you leave it as a stable organization and not as an organization full of politics and high turnover is beneficial. A stable and productive organization is a great gift you can leave your Japanese colleagues, so that when you leave, the company’s much better.
Originally from the United States, Derek Young is the President of Fidelity Japan for the last 3 years. Fidelity International provides world class investment solutions and retirement expertise to institutions, individuals, and their advisors. Prior to Japan, Mr. Young was working with Fidelity and had been living in Boston, USA for 22 years. Mr. Young had visited Japan on business briefly before 5 or 6 times before shifting base to Japan 3 years ago.
In his initial days in Japan, Mr. Young started by approaching the Japanese market by examining his own strengths and weaknesses. His strengths lay within the investment space, having a deep understanding of Fidelity and having decades of investment experience. His weaknesses were in not speaking Japanese and not understanding the Japanese market. Identifying where his weaknesses were allowed him to collaborate with people that had those language skills and to take the best possible combination of strong investment knowledge, strong language skills and the best understanding of the clients to combine them for the highest probability of excellence and success for the clients.
Mr. Young emphasizes that modelling what works elsewhere may not necessarily work in Japan. He believes that Japan has some of the most demanding clients in the world. Strong attention to detail is ingrained in Japanese culture and that is the expectation everywhere in Japan. His team had this understanding on attention to detail and this pressure to deliver yet he had to learn this. For example, if he was wanting to increase efficiency but this increased client errors, he realized that clients could leave for that error regardless of performance in the portfolio. Thus, anything that is done to improve efficiency cannot increase the risk for client errors. The tolerance for error is significantly less in Japan compared to elsewhere in the world.
One major difference that Mr. Young found about working in Japan is that there is a general appearance of calmness within the employees in comparison to the US. For example, in planning for a large event, employees in the US may be more vocal about the pressures they are facing. In Japan, culturally there is hesitation to be vocal about that pressure and even though they seem calm, they may be facing pressure. These pressures are underneath the surface, and it is the Japanese way is to make things seem under control. Mr. Young has found that having one-on-one conversations to be a good way to truly understand what employees are thinking and providing them the tools they need for success and that makes employees feel comfortable in having these conversations with him. For example, asking for a translator may help the employee feel more comfortable. Even though to an outsider they seem like they speak perfect English, with a translator they may feel they have more time to frame their thoughts. Mr. Young also emphasizes connecting with employees on a more personal level has made them feel more comfortable with him as a person, and not just as the President of their company. He gives examples of asking for restaurant recommendations, vacation spots from the local Japanese people to connect with them on a more personal level.
For foreign leaders coming into Japan, Mr. Young advises individuals to keep an open mind, to really examine your own personal strengths and weaknesses and really listen. He emphasizes that you must listen to what your team says. The team should feel that they are truly being heard and you are taking what they say, and you are responding to it in a genuine manner. He provides an example of keeping an open-minded approach. Something that may work well back in your home country may not work well in Japan and the employees should not feel that you are just forcing what you think is best on them. He also advises that learning the Japanese language and understanding the culture may help. If the Japanese language is a barrier that having the right people with the correct language skills on your team is essential for business.
Hideyuki Takahashi is the Chairman of State Street Japan, an American financial services and bank holding company.
Mr. Takahashi established his career at Nomura Securities where he stayed for 21 years, becoming an Executive Account Manager for retail business and eventually moving on to manage international business. Mr. Takahashi has experience living and working globally in places including Australia, England, Amsterdam, Luxemburg, and Frankfurt through Nomura.
When in Amsterdam and Luxemburg, Mr. Takahashi built his sales team from zero, starting from the recruiting process, hiring many local workers. Mr. Takahashi says he made sure that he clearly communicated there were no division in how the local and Japanese hires were treated in his team of six people in the beginning. He explains that the most essential aspect of building a team and delivering results is defining the goal and planning out how it can be achieved, as well as the reward. Mr. Takahashi says his experience working in Australia and London enabled him to manage the international team who tend to be more assertive than Japanese workers.
As the CEO of Nomura Bank Deutschland, Mr. Takahashi led an organization with 300 staff and was first tasked with the role of restructuring, eliminating certain sections, and dealing with litigation matters. Mr. Takahashi recalls this as a tough experience, and required him to be very decisive, without any compromise. He wishes he had been better with constantly and clearly sharing information including his vision and direction of the company as a leader. For example, having a town-hall meetings in addition to communicating in smaller groups.
When in London, Mr. Takahashi was the European Equity Division Head. There, he managed a team of approximately 150 people. Mr. Takahashi initially struggled due to his English skills as his team were mostly English speakers and found the speed of communication to be very fast. When Mr. Takahashi arrived in New York as the COO, and then CEO, he was now leading over 1400 people. He noticed in New York, his staff were very vocal and quick to speak their mind. He recalls working with this team to be “very tough but at the same time, very simple” since there was constant clear communication and everybody was treated equally.
After 7 years in New York, Mr. Takahashi returned to Japan as the Global Head of Internal Audit of Nomura Group for a year and a half, then moved on to become Global Head of Research to integrate Lehman Brothers’ and Nomura’s research organization. There, he led a team of approximately 1000 people. Mr. Takahashi explains leading a team of researcher was a challenging experience, as they are highly intelligent and in a specialized discipline with a clearly set career path. After his time at Global Research, Mr. Takahashi then moved to corporate communication with non-Japanese media for a year and a half. Mr. Takahashi finally moved into State Street where he currently is the Chairman.
On increasing workplace engagement, Mr. Takahashi advises to clearly outline and communicate the vision and goal of the company, as well as the benefit of each individual joining the team. He adds the importance of clearly defining the role and accountability of each person. In large organizations, Mr. Takahashi points out having a strong and trustworthy middle management team is essential. It is crucial to train these middle management staff to make sure they understand the leader’s vision and goals so that they can consistently communicate the same message to the rest of the team. Giving people accountability and letting them know what they will gain from the work they are doing and the future prospect is also important to keep them engaged and motivated. With Japanese people, Mr. Takahashi explains they need to be encouraged to speak up, but once they gain the confidence, they will be more likely to communicate their ideas openly.
On advice to foreigners leading in Japan, Mr. Takahashi advises to be mindful when recruiting people to understand that Japanese people have a tendency to not communicate their strengths clearly as English-speaking people. He recommends not jumping to the conclusion that people who cannot market themselves well are incapable and encourages seeing the real value of the more traditional Japanese staff. Secondly, Mr. Takahashi advises to stay committed to the job, as people will not trust managers who leave in a short period of time. Thirdly, Mr. Takahashi advises that in business, it is wiser to use one’s own language to clearly communicate the message.
Mr. Takahashi defines leadership as a very strong conviction of one’s own vision and the ability to communicate that with others, as well as winning in business.
Originally from Sweden, Mats Lindstrom is the President of Ducati Japan, an Italian automobile company and shares his fascinating experience working in global companies in Japan. Mr. Lindstrom has been living in Japan since the mid-2000s. His love of marital arts made him develop an interest in Japanese culture. From the early 2000s, Mr. Lindstrom started working at Volvo Car Corporation as the Senior Purchaser and Team Leader. When Mr. Lindstrom heard IKEA was setting up business in Japan, he jumped at the opportunity to work in Japan and was selected among the first group of people to start the company from scratch in Japan as a Sales manager. He then moved on to work again in the automobile industry at Scania, a truck manufacturing company, before becoming the current President of Ducati Japan.
Mr. Lindstrom recalls as the first 30 people hired to set up IKEA Japan, he was the least fluent in Japanese but his management experience at Volvo helped him join the diverse team. Mr. Lindstrom took care of recruiting the team, and was able to hire people with international experience such as having worked or studied abroad and wanted to work at a company that was different from regular Japanese companies. At IKEA, Mr. Lindstrom recalls the culture was very principled and not everyone was a perfect fit, yet he knows many of his former colleagues have worked in the organization for years. Mr. Lindtrom had five direct reports at this time, and as the team grew from 30 to 70+, he oversaw the entire group.
The main difference between leading in Sweden and Japan in Mr. Lindstrom’s opinion is the level of accountability and responsibility people take on within their work. For example, in Swedish culture, people work within frameworks and clearly set responsibilities, and how they find a solution to a problem is up to them. Whereas in Japan, people need detailed instructions to get started on their work. Mr. Lindstrom also points out that one cannot force people to make a change while staying fully engaged. He adds as a foreign leader, he needs to ensure he can rely on his Japanese employees to give him honest opinions and feedback from their perspective instead of being yes men and women who never questions the boss. Additionally, Mr. Lindstrom claims that listening in Japan needs to be done at a whole another level as details and history is taken seriously. Much of this passive stance comes from the fear of making mistakes, Mr. Lindstrom explains, and thus as the leader, he is careful to not criticize but exercise active listening and coach people to ensure they stay engaged.
After IKEA, Mr. Lindstrom moved on to Scania as the Executive Director of Sales in Japan. He recalls meeting and receiving a warm welcome from the company’s VP and eventually CEO, Martin Lundstedt. He found it especially memorable how Mr. Lundstedt tried to get to know Mr. Lindstrom on a personal level, asking about his experience working in Japan, his family, and so on, in addition to talking about business. Mr. Lindstrom has learned from this leadership approach and also tries to emulate being a human leader and helping people grow through a coaching approach. . He is also always giving credit where it is due and encourages creativity through small group discussions. Mr. Lindstrom tries to nurture creativity from his team through active listening and encouragement. For example, if a previously tested and failed idea comes up during a discussion, Mr. Lindstrom encourages his team to contemplate why it failed and whether a different approach can be taken. To gain trust, Mr. Lindstrom says he has tried to be himself as much as possible. He is honest with his team in letting them know he does not have all the answers and is relying on them for knowledge and expertise.
For foreign leaders coming into Japan, Mr. Lindstrom advises them to practice active listening and understand that things take time in order to show results. Mr. Lindstrom defines leadership by taking John Quincy Adams’ words: “Your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more.” Mr. Lindstrom adds that a leader is generally interested in people, who is constantly learning and wanting to become better and grow with others to reach a common goal.
Originally from the US, Eric Wedemeyer initially lived in Taiwan working in journalism. He then came to Japan in 1980 and started out at a small PR firm, then moved on to working in magazines. Having gained some advertising experience, Mr. Wedemeyer next joined Cove-Ito Advertising as a writer first, eventually becoming the Creative Director, then Vice President of Strategic Marketing Services. He also became Chief Executive of Cove-Ito Interactive, a spin-off company of the original ad agency. Mr. Wedemeyer currently is the Managing Director of Tactus Partners as well as J-Global, Inc., an intercultural management services company.
As Creative Director of Cove-Ito, Mr. Wedemeyer oversaw around 20-30 people during the 1980s through 90s. Having worked in other parts of the world including Taiwan, Mr. Wedemeyer observed that Japanese staff needed more clarity and were reluctant to try out new and different things. Mr. Wedemeyer explains that gaining trust from his Japanese staff was a gradual process, but his knowledge of the foreign advertising market in Japan helped him gain credibility. The marketing agency closed after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, and Mr. Wedemeyer joined Tactus, where he initially led brand strategy.
On maintaining employee engagement, Mr. Wedemeyer says having a clear direction and purpose gives people a target to aim at, which helps them stay engaged. He also explains how delegating and motivating people to take initiative themselves energizes them. Mr. Wedemeyer recalled one client manufacturing company he worked with who took this idea to heart. The company wanted their workforce to think more about better serving customer needs, and launched an initiative in which the entire company department delivered a presentation to the CEO on their insight. Mr. Wedemeyer says this initiative allowed people to think more about their work and communicate their ideas to the CEO, who was eager to listen to their thoughts. This boosted the organization’s motivation, exceeding what Mr. Wedemeyer had originally envisioned.
Mr. Wedemeyer says branding boils down to being a promise kept. He gives an example: “Our mission is to turn people blue. Then you make what I call a strategic question. You get your people to ask this question about everything that they do no matter where they are in their company and what they're doing. Does this make people blue? How could I change what I'm doing to make people bluer? If everybody in the company is thinking how to answer that one question from a thousand different directions…it really gets the company moving in one direction.”
To newcomers leading in Japan, Mr. Wedemeyer advises them to take time to learn about Japan, such as joining a local networking group like the American Chamber of Commerce Japan, and get some cross-cultural advice from more experienced professionals. He further explains that knowing how a Japanese business operates will enable one to understand why people act in certain ways and be a tremendous time saver. Getting an interpreter is also a way to get valuable insight from the local Japanese businesspeople even if one cannot speak Japanese. Secondly, Mr. Wedemeyer advises to always walk the talk and make sure what you say aligns with your behaviour. Mr. Wedemeyer thinks that learning Japanese is very helpful, but depending on how long people are planning to stay in Japan, it is case by case.
Jesper Koll is a highly respected member of the Japanese financial scene who has been working in Japan since the mid 1980’s. He came to Japan to do academic research before moving into finance as the Chief Economist for SG Warburg in 1989. He followed this with a succession of high-profile jobs including as the Chief Economist for JP Morgan Japan, the Chief Economist for Merrill Lynch Japan, as the Managing Director for Equity Research at JP Morgan in Tokyo, and he is currently serving as the Global Ambassador and Expert Director for the Monex Group Japan. Mr Koll holds a master’s degree from John Hopkins University and has written three books in Japanese.
When discussing the role of financial analysts, Mr Koll believes it is important for analysts to look beyond the numbers and get to know the people behind the data. Developing this knowledge will allow trust to build in the analyst’s relationships with clients which will in turn allow deeper levels of communication between analyst and client. Mr Koll believes this is what will lead to real success in the relationship for both parties.
According to Mr Koll, the new leader of a team can increase their levels of trust by quickly making their team members look good and demonstrating that they (the leader) will stand up for them when dealing with headquarters, particularly a foreign based HQ that doesn’t understand the local situation. One method to make team members look good is to accompany them to visit a potential client and assist them in closing a deal and then attributing all the praise to the team member. Mr Koll believes defending the local office and staff from headquarters while also promoting its virtues is a very important method of gaining trust. If a leader can make the ‘Japanese way’ on a particular issue the company’s ‘global way’ that will be seen as a very significant win and a sign of trust.
Mr Koll believes a leader is someone who can inspire others to be better than they already are. It is very important for new leaders to quickly get the balance of their leadership team correct. This means identifying good lieutenant/s who will cater for different needs of team dynamics such as a ‘whip-cracker’, some one with a can-do attitude, and someone who makes people feel comfortable.
After graduating from Keio University, Saori Kanno originally joined Revlon as a Marketing Director, before becoming the current General Manager of Revlon Japan. In between, Ms. Kanno has worked in several other cosmetic companies, making her an expert in the beauty industry.
While still in her mid-30s, Ms. Kanno was scouted to become the Marketing Director at a prestigious French cosmetics company. Becoming a manager at a young age, she recalls needing to look professional as she was managing some staff who were older and more experienced. As a new manager, Ms. Kanno ensured she maintained close communication with each of her staff to earn their trust. She was careful in listening to the team and having open discussions. She would ask questions like, what is new? What is happening in the world, in the market, what should we do? By having such casual conversations on an individual and group basis, Ms. Kanno gained valuable insight from the team and built a transparent culture. At the same time, Ms. Kanno is firm that the objective of any meeting or brainstorming session is to decision-making and coming up with deadline-driven action items. iShe says: “the ultimate objective of this kind of discussion is that we win…we break our current status within our team…[as well as] win in the market versus our competitors.”
Ms. Kanno was also interested in working in the mass-marketing beauty industry, and thus joined a commercial cosmetics brand as the Marketing Director after the French company. Ms. Kanno says she used more or less the same techniques to build trust and communicate with her staff in her new company, as she says: “human relationship starts from the heart.” Ms. Kanno also became eventually took on the dual role of Sales/Marketing Director. She found it extremely useful to listen to the marketing and sales team simultaneously to come up with strategies that reflected both fields’ input.
Ms. Kanno returned to Revlon as the General Manager. This time, Ms. Kanno was determined to take the lead in addition to listening closely to her team. She had many creative ideas ready to be implemented. To convince headquarters, Ms. Kanno used her expert knowledge in the beauty industry and analysis of previous initiatives. She explains: “the Japanese beauty market is very different from the others because many of women, even my age, are still looking for kawaii or lovely, which is not the case for Revlon, but in order to be successful in a local market, we really need to understand the consumers.” Ms. Kanno quickly changed various things such as the way the product was promoted and recreated the visuals to suit local consumers. Sales immediately improved, breaking records from the last 50 years of the company. Ms. Kanno explains that her passion for cosmetics as a consumer also helped her be confident in her strategy to dramatically transform Revlon Japan.
On leading an engaged team, Ms. Kanno points out that giving praise and appreciation is crucial. When she hears her team come up with ideas, Ms. Kanno always congratulates them. On handling mistakes, Ms. Kanno encourages her team to consider improving the process to avoid the mistake from happening again. Moreover, on certain initiatives that do not work out, Ms. Kanno will review and analyze to try to learn from its failure. Ms. Kanno also holds executive committee meetings amongst the division head where they share information so everybody is aware of what is happening in the company. Ms. Kanno values ideas that come from the ground up, and thus, encourages her division heads to bring new ideas to her.
On advice to new foreign leaders in Japan, Ms. Kanno emphasizes the importance of listening to the local Japanese team to build trust. Secondly, when asking for people’s opinions, Ms. Kanno recommends giving some space instead of constantly asking questions. By building rapport through daily communication, and speaking in a calm tone, Ms. Kanno has seen Japanese employees relax and open up to foreign bosses. Ms. Kanno defines leadership as similar to motherhood. She explains: “In my team, I want to make everybody happy and successful…my mission is giving love and passion to the team [like a mother would].”
After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of Tokyo, Yasunori Takeuchi began his career in the financial sector by working for 12 years with the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan. This was followed by positions with Commerzbank, The Royal Bank of Scotland, ABN Amro Bank NV, WestLB Tokyo and Credit Suisse First Boston. Mr. Yasunori joined Standard Charted Bank Japan in 2012 as the Managing Director, Head of Corporate & Institutional Clients and Co-Head of Wholesale Banking, before becoming the current advisor/former CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Japan in 2015.
When reflecting on his career Mr. Yasunori describes his role as a team leader in Japan for European banks partly being that of a translator or interpreter. He explains how many European banks, like the country they originate from, have a very direct culture. This does not always align with the Japanese culture of arriving at decisions through consensus building via official and unofficial methods. Mr. Yasunori states one of his leadership roles was to try and act as a cultural translator between these two conflicting styles.
Soon after becoming the CEO of Standard Chartered Japan, Mr. Yasunori led the company to create a country vision document. At first, they tried doing it amongst the leadership but quickly realised that wouldn’t work and it needed input from across the organisation. Mr. Yasunori explains how, apart from giving some opening comments and instructions, he deliberately excused himself from the process so that junior staff would feel more comfortable sharing their ideas in an open discussion. The result was a productive and interactive process.
In his career in leadership, Mr. Yasunori has tried to develop positive corporate culture by breaking down the divisions within organisations, or silos, and increase interdepartmental interaction. He believes this can be achieved through unofficial means such as Diversity & Inclusion events. Events like International Women’s Day, Mental Health Day, and a charity run that Standard Chartered has been hosting for 10 years that encourage staff participation are all opportunities for staff to engage within various departments.
To foreign executives coming to work in Japan, Mr. Yasunori advises that while their core leadership style does not need to change, they need to understand how Japanese may respond. Are you getting silence in return? What will you do next? He also advises patience and the ability to create an atmosphere where Japanese feel comfortable to talk. On the topic of Japanese language skills, Mr. Yasunori does not believe they are of vital importance for a foreign businessperson - a useful tool but you can certainly get by without it.
Tomo Hasegawa is a second-generation Japanese-American with extensive leadership experience in the global medical and pharmaceutical industry. After he graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with an Electrical Engineering degree, Mr. Hasegawa joined Hewlett Packard (HP) as a Project Manager and Engineer where he helped design ultrasound devices that HP was creating at the time. When HP was struggling to survive the competitive market in Japan, Mr. Hasegawa was assigned from the US to work for HP Japan Medical (later became Agilent) to help turn around the business. He was originally hired to assist with marketing and sales of roughly 50+ people. Eventually, Agilent was acquired by Phillips and Mr. Hasegawa became the General Manager of the cardiac ultrasound business in Japan. After three years, Mr. Hasegawa was headhunted by Sonosite Japan, a company specializing in portable ultrasound devices. Mr. Hasegawa then began working at Sandoz Japan, a multi-national pharmaceutical company, and most recently, joined Medline Industries Japan office as their president.
Mr. Hasegawa says HP’s people-centric approach in business was what made the company so successful, and he has taken on this leadership approach throughout his career. He explains: “[As leaders] we were told to just do two things...first, set the direction and second, get things out of the way for your people.” During the early 2000s, a rival company had headhunted many of the leadership staff from HP, which caused many challenges. Mr. Hasegawa initially struggled with the challenge of leading an organization with a strong competitor, on top of the fact that he had no experience in doing business in Japan in Japanese. Yet he eventually came to realize that the customers care much more about the product and wanted to hear about the technical details, which Mr. Hasegawa as an engineer had thorough knowledge of. Within his team, Mr. Hasegawa’s knowledge and active listening skills helped him build trust and credibility.
At Sonosite Japan, Mr. Hasegawa joined just as the company had set up a subsidy from Olympus, which grew to 15 people within a year. Mr. Hasegawa helped take the company from a distribution model to a direct sales model and exceeded set targets. After a successful four years at Sonosite, Mr. Hasegawa was offered a position at Toshiba in the US to lead their ultrasound business. There, Mr. Hasegawa was tasked with bringing an ultrasound device to the commercial side. Mr. Hasegawa’s felt Toshiba had “made it” in the US when he was approached by salespeople from General Electric (GE) who joined Toshiba, and are still with the company.
Mr. Hasegawa then joined Sandoz Japan after completing an MBA at the University of Washington – Michael G. Foster School Of Business. This was Mr. Hasegawa’s first experience in the pharmaceutical industry, leading an organization of approximately 300+ people. Mr. Hasegawa found it challenging to be in a competitive market trying to sell a product that was similar to many other rival companies. He explains that because the company was trying to make a cultural transition yet at the same time not agreeing on how to make the change, maintaining transparent communication was a challenge. Mr. Hasegawa recalls his years at Sandoz as a challenge but also a time of tremendous growth and learning. He explains: “I remember my boss telling me I don't care about your opinion and it's like, okay, great. So, what do you care about? And he explained to me it's facts, insight, and then action. That's what we pay you for…not the, this is what my gut is telling me…Right, the insight is why we are human beings running a business. Otherwise, you can have a computer run the business for you.”
Finally, Mr. Hasegawa joined Medline, a medical product manufacturing and distribution company, which he calls the biggest company people have never heard of. The secret of Medline is, according to Mr. Hasegawa, despite its grand scale, it is run like a start-up – the organization is agile, bureaucracy-free, and focused on the genba (field). Mr. Hasegawa led the Japan branch of 400 people. At Medline too, Mr. Hasegawa practiced the leadership approach he developed at HP by setting the direction and leading by example. From customizing products to suit Japanese customers to building a warehouse in Japan, Mr. Hasegawa says such leadership activities allowed him to build trust from his team as well as customers who felt listened to. Mr. Hasegawa has built a yattemiyo (let’s just do it) spirit within the company culture, which he believes has given the organization more innovation.
Born in Tokyo while his father was serving as a German diplomat, Georg Loeer spent his first five years in Japan before his family returned to their homeland. However, that was long enough for a keen interest in Japan to be sparked in Mr. Loeer, as he would study Japanese languages, history, and economics at universities in both Japan and Germany, eventually attaining an MA in from Freie Universität Berlin. In a rich career in the financial sector, after his initial training in Frankfurt, Mr. Loeer worked in leadership positions for a number of banks in Japan, Indonesia, and China. He also started his own company, now run by his wife, before accepting his current role as the President of NRW.Global Business’ Japanese division.
When discussing his experiences with leadership in Japan, Mr. Loeer explains that there are times when leaders must explain the local situation and cultural nuances to corporate headquarters who don’t understand why things are, or aren’t, a certain way. This can also include defending excellent performing staff who don’t fit headquarters definition of an ideal staff. He also believes in the importance of giving staff challenges and clearly explaining what the opportunities and rewards are for the intended challenge.
In working with Japanese teams Mr. Loeer is full of praise, highlighting that the Japanese he has worked with are well educated, hardworking and honest. He does acknowledge the cultural inclination for Japanese not to speak up and that this can make getting feedback difficult. However, Mr. Loeer believes this can be worked around by developing strategies to get direct feedback rather than relying on open or passive feedback.
On building a culture within an organisation, Mr. Loeer believes communicating openly with teammates and showing empathy are important to developing a positive company culture. He also states that successfully managing the relationship with headquarters is vitally important and if you can do this, you will go a long way to earning the trust of your colleagues and employees. It is this trust which Mr. Loeer believes is a key word for doing business in Japan. It will mean standing behind your employees, supporting them, and sometimes taking the blame for them. However, trust can also be earned by showing that you have good ideas that work.
Finally, Mr. Loeer defines leadership as being able to stand in front of a team and engage them about the path that will be taken together as one (a team). He also believes a leader needs to be mindful of the values they and the organisation embody and have influence on, like climate change and aging demographics.
When discussing his experiences with leadership in Japan, Mr. Loeer explains that there are times when leaders must explain the local situation and cultural nuances to corporate headquarters who don’t understand why things are, or aren’t, a certain way. This can also include defending excellent performing staff who don’t fit headquarters mould of what staff should be like. He also believes in the importance of giving staff challenges and clearly explaining what the opportunities and rewards are for the intended challenge.
In working with Japanese teams Mr. Loeer is full of praise highlighting that the Japanese he has worked with are well educated, hardworking and honest. He does acknowledge the cultural inclination for Japanese not to speak up and that this can make getting feedback difficult. However, Mr. Loeer believes this can be worked around by developing strategies to get direct feedback rather than relying on open or passive feedback.
On building a culture within an organisation, Mr. Loeer believes communicating openly with teammates and showing empathy are important to developing a positive company culture. He also states that successfully managing the relationship with headquarters is vitally important and if you can do this, you will go a long way to earning the trust of your colleagues and employees. It is this trust which Mr. Loeer believes is a key word for doing business in Japan. It will mean standing behind your employees, supporting them, and sometimes taking the blame for them. However, trust can also be earned by showing that you have good ideas that work.
Finally, Mr. Loeer defines leadership as being able to stand in front of a team and engage them about the path that will be taken together as one (a team). He also believes a leader needs to be mindful of the values they and the organisation embody and have influence on, like climate change and aging demographics.
Philippe Auvaro is the former President of OrphanPacific Inc. of CMIC Holdings. Being born in the 60s, Mr. Auvaro grew up in a generation when Japan was experiencing the economic boom. He developed an appreciation of Japanese culture including classic movies, leading him to apply to an internship at a French pharmaceutical company called Roussel. Mr. Auvaro was eventually hired as a full-time staff at Roussel based in France, then worked for Aventis, which had gone through a merger with Sanofi in France. As Mr. Auvaro wanted to return to Japan, he then joined Glaxo SmithKline (GSK) Japan where he eventually became Executive Director. Most recently, Mr. Auvaro was the Managing Director, Senior Executive Officer of CMIC Holdings and President & Representative Director at OrphanPacific, Inc.
At GSK, Mr. Auvaro started as a Deputy Director in the Sales Division. He calls these years the “most amazing 11 years” of his life as he calls the organization “a school of empowerment.” Prior to his leadership role at GSK, Mr. Auvaro has experience in moving through the traditional Japanese management style ranks as well as working in a multicultural environment in both Europe and Japan. Mr. Auvaro explains his true “cross-cultural leadership experience” came when he was promoted to lead Roussel (which at that point had merged into Hoechst Marion Roussel) in Taiwan where he created the local office from scratch
Mr. Aurvaro’s first major leadership role at GSK was leading a mega product for an antiasthma inhaler. There, Mr. Auvaro says he gained “field leadership” experience by working with people from various cultural background at the ground level, being in contact with every single part of the organization including manufacturing, R&D, and digital technology. Mr. Auvaro helped set up business units and create a shared service structure for the commercial operations such as helping start market research and call centres. Mr. Auvaro then got a secondment from GSK to work for Aspen PharmaCare, headquartered in South Africa, and was asked to help start Aspen in Japan.
After GSK, Mr. Auvaro was offered his most recent position at CMIC Group as OrphanPacitic Company’s leader through a personal connection. At CMIC, Mr. Auvaro had been working on providing pharmaceutical solutions for rare disease challenges.
Mr. Auvaro describes his leadership as more “hardware than software” as he leans more towards directive leadership than being the recently popular “servant leader” type. Mr. Auvaro loves to be involved in the technical side of any product or service development and calls himself a fact-driven, field person. Mr. Auvaro defines leadership as a transaction between the leader and the employees. He says: “there is a fair amount of trust and delegation that people put in you. So you need to measure and scope and accept it, or redefine the scope.”
Born in France, Jerome Chouchan has more than 25 years of experience working in the Japanese and Asian business environment. He began his career in Japan starting the local branches for the French high jewellery brand Mellerio dits Meller and the French Government Mint Monnaie de Paris. Mr. Chouchan then worked for the fashion brand Lacoste as their North Asia Regional Director, before becoming the Business Development Director for Hennessy, the famous Cognac maker. A move to the famous Spanish porcelain company, Lladro, saw Mr. Chouchan become their Managing Director for Japan and Asia before he finally became the current CEO of Godiva in 2010. Mr. Chouchan is also a long-time participant in the Japanese martial art of kyudo, the way of the bow, and has risen to the rank of 5th Dan, as well as being an accredited instructor. He has written the book, Target, on how the philosophy of Japanese archery can be applied to business.
In his interview, Mr. Chouchan discusses coming to Japan as a young 25-year-old after graduation, in which he had the choice of doing compulsory military service or being part of a government program to help companies increase their exports. This led to him choosing Japan as he was interested in the country, and there he set up the local branch of the French high jewellery brand Mellerio dits Meller. Mr. Chouchan describes this first job as an ‘adventure’ as he was working by himself and did not speak Japanese upon arrival. Additionally, as a young man in a culture that respects age and experience added to the challenge. However, by the time he moved on Mr Couchan had established relationships with 20 retailers for his French suppliers.
When arriving at the Spanish company Lladro, Mr. Chouchan was engaged in his first significant leadership position, leading a team of approximately 70 people. By going out with the sales teams to meet customers and understand their work, rather than sitting in his office and reading reports, Mr. Chouchan was able to build trust and be accepted by his team members. He even participated in selling product to customers during exhibitions at department stores. It was during his time with Lladro that Mr. Chouchan came up with the innovative idea to make porcelain figurines aimed at the Japanese market for Boys Day (Tango no Sekku) and Girls Day (Hinamatsuri). At the time this was a controversial move, even within his Japanese team, where the feedback was that Japanese people would only want to buy European-style products from a Spanish company. However, the decision to make figurines aimed at the local market was a great success for Lladro.
Mr. Chouchan continued with his innovated business ideas when he moved to Godiva, the luxury chocolate company, which had been experiencing several years of stagnant sales when he arrived. In a shake up of the company’s advertising strategy, Mr. Chouchan went all-in on TV advertising, which was highly unusual for a luxury brand at the time. This move proved to be a masterstroke with Mr. Chouchan stating that the company saw immediate growth of 20% as a result.
New product development, or the burden of generating new ideas, is an issue that Mr. Chouchan admits all companies, including his own, must deal with. He explains that if the task of generating new ideas and products is placed on existing staff who already run the company’s core processes, then there is very little innovation achieved as they are too busy with the core processes of the company. To overcome this issue at Godiva, Mr. Chouchan has set up an innovation team to create a new product every month in small amounts for testing in the market.
On advice for newcomers to Japan, Mr. Chouchan believes the first few months are critical as that is when you will develop your first impressions and others will develop their impressions of you. He advises leaders to go out of the office and visit customers with their teams so they can learn the business firsthand and ask a lot of questions. Finally, he emphasizes the need for leaders to be capable decision makers and be able to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Om Prakash is the current CEO of Northrop Grumman Japan, a position he has been in since 2019. Prior to this he was Northrop Grumman’s Director for Corporate Strategy and had also served in the United States Air Force where he performed numerous roles including a test pilot with over 3 000 flying hours in 60 aircraft and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy before retiring with the rank of colonel. Mr. Prakash has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the US Air Force Academy as well as master’s degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and national security strategy (National War College).
In his interview with Dr. Greg Story, Mr. Prakash describes how his background in the military and involvement in many leadership transitions has helped his civilian career by being able to make decisions based on limited information. When discussing the topic of new leaders introducing change, Mr. Prakash is a supporter of author Simon Sinek’s philosophy to “start with the why” and believes that if a leader is clear, open and willing to listen to their team, they are more likely to succeed. When describing his own leadership style, Mr. Prakash says it is important for him to get to know his team as individuals and encourage them to grow to their full potential, even if that means them moving on to something bigger and better. As Mr. Prakash says, a good leader does not keep talented people under them to make their own job easier.
To help foster creativity Mr. Prakash believes incentives are needed not only at a team level but across an organisation. These incentives can take a variety of forms including financial, recognition, or as promotions depending on the recipient, organisation, and context. An incentive that may motivate one person to come forward with a creative idea may not motivate another person. To understand what motivates people, Mr. Prakash points to the need for leaders to know their people and their desires and suggests leaders can simply ask their teams what they want as incentives.
Recounting a story from when he was in Japan in the late 1990’s, Mr. Prakash recalls seeing people sending text messages and thinking it was a strange concept that would never catch on in America. He highlights the point that there are different mediums of communication preferred by different people for a variety of reasons, such as age and background, so it is important to experiment with different communications media. Similarly, he believes it is important to have team meetings not always run by himself, but have the meeting led by different members of the team as they will bring other qualities to the meeting.
When discussing the topic of work delegation, Mr. Prakash describes some important factors that good leaders need to consider when delegating work. These factors include the comfort and skill level of the people who are taking on the work, discussing the deadline and time-management including leaders expressing how much time is to be spent on a task, as well as feedback. Mr. Prakash talks about how it is important for leaders who delegate work, not to delegate any criticism that arises from the work or to withhold praise.
In his first piece of advice to newcomers to Japan, Mr. Prakash suggests not assuming that they were understood just because they received a positive response (Hai). People assuming that they were understood when they in fact were not can lead to difficult situations that can be avoided by checking for understanding. He also believes learning Japanese has been very useful to him including making friends that he probably otherwise would not have made. Lastly, Mr. Prakash acknowledges that in a business setting, people may get in to trouble if their Japanese is not proficient enough to pick up all the subtlties and nuances.
Mr. Spitzer has extensive experience living and working in Japan. After a business trip to Japan in the early 1990’s he attended the European Union’s Executive Training Program (ETP) which had a heavy focus on Japanese language and management skills. It was through this course he was headhunted to become the President and CEO of Stoll in Japan. Fourteen years later, Mr. Spitzer moved in 2008 to become the CEO of the Japanese division for Stihl, a world leader in the manufacturing of chainsaws and outdoor power tools, a position he continues to hold today. Mr. Spitzer was also an Executive Member of the German Chamber of Commerce in Japan from 2012 to 2016.
In looking back over his almost 30 years of experience in Japan, Mr. Spitzer discusses some of the changes he has witnessed in the Japanese business environment including a reduced emphasis on ‘wining and dining’ customers and the shift to digital technologies in business. He also describes how he motivates his own teams; rather than leading through seniority alone he has tried to develop a respectful space where team members feel safe to develop and discuss ideas and not be afraid of failure. Mr. Spitzer admits this was not an easy process and it took a long time, but it has been worth the effort.
On the topic of challenges when moving from leading a small team to a much larger one, Mr. Spitzer emphasised that once a team gets over approximately 30 people, leaders can’t do everything themselves and they need trusted deputies. To build this required level of trust in his own organisation Mr. Spitzer goes to significant lengths to get to know all of his employees including calling them by name, knowing what is happening in their lives, wishing them happy birthday (even if it is on a weekend), and having an open-door policy to his employees in his office. Mr. Spitzer and his wife participate in company activities, and he like to think of the company as the ‘Stihl family’.
For foreign companies or professionals currently operating, in Japan, or looking to, Mr. Spitzer advises developing a real understanding of the local context rather than trying to implement a series of short-term projects which never get local support. He believes companies wanting to make change need; a sustainable concept, a clear vision with realistic targets, and to involve everybody in the process. With the right mindset and preparation, Mr. Spitzer believes success can happen in Japan as he views the Japanese market as very open-minded. On the topic of learning to speak Japanese, Mr. Spitzer has found it a very valuable skill in his own experience, but he does warn that there are times when a businessperson should use a translator including when they are not certain their Japanese will be correctly understood.
Michael King shared great insight into how to become a successful business leader in Japan. Mr. King’s arrival in Japan may have been accidental but this did not stop him from having a long and prosperous career within Japan that has lasted 22 years. Despite originally being from Ohio, he began to work in the Asia Pacific 25 years ago within APAC in Sydney Australia before eventually moving to Japan as the General Manager for Sterling Commerce as Japan was the hot spot for business action and opportunity.
His time at Sterling was integral as it was his sink or swim moment. With no experience of business in Japan and leadership skills, he quickly adapted to the environment around him and began to grow and develop his skills. Mr. King began to understand the importance of hard work ethic. His work increased ethic allowed him to understand the sales process better and interact with Japanese business.
Despite not knowing the language at first, he did study, but he realised it was not necessarily important to know Japanese when working in Japan. Mr. King learnt that as a leader of a team to succeed, he needed to learn how to listen to his team and read the non-verbal cues his team would send his way and thus, developing trust.
After his time at Sterling and later Borland he became the President of Citrix Systems for 7 years which reinforced the necessity of listening to the team and creating trust. Through his experience as a leader, he came to Citrix knowing how he can grow the company, which he succeeded in doing. After a stagnant 5 years, he formed a vicious and successful sales team which led to the acceleration of revenue growth. Through this team, he learnt to become proactive and lead rather than sit and take orders which allowed the team to create widespread awareness of who Citrix are.
After his time at Citrix, he spent a year at Autodesk using his previous knowledge to help them change their business model to allow them to grow and increase revenue. While at Autodesk he learnt more about managing large groups of people and bridging the gap between the expectation of headquarters and the channels. After his short but fruitful year at Autodesk, he began working at the Japanese company Rakuten.
While at Rakuten Mr. King developed a more intense understanding of working in Japanese business and leading a team of 1200 people as the CIO. Mr. King had become interested in what it would be like as an end-user which drove him to Rakuten in combination with working for one of Japan’s best CEO’s and businessmen Hiroshi Mikitani. Mr. King learnt a variety of lessons at Rakuten such as using data to optimise customer experience and developing new solutions to problems. His time at Rakuten was the gap to where he is now at SAS as the President. At SAS he strives to drive the engagement of his team and consumers.
Mr. King’s 22-year long career in Japan has taught him a range of valuable lessons that have helped him become the successful businessman he is today. He claims that in order to succeed in Japan you need to understand that accountability, listening, and trust are integral.
Originally from Austria, Dr. Parissa Haghirian is a renowned expert on international and Japanese management. Her studies include a Masters in Japanese Studies, a Masters in International Management, and a PhD in Business Administration from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. She has been a visiting Professor of International Management to numerous universities, Adjunct Professor of Japanese Management at Keio University and WASEDA Business School and since 2015 is the Professor of International Management at Sophia University.
Dr. Haghrian started learning Japanese when she was 19 and still takes lessons 30 years later. She recalls enjoying studying Japanese, but thought she needed to study something a bit more ‘practical’ and went to business school at the same time. This led to her first job at Kyushu Sangyo University as an Assistant Professor where she was the first foreign woman the university had hired. Dr. Haghirian believes that, even today, not enough foreign business leaders working in Japan speak Japanese and that there is much to be gained from speaking the Japanese language.
According to Dr. Haghirian, communication is a significant point of difference between Japanese and Western cultures and something that foreigners living or working in Japan need to mindful of. In Western cultures Dr. Haghirian argues communication tends to be focused on the speaker trying to get information out with listeners free to do what they please with the information. This contrasts with Japan (and many Asian cultures) where Keigo, or honorific speech, means communication is dictated by the listener and a speaker must first assess who they are talking to and adapt their way of speaking.
When discussing Western and Japanese team dynamics, Dr. Haghirian highlights the differences in responsibility and accountability. Western teams emphasise responsibility for individual tasks or roles, while Japanese teams emphasise the group’s responsibility. This can be challenging for cross-cultural team members and leaders, and she emphasises the importance of leaders working in Japan to not only understand their own leadership style but to also understand the ‘Japanese way’ of leadership which may have less executive power and relies on consensus building but carries enormous emotional weight with junior staff members.
Talking from her extensive experience working in Japan, Dr. Haghirian believes that in Japan teams are most motivated when working together towards a common goal. She explains the goal should be clearly communicated to the team and should be one that allows the team to work collaboratively. Dr. Haghirian points out that the best way for managers to find out what works for their teams is to ask. Even in her work with university students, when asked if they would rather work alone or in groups her experience is that teamwork is the preferred option.
Finally, when asked for final pieces of advice to foreigners coming to Japan to work, Dr. Haghirian offered; preparation by reading, asking as many questions as possible upon arrival, be mindful of the stresses in working overseas, and engage in self-reflection.
Darren McKellin shared great insight into how he became a leader through his journey to mindful leadership. Mr. McKellin’s choice to come to Japan was both one of economic strategy and love for international affairs after studying in both Mexico and Sweden during college. After college, Mr. McKellin joined the Japanese air cargo company Kintestsu located in Chicago. Through the directors’ brother, he was able to move to Japan as an English teacher in Yamanashi. After a year he moved to Omotesando to work at his old boss’s brothers’ company in Minami Aoyama where he worked for four years.
This was the beginning of his 30-year long career in Japan. At this company, Mr. McKellin learnt about sales and selling products to a Japanese consumer. When he left this company after four years, he had one failing venture at Chrysler Japan but that did not stop him from persevering through a difficult time with macho management and a harsh environment to thrive him. Afterwards, he moved to sell ads for a computing magazine known as Japan Inc.
Through Japan Inc he was able to gain connections with various tech companies both large companies and small start-up companies. Through this opportunity selling ad space for the Japan Inc magazine, he learnt more about systems interrogation type of work. Through the gaining rise of technology and his gaining interest in the IT market, this would eventually be his last job outside the IT world. After Japan Inc. He would later join the tech company called Techno Box. This company was the first cloud serving within Japan which allowed him to learn more about managing a team of people. After this, he would move to World Com but they went bankrupt two years later.
After this stressful time, he gained a job at Vodafone. He did this through the power of intention which was an important part of his success. Mr. McKellin has gained an appreciation for intention and mindfulness when he read the book “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill as a young child at his grandfather’s house. The idea of mindfulness had become an integral part of Mr. McKellin’s life and the reason for his success.
At and after his time at Vodafone, he began to grow as a leader managing large teams of people at Oracle and later NetSuite. As a leader, he learnt how to use harmony, and patience as a way to motivate and lead his team to great success. Through his use of mindfulness and gaining inspiration from Google’s ‘search inside yourself’ program, he co-founded the Mindfulness Project at Oracle which helped improve the lives and mental health of employees. After his time at these two companies, he became the regional head of Zscaler.
Currently, through his ideals, he has helped the team at Zscaler grow at a tremendous speed. He has helped develop the team from five people to sixty. Which has also helped Zscaler become a top leading IT company which now has a $40 billion market cap. Not only has he helped Zscaler become a leading company he also wrote a book to help others.
His book ‘Mind Over Sales’ is a revolutionary book that helps readers gain knowledge about how they should use mindfulness to develop a more fulfilling life and successful career. Mr. McKellin strives at helping other gain knowledge about seeking self-awareness, intention, and harmonization to gain effortless success in their life.
Originally from the US, Mr. Whitson’s background in Accounting, Japanese and Korean language opened him up to many opportunities in international business as a new graduate. After entering KPMG in 1975, Mr. Whitson was first assigned to work in Los Angeles to audit many Japanese companies that were entering the US market and American companies going to Japan. His clients included major companies such as Honda and Mazda Motor. Mr. Whitson then left for Korea and what was originally intended to be a short posting turned into over three years. Afterwards, Mr. Whitson went back to the US for a year in various types of training before becoming partner at KPMG Japan in Tokyo.
Mr. Whitson’s first few years as a junior staff in Korea allowed him to gain important accounting and client management experience. He had a supportive boss who enabled him to learn from his mistakes and learn how to handle difficult foreigner clients.
During his first years of leadership in Japan, Mr. Whitson quickly noticed how compared to other parts of the world, Japan values team work as opposed to being independent minded. Mr. Whitson has also noticed that certain Japanese people who have international experience act differently depending on the situation – in a more international environment, they will act outgoing and assertive whereas when surrounded by more Japanese people, they will become more consensus oriented and soft.
Hence, Mr. Whitson is careful to listen to those who are less vocal or are not fluent in English but are adding value to the organization and giving them recognition. He explains that active listening shows respect to the other party, which leads to trust. Not jumping to conclusions about people or things is important in Japan – which is a trap many foreign leaders fall into when first arriving. Moreover, giving challenging assignments with clear expectations and support is another way Mr. Whitson shows trust in his team. By delegating and providing more accountability to his staff, Mr. Whitson believes they will become more engaged in their work and the organization as a whole. When handling mistakes, Mr. Whitson is careful not to blame the person but instead focus on fixing the problem.
On innovation, Mr. Whitson says diversity is a key element in working with creativity. Upon setting up a transaction practice at KPMG, 60% of the hires Mr. Whitson made were women, which was a rare situation at the time when the organization was made up of 90% men. Mr. Whitson noticed that his female employees excelled in intervieweing their clients and understanding their needs and challenges to help them make informed decisions. Mr. Whitson has carried through this lesson in diversity and creativity into his other projects including the Japan Market Entry Committee.
To new foreign leaders coming to Japan, Mr. Whitson advises to have high cultural sensitivity. He adds, leaders should learn how Japanese society functions from various sources. Secondly, Mr. Whiston recommends learning some Japanese as it provides valuable insight into the way Japanese think and present ideas. Thirdly, Mr. Whitson advises to take time to get to know the Japanese team as in many cases, decisions are made through a longer process than compared to the west.
To Mr. Whitson leadership is about setting goals for the organization and communicating with people to help them contribute in the best way possible to achieve those goals.
Paul Kraft fell in love with Japan after a school trip in the early 90s and originally came to Japan to teach English in Osaka. Afterwards, he became involved in the food business in the US as a product and brand manager for a large privately held frozen food company. Mr. Kraft returned to Japan after being head hunted by Starbucks to open a consumer-packaged goods office in Tokyo. Mr. Kraft then moved on to become the head of HoneyBaked Ham, opening and managing the Japan office. In 2016, Mr. Kraft became the Commercial Director of Nestle Nespresso. Mr. Kraft most recently is the Japan Country Manager for HARIBO Asia Pacific since 2018.
Upon arriving in Japan to head the market entry of Starbucks into Japan, Mr. Kraft experienced many culture shocks and made many of the “classic mistakes.” He was first surprised with the way meetings were run in Japan in which discussions could take hours with no agenda. Mr. Kraft also realized his business partners’ priorities were different from his American counterparts. Mr. Kraft further notes the challenge of implementing new ideas as Japanese people tend to be risk averse and rely on past case studies. From these early leadership experiences, Mr. Kraft learned that allowing people to make mistakes was an integral part in creating a culture in which people would take more risks and innovate. He adds active listening is extremely important in order to understand employees and stakeholder needs and establish trust.
After Starbucks, Mr. Kraft joined Honeybaked Ham, an American food retailer with over 400 stores in the states. Although a well-established company in the US, Honeybaked Ham was still relatively unknown in Japan when he joined. Therefore, when recruiting new hires, Mr. Kraft put extra effort in persuading prospective employees on a particular story and even serving ham to them during interviews. Furthermore, the company was mostly run by free-lancers and Mr. Kraft enjoyed the entrepreneurial culture.
Mr. Kraft then moved to Nespresso as the Commercial Director, mainly managing clients in the hotel industry. As the leader of a large, globally renown company Mr. Kraft focused on having close communication with his team by holding weekly one-on-one meetings with his direct reports. Mr. Kraft recalls Nespresso had a very process-heavy approach to business and thus, he ensured to build an open communication environment.
Seeking a more entrepreneurial opportunity, Mr. Kraft then moved into his current position as the Country Manager for Haribo, the number one gummy producer in the world. As a historical and well-known company, Mr. Kraft explains that recruitment and persuading people to join the team is much easier than his previous lesser-known companies. Mr. Kraft is currently the solo employee of Haribo in Japan and acts as the middle person between the Japanese market and global organization. Mr. Kraft explains that when bringing in new ideas, he “divides and conquers” to persuade his stakeholders – in other words, he uses groundwork methods to make his implement his plans. Mr. Kraft also notes that explaining the background and reasoning behind his ideas and requests is important during such discussions.
For newcomers coming into Japan, Mr. Kraft advises to have close communication with team members through occasions such as weekly one-on-one meetings and to have a high “EQ radar.” Secondly, he advises to provide feedback to people which should be 90% positive. Thirdly, Mr. Kraft recommends people to try to learn Japanese, although they do not need to become fluent. Mr. Kraft finally notes that leadership is achieving the organization’s goal by maximizing the potential of one’s team.
Growing up in California, Mr. Risberg has been an entrepreneur since high school and by his mid-20s he had already founded and sold a start-up company. His early success enabled him to move to Japan, which he had been interested in largely due to his half-Japanese roots, and invest in a series of companies in the health care industry. In 1999, Mr. Risberg joined Respironics (currently Philips Respironics) as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing and in 2005, became the President and CEO of Fuji Respironics. He then became the CEO of Philips Japan in 2009. Since 2018, Mr. Risberg has been the President and General Manager of Baxter Limited Japan.
Mr. Risberg’s earlier experience in his 20s working and learning from his mentors taught him much about running a business as well as gaining trust from local Japanese investors and business owners. During his time at Respironics group, Mr. Risberg successfully persuaded the CEO of a distributor to agree to an acquisition. Mr. Risberg was also successful in persuading the people at Respironics on the arrangement of the acquisition process. Mr. Risberg notes having empathy, passion, decisive decision-making abilities and determination helped him with such challenging stakeholder management. During disagreements he explained the importance of ensuring the other side understands the reason behind the conflict to try to find the middle ground.
Starting from a founder of a start-up company to heading a multinational conglomerate, Mr. Risberg has been a constant learner and active listener. When starting his position at Philips, Mr. Risberg asked one of the company board members to become his mentor to support him through the transition period. Mr. Risberg says at the centre, business is “all about the people, connections and communication” and forming a strong bond with more experienced leaders enabled him to access a wealth of knowledge and network he needed to understand the organization. He took on a similar approach when becoming the head of Baxter Japan and focused on bringing the company’s true value to the marketplace not just through the product but through systems and services and focusing on how to maximize employee engagement.
For new foreign leaders coming to Japan, Mr. Risberg firstly advises them to understand the company goal including their expectations, the reason behind them and the time frame. Secondly, he advises to learn from people and form trusting relationships. Thirdly, Mr. Risberg explains that Japan is a unique market and what seems to be a “crazy idea” could in fact add value – therefore, having a flexible mindset is essential. Lastly, Mr. Risberg recommends anybody coming to Japan to put in the effort in learning the language as he believes this will be appreciated by the local employees, customers and market.
Shinzo Yotsumoto shared great insight from his extensive leadership career in the manufacturing industry in various multinational companies including Japan, the US, France and Germany. After graduating from Waseda University, Mr. Yotsumoto entered Kobe Steel where his manager inspired him to work overseas. He worked in the German operation of Kobe Steel from 1985 to 1989 which he recalls as a life changing experience and calls Germany his second home. Mr. Yotsumoto was then head hunted to become the Key Account Executive for Michelin Japan working with Toyota for 12 years. Mr. Yotsumoto then moved on to TRW Automotive Japan as a Representative Director, and then to Schaeffler Japan as the Managing Director. After retiring from a full-time permanent position, Mr. Yotsumoto worked as an Advisor to Roland Berger and then most recently as Senior Counselor to Kiduki Architect.
Having managed several multinational companies, Mr. Yotsumoto found that each country and company has a very different culture and working style. Working in Germany where employees were more vocal in their opinions, Mr. Yotsumoto found a need to communicate and understand his counterpart on a deeper level. Mr. Yotsumoto found this a challenge but an eye-opening experience coming from Japan where people mainly followed instructions. Mr. Yostumoto experienced this firsthand when he moved from Kobe Steel to Michelin. He noticed that the leaders were dedicated to the philosophy of the company to develop tires for a wide range of customers and pushed employees to be equally committed to their vision. Leadership at Michelin encouraged open discussions and welcomed differences in ideas. Mr. Yotsumoto himself, who recalls not being too vocal with his opinions in a Japanese company to become more open and speak up in this new engaging environment.
After Michelin, Mr. Yotusmoto joined TRW Automotive’s Japan operation as their country manager, leading a team of 250 people. Since the company had just gone through M&A, Mr. Yotsumoto’s major task was to bring all the different business units together to create a “one-team atmosphere.” He began by interviewing all 250 of his employees to understand their desires and expectations and how to bring them towards a single direction. This enabled the business units to deliver consistent, united messaging to their Japanese manufacturing partners such as Toyota, which helped create more trust and strengthen the reputation of TRW. Mr. Yotsumoto found that listening to his team and taking quick action based on their input helped him gain trust from his team. For example, Mr. Yotsumoto convinced the American headquarter of TRW to create an R&D Centre in Japan. This action showed his Japanese employees that the US headquarter will listen to the needs of the Japanese customers, which boosted team engagement.
Mr. Yotsumoto was then head hunted to Schaeffler in 2012 as their Japan operation’s Representative Director, leading a team of 300 people. At Schaeffler, Mr. Yotsumoto also held group meetings to listen to his employees and there, he understood that people were ready to embrace change. He encouraged his team from the bottom-up to speak up more to German headquarters on how to grow the business with Japanese customers and provide technical solutions and invest in the local engineering capability.
Working in a multinational corporation, Mr. Yotsumoto says the key to success is to have a sense of curiosity and a desire to further understand stakeholder needs. When faced with a conflict in opinion, Mr. Yotsumoto asks further questions to try to understand why the difference exists. In monthly meetings, Mr. Yotsumoto would pose as a role model by asking simple questions or admitting his mistakes. In doing so, he hopes to create a psychologically safe atmosphere for others to voice their opinions. Mr. Yotsumoto believes that leadership is a “positive influencer” of an organization that creates an atmosphere that encourages people to take on challenges and continue to grow.
To newcomers leading in Japan, Mr. Yostumoto recommends understanding the needs of the Japanese customers to gain trust. In order to build trust, Mr. Yostumoto emphasizes honesty, consistency and accountability. He notes: “we need to sometimes say no to Japanese customers. That's good, but we need to explain why. So that kind of [honest] conversation and explanation can create trust with the customers.” Lastly, Mr. Yotsumoto advises newcomers to “enjoy” Japan including the uncomfortable situations and take it as a learning opportunity.
Paul Atkinson shares his journey as a leader of a multinational global insurance company and his insight in working in diverse cultural environments. Originally growing up in the UK, Mr. Atkinson joined RSA Insurance after graduating from university. Mr. Atkinson was attracted to the people aspect of insurance built on trust and integrity. Having worked in London for five years, Mr. Atkinson was posted in the Bahamas for two years before moving to Japan. After five years in Japan working for Royal Insurance, Mr. Atkinson move to Hong Kong and then to Taiwan where he continued to build his career within the insurance industry. In 2003 Mr. Atkinson returned to Japan and has been living in the country since then. After working as an executive search consultant, Mr. Atkinson went back to insurance and ran a direct marketing consultancy. Mr. Atkinson has been Head of Corporate Sales at AIG and is currently the Representative Director, Country Manager of Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.
Through his experience of working in multiple countries, Mr. Atkinson has learned the power of diversity and inclusion in management. Having managed both male and female dominated teams and faced its challenges, Mr. Atkinson has worked to bring more balance to his organizations by forming diversity and inclusion employee resource groups. Mr. Atkinson explains this has been a wonderful way for him to connect with people outside of his immediate leadership. Although Mr. Atkinson points out the prevailing gender gap in management positions in Japan, he sees a potential of talented people with diverse backgrounds and different ways of thinking to bring change.
In order to increase team engagement, Mr. Atkinson treats people with respect without being judgmental. Mr. Atkinson spends a third of his time speaking to people including those outside of his direct report. As his leadership style is delegation based, Mr. Atkinson understands the need to develop a culture of trust that enables people to step up and make key decisions. To encourage this, Mr. Atkinson sets up a clear vision and goal, and consistently communicates his expectations to his team. He also holds multiple discussions at various levels of the organization. Although Mr. Atkinson realizes this process is much more time-consuming than just giving out directions, he believes the final product is of much higher quality. He additionally encourages multiple departments to work together cross-functionally to create a culture of open communication and innovation. Mr. Atkinson also points out that following up and having regular check-ins with people is essential for ensuring that the delegation is happening.
To newcomers coming to lead in Japan, Mr. Atkinson recommends talking to all team members in order get a sense of where to focus on in terms of improvement, be it in staffing, communication or strategy. He also advises to buy some time from head office – at least three months – before doing a 90-100 day report as this initial communication aspect is essential. Mr. Atkinson recommends people to learn some Japanese to understand the culture and show genuine interest. Lastly, Mr. Atkinson encourages newcomers to find a hobby and enjoy the beautiful culture and sites in Japan.
70: Antony Cundy, former President, McCann Worldgroup Japan
Antony Cundy, former CEO & President of McCann Worldgroup Japan first arrived in Japan in the mid-90s to teach English and completed his Post-Graduate Studies at Tokyo University. Through connections, he landed a role in a Toyota subsidiary working on marketing Lexus. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Cundy started working at Hakuhodo Lintas working with large global consumer brands. Mr. Cundy then became general manager at DDB’s Japan office and then moved to London to lead the strategy and account services. Mr. Cundy then became head of planning and account services for Beacon Communications. In 2016, Mr. Cundy joined McCann Worldgroup.
During his first few years of leadership, Mr. Cundy admits he “did not do a good job” as he found it challenging to engage and motivate his team to work towards a set vision and goal. Through experience, he realized being clear and consistent with his messaging and communication was crucial to lead the team. “You have to tell people as realistically and in as much detail as you can, this is what we're going to do. This is what I expect, everyone. This is your job. Make sure that people understand that at their level they're expected to do this.” Moreover, he highlights the need to communicate not just to one’s direct report but to people at all sections of the organization.
As the strategic and account lead for DDB in London, Mr. Cundy worked to build client relationships across vast markets in Europe. There, he found that people worked like a “steam train” in which people kept running ahead but did not look back to evaluate their work. As a martial arts enthusiast, Mr. Cundy values Zanshin 残心 meaning remaining mind, or having a state of awareness once something has occurred. Therefore, Mr. Cundy put a stronger system in place to be able to evaluate the team’s work and create templates to improve future performance. As Mr. Cundy matured into his leadership role, he explains delegating became much smoother for him. When he trusts his team to deliver on their own instead of relying on him to provide all the answers, Mr. Cundy found that the team started to trust him back and became more accountable to their work.
On his advice to foreign leaders coming to Japan, Mr. Cundy recommends talking to all levels of people in the organization to get a wholesome picture of the company. Secondly, he emphasizes the diversity of the Japanese market, as the North and South of Japan have very different needs. As the leader, Mr. Cundy says one should be making sure every level and every part of the business understands these differences. Thirdly, Mr. Cundy notes clarity and consistency in communication, and being oneself is important. Lastly, he explains: “you have to believe in the fundamentals of your business plan. You have to have some flexibility. You're not going to achieve it through a straight line, but you should never take yourself away from it because the Japanese are saying, that's going to be tough. If you're there for the mission you need to deliver on the mission, you just got to realize that it's not going to be as straight as you think.”
Breaking News: Tony has just been announced as the new Vice President Marketing and Communications at Cartier.
Since her childhood, Fara Taraie has been exposed to global cultures, being born in the middle east, spending middle to high school in Europe and South Korea, studying in Iran, and finally arriving in Japan. In total, Ms. Taraie has lived in six different countries. After graduating with a master’s degree in Architecture Engineering from Tokyo University, Ms. Faraie began working as an architect for a large Japanese corporation as she wanted to learn the ecosystem of big companies involved in large scale building projects. She soon became more interested in sustainable design and contributing to society, leading her to work with more startup companies. Ms. Taraie is currently the country manager for ImpacTech, an organization that supports startups to enter the Japanese market and create social, environmental, and economical impact. Ms. Taraie is also the founder of New Norm Design, architecture firm specializing in sustainable design.
Ms. Taraie believes in educating and developing her people to gain mutual trust and engagement. As ImpacTech is an NPO, she understands there is more than money the organization can offer, including the opportunity to create social impact and connect with other start-ups. In this way, she has found that her staff are able to form valuable connections which help further develop their careers or even start their own businesses. She also encourages them to learn new skills and grow in their field. Ms. Taraie believes her team will become more comfortable being held accountable and come up with innovative ideas. Additionally, she has observed: “If you educate someone to work with you, you will see the chances of them leaving is much lower.”
Ms. Taraie advises newcomers in Japan to learn Japanese and have a good understanding of the culture in order to work here. She also explains that sometimes, instead of changing a system, it is better to come up with a new system that works better.
Jeff Crawford provided great insight into the tech and digital marketing industry from his experience as a programmer in Silicon Valley to becoming the co-founder of Zo Digital Japan.
Mr. Crawford originally worked in Silicon Valley for 16 years working in famous companies including Apple and Microsoft. Living in San Francisco, he became familiar with Japanese food and culture, and took frequent vacation trips to Japan. He eventually began working at Microsoft’s Japan branch for five years as a Program Manager. Mr. Crawford then stepped into a managerial position, leading a team of five staff as well as managing vendors. Next, Mr. Crawford moved into Adobe Systems Japan, also managing a team of approximately 5 people . Afterwards, he got the “entrepreneurial bug” and began a digital advertising service for music and dance schools in the US. After realizing the business model was not going to work, Mr. Crawford moved on to started Zo Digital, an SEO and digital marketing agency.
Mr. Crawford first began as a consultant before starting Zo Digital, and eventually started hiring contract staff to run as an agent. On starting his own business, Mr. Crawford reflects: “Fortunately for me, I had management experience at places like Microsoft and Adobe. I think I understood how to manage people, how to have good processes, that type of stuff. And so for me, personally, everything came together. I've always had a love of user experience with computers. I'm very strong and very interested in things like analytics, looking at data to see what people are doing.”
In 2015, Mr. Crawford began a professional network organization called Tokyo Digital Marketers. The first event had about 10 people, but the organization has grown to over 2000 people registered and usually 50-60 people showing up in events. Mr. Crawford has also been active in other business organizations such as the American Chamber of Commerce Japan and the Japan Market Expansion Competition. Through these networking opportunities, Mr. Crawford has been able to connect and recruit people. Mr. Crawford also actively hire people online through discussion boards to find people who want to work in an international, flexible environment.
The challenge Mr. Crawford faced as a leader in Japan was change management as he faced strong resistance to change in the culture. For example, there was an occasion where his Japanese team who was focused on the Japanese market suddenly had to expand to support China and Korea as well, and had to speak English. Therefore, Mr. Crawford explains the importance of explaining to people the need for change and having an open discussion about people’s concerns and ideas.
Mr. Crawford developed his leadership schools through reading books and using techniques, including Dale Carnegie’s books and listening to management podcasts. He also highlights the need to understand how to use the learned principles in Japan. He also tries to ask his staff on what would work to try to pull out their thoughts and ideas while sharing case studies from his experience. Mr. Crawford also notes that if a team member comes to him with an idea, they have most likely already shared those thoughts with others and rewards such situations.
Learning and Development is something Mr. Crawford also puts emphasis on and helps his staff grow their career paths. He believes in investing in his people to grow their career paths and enable them to add further value to the company. He finds innovation also happens in this way. Over the recent years, Mr. Crawford has found people in his company stepping up to more leadership roles.
On advice to newcomers leading in Japan, Mr. Crawford recommends to be careful of who you favour, as ability goes beyond just being able to speak English. He also advises to maintain a balance between being humble and assertive, and try to be observant in order to “read the air.” Mr. Crawford also emphasizes the importance of understanding Japan’s relationship-based business culture. He explains: “What often affects decisions [made in Japan] is that they're taking into account everybody's relationship. And a lot of times what you may not realize, especially if you're a new manager, is all these relationships exist around you, and they’ve been built over years... compared to other business cultures or other countries, you may want to take more time to understand the situation before making those executive decisions.”
Gregory Lyon is the President and founder of Gregory Lyon Inc., company specialized in providing furniture, workplace solutions and project management. Mr. Lyon originally moved to Japan in the late 90s to teach English which then led him to move to Tokyo to work in a freight forwarding company. There, Mr. Lyon became interested in working in an organization where he could be responsible for projects from beginning to end. Mr. Lyon eventually landed a position at Herman Miller as a sales representative going back and forth between Korea and Japan. Seeing more opportunities in the furniture business in Korea, Mr. Lyon persuaded his boss and moved to Korea to focus on managing the distributors there. He eventually returned to Japan and worked at Herman Miller for nine years and had finished an MBA program. Mr. Lyon then decided to start Gregory Lyon Inc.
On leading in a multinational environment as a western brand marketing to Korea and Japan, Mr. Lyon notes: “You're going by the Western brands rules in terms of marketing and how you manage your business, how you engage with clients, and then you have the Japanese side of things, which is very different. So bridging that gap can be a challenge…and finding a way to engage with clients based on what the company's line is and getting that to translate in the Japanese way.” Mr. Lyon had also received a 360-degree survey from his staff and realized he needed to be more patient and explain the background behind his opinion. Mr. Lyon also decided to focus entirely on project management and client relations which allowed him to gain trust and respect from his colleagues as he was brining in business. When dealing with global accounts, Mr. Lyon spent much of his time and effort speaking to his international clients and overseas decision-makers to ensure smooth communication and project management.
On engagement, Mr. Lyon found that by focusing on trying to solve issues locally, the Japanses staff began to trust him instead of seeing him as an outsider who only wanted to talk to the overseas decision-makers. Mr. Lyon recalls he had been able to do so effectively by discussing with the international and Japanese staff together on conference calls, ensuring people were on the same page. Mr. Lyon notes: “There's two sides [to] our clients. You have the non-Japanese side who rightly or wrongly typically will sign the checks for things and then make the decisions. That's usually the side that I've dealt with. The other side, which is equally important is the Japanese side who has to implement all of these projects and get everything done. So both sides have to feel comfortable. Both sides have to be attended to. And so, if I can help the decision-making side, it clears the path for the rest of the folks.” Moreover, Mr. Lyon holds kick-off meetings in July to review the annual company performance based on revenue and profit, as well as making plans for next year. Overtime, Mr. Lyon has learned that it is also important to be able to rely on his staff as he does not know everything, and this humble attitude has made him more trusted. He has also shown flexibility in adjusting his team’s work hours.
On advice to newcomers, Mr. Lyon recommends gaining a basic understanding of Japanese history to be able to better understand the culture. Secondly, he advises to learn enough Japanese to be able to “understand the sentiment around what is being said in Japanese.” He adds: “I think in my experience [with] Japanese clients, Japanese partners, [and] Japanese venders, if you speak [English] in a way that they understand, if you speak clearly enough and you speak slowly enough…especially for people who don't speak English very well, If you do that over time, the more comfortable they are listening to you, the better your relationship is going to be. And if they understand what you're saying whether you throw some Japanese words in or not, if it's all in English…they're going to be thrilled to talk to you.” Thirdly, Mr. Lyon advises to be honest, direct and keep things in moderation. He adds: “be genuine and be approachable and let staff know that you're on their side and you're trying to help them.”
Peter Strydom who is the President of Amway Japan shares his extensive global experience within the multinational corporation, having worked in South Africa, Spain, Germany, and Japan. Originally growing up in South Africa, Mr. Strydom had worked in leadership roles in Europe and Africa within Amway before coming to Japan. He decided to work in Japan after a mentor advised him to go to Asia to truly understand the business of Amway. He calls Amway Japan one of the crown jewel of the organization, with a nearly billion dollar business and 600, 000 independent distributors built over the last 40 years. As the President of Amway Japan, Mr. Strydom currently leads around 400 employees.
One of the biggest challenges Mr. Strydom first faced when arriving in Japan was needing to implement a change management plan to within a set timeline. In a country like Japan that is resistant to quick change, he recalls this was a huge struggle. After leading in Japan for 6 years, Mr. Strydom has come to realize that profit and creating shareholder value is not necessarily the only primary driver in Japanese business culture. Hence, Mr. Strydom realized that explaining the profit-driven motive behind his change management plan was not going to work in this country. Mr. Strydom explains: “you need to expand the definition and dig a little bit deeper as to why you're doing this, not only for today, but for the impact it's going to have on people and for what it means for the future of the business.” He further explains that as a CEO in a multi-corporation in Japan, it is one’s responsibility to balance profitability required by headquarters while addressing the “more personal and societal concerns that are important within the local context.” For example, as part of their corporate social responsibility initiative, Amway Japan has been devoted to supporting victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku by building community houses. Mr. Strydom says these initiatives have resonated and built trust with all of Amway Japan’s stakeholders and led to new opportunities.
Another leadership challenge Mr. Strydom points out is the hierarchical organization and siloed structure of Japanese businesses. In order to resolve this problem, Mr. Strydom says he takes a servant leadership approach to listen to his employees at various levels into the organization. Mr. Strydom has been working with HR to have more occasions where people hold small group discussions to encourage free flow of conversations and transparency. Mr. Strydom notes that the pandemic has in fact allowed him to hold these conversations in a more informal way online and has given him further insight into his team. Mr. Strydom adds: “for me, it's always been speaking from the heart speaking from my own personal experience speaking with stories and always elevating other people above oneself.” Furthermore, Mr. Strydom has noticed that in Japan, people tend to want shared accountability instead of full accountability, so he realizes he needs to understand these cultural nuances that are different from the west.
On encouraging innovation, Mr. Strydom says Amway Japan has created principles around having a growth mindset, which is constantly discussed in team meetings and integrated in their training sessions and public seminars. He says in this way he encourages his team to understand that taking risks and failing is okay. By congratulating people who have taken risks, Mr. Strydom hopes that others will be more comfortable doing so as well.
Mr. Strydom advises newcomers leading in Japan to stay patient and communicate that change will not happen immediately to headquarters. He recommends people to not make any assumptions and jump to conclusions. For example, at first Mr. Strydom did not understand the concept of nemawashi, doing groundwork before the actual meeting. However, overtime, he has come to accept that nemawashi works well in the decision-making process in Japan. Lastly, Mr. Strydom recommends learning basic survival Japanese as it will demonstrate respect to Japanese culture and people.
Paul Dupuis is the CEO and Chairman of Randstad Japan, a global human resources consulting firm. Originally from Windsor, Ontario in Canada, Mr. Dupuis always had a passion for Asia, starting from his love of martial arts. Mr. Dupuis arrived in Japan in 1990 with just $300 and slept on a bench on his first night. He then began teaching English in Osaka in a language school, and then moved on to teaching in a public high school. After moving back to Canada and contemplating a career in teaching and hotel management, Mr. Dupuis returned to Japan as the Assistant Director of International Education Programs at Osaka Kunei Jogakuin, an all-girls school in Osaka. There, Mr. Dupuis ran international study abroad programs in Canada and New Zealand where he got to see how education can be combined with business and developed an interest in the corporate sector. Mr. Dupuis then started his own company, OIC K.K. focusing on bridging Canadian and Japanese businesses. Mr. Dupuis then landed an opportunity to set up a recruiting company with a partner and opened up Wall Street Associates (currently part of en world) in Osaka. From there, Mr. Dupuis’ career in the recruiting business began. After growing Wall Street Associates, the company was acquired by en Japan and Mr. Dupuis led the rebranding of the company to en world beginning in Singapore. In 2013, Mr. Dupuis moved back from Singapore to Tokyo to head Randstad’s Tokyo office as the Managing Director, then to India, and returned to Japan this year in 2021 as the Chairman and CEO of Randstad Japan. In addition to his extensive global career, Mr. Dupuis is also the author of three books on leadership – The E5 Movement, The Rule of 5, and Empty Your Cup. All books are available on his website: https://pauldupuis.net/my-books
Recalling his early leadership experiences of starting a company and opening up an office in Osaka, Mr. Dupuis learned the importance of becoming a role model and having to “walk the talk” as a leader – being honest, supportive, motivating and consistent. He believes that people trust leaders when they are listened to, supported through the good and bad times and are given opportunities to continue developing. Mr. Dupuis also learned the value of having a diverse team and connecting with people who are different from himself and letting their qualities shine.
Although at first Mr. Dupuis struggled to connect with people who were different from him, he has learned overtime to communicate in various ways to build trust. Currently at Randstad Japan, Mr. Dupuis holds discussions at all levels of the organization and tries to understand the different values and motivations people have by taking an “omni-channel approach.” For example, when meeting with sales employees Mr. Dupuis makes sure to tap into their competitive mindset by offering rewards when meeting a set goal. When talking to risk and compliance teams, Mr. Dupuis will keep in mind their purpose to protect and enable and asks if the team is doing everything to protect the organization, while enabling the business to grow. He adds: “when you listen more than you speak, ideas are born…it also starts with asking the right questions.” His initiative to hold one-on-one conversations with his employees, which he calls compass meetings, has given him great insight into learning more about the actual people who are doing the groundwork in the organization. Mr. Dupuis is currently planning another initiative in which people are encouraged to present their ideas to a panel and get recognition. Additionally, Mr. Dupuis puts significant emphasis on learning and development opportunities at Randstad Japan, as he believes investing in people also leads to trust and development of the company itself.
On the challenge of recruiting people to foreign companies, Mr. Dupuis explains: “People don't join a brand. They join people and people stay because of people. They also leave because of people. So I realized pretty quickly that ultimately I had to be the one that was going to attract people to join.” Thus, Mr. Dupuis has made sure when talking to prospective employees to share his values and his insight in recruitment, which had been an unfamiliar concept in Japan 10 years ago.
On his advice to newcomers in Japan, he recommends coming to Japan with an open mind and connecting with the people in the field using active listening skills. He also advises to talk to other expats who have gone through similar experiences and have been successful in Japan. Mr Dupuis thinks learning basic Japanese – even 10 words - is a great idea as it sends out a message to the organization that you are ”walking the talk” as a leader, trying to learn and better connect with Japanese people. He lastly advises newcomers to spend time with employees outside of the office. Mr. Dupuis points out: “There is something in the office environment. People are hesitant to speak up, but the moment you go offsite…that’s where you have the best conversations.”
Kenji Govaers originally grew up in France but has been going back and forth between France and Japan due to his half French and half Japanese background. Mr. Govaers started his career in the 80s bubble economy in Japan as a sales engineer. Afterwards, he moved back to France and went into consulting working for Mars & Co. Mr. Govaers enjoyed the inquisitive and client-based nature of consulting that opened him up to new opportunities and growth. Mr. Govaers then helped open an office in San Francisco where he was inspired by the diversity of people and ideas which were different from his experiences in Europe and Japan. In the late 90s, Mr. Govaers helped open an office for Mars in Tokyo. Mr. Govaers then moved to Bain & Company where he has been for the last 12 years and is currently the Partner and Director of the Tokyo office.
On recruiting new graduates, Mr. Goavers says in addition to considering candidates from the top schools, he also looks at the types of specialties they have studied. For example, at Bain, they will likely consider someone with a strong engineering background. Mr. Goavers also looks for people who have a high sense of lateral thinking, which can be seen in interviews. According to Mr. Govaers, the industry is one of the popular choices among university graduates in Japan. Mr. Goavers thinks that young people are attracted to the project-based structure of consulting that is different from a routine job. Mr. Govaers notes they are drawn to the network of other ambitious and intelligent people they will be working with who will enrich their work experience.
Mr. Govaers highlights the importance of building an engaging culture especially being in the business of consulting. He says: “the purpose of the business in many ways is to change the industry of a client [and] help you grow as a person.” When placing his staff in different projects, Mr. Govaers explains they consider whether the person will be a good fit or not and have the right level of expertise. He also adds they consider these assignments as a development opportunity for the individuals themselves. Mr. Govaers explains that one of the benefits of working in a consulting firm is that “you never stop learning” and you “learn not from a textbook…but from watching what others do…you learn by being put into situations where you have to learn from the experience.” At Bain they also provide training classes on client-facing communication skills where participants learn the basics of consultative selling such as active listening. Mr. Govaers points out that by developing better client communication skills, one can start to recognize certain patterns in the problems the clients are facing from their conversations.
On gaining trust and retaining talented people , Mr. Govaers notes: “At the end of the day, it’s about commitments. If you commit to the mission and if you behave like you are fully committed, then people will trust you…and that commitment is practically just being very spot on [with] the messaging and consistent over the years.” Moreover, he explains the mission should not just be about the client or product but something on a larger scale that people will feel extremely excited to be a part of, such as creating a new IP practice. Secondly, Mr. Govaers recommends leaders to define their business principles. He explains: “What do you value between freedom and accountability?...Between alignment and independence? [Having] these kinds of fundamental business principles, you have to be clear about [them]. You have to be mindful of the different layers of communication that's happening in your Japanese organization.”
On his advice to foreign leaders coming to Japan, Mr. Govaers advises to stay focused on one’s particular mission to bring change in Japan, as it is easy to get comfortable and think one knows everything about Japan. He explains that for many Japanese employees and leaders working in foreign companies, they make the choice because they are looking for something different from a typical Japanese business culture. Thus, Mr. Goavers explains, the leaders should communicate a strong mission that sets them apart from their Japanese competitors. Finally, Mr. Govaers advises foreign leaders to talk to people who have been in similar situations and ask for their insights.
Wolfgang Bierer takes us through his journey of leading various companies in multiple fields including consulting, fashion and retail. Mr. Bierer first came to Japan on a youth exchange program under the German government. He landed an internship with Hitachi at their software development centre on a six-month contract initially, and later joined them as a full-time staff. He recalls being the “only gaijin living in a male dormitory” and experiencing the raw Japanese working culture “the hard way.” Already in his 20s, Mr. Bierer worked with clients in the US and India on development projects, and quickly became unit manager for his development team. Mr. Bierer then went into consulting and returned to Germany for four years, becoming more knowledgeable in management consulting. Mr. Bierer then returned to Japan with his family to start his own consulting firm, Endeavor SBC, which celebrated its 17th year in business in April. Mr. Bierer additionally leads 12 other companies including 1-Stop-Solution.com, Mephisto Japan, Bree Japan and Seeburger Japan, mainly in the fashion and retail industry.
One of Mr. Bierer’s first work through Endeavor was with Adidas from his old contacts where he learned much about the business processes within the fashion and sports industry as well as utilizing SAP. Overtime Mr. Bierer built a business model that minimized companies from buying inventory to reduce warehouse costs and improve their profitability. This business model has become a template for Mr. Bierer’s other retail companies. Additionally, the company brands managed by Mr. Bierer are sold by one buyer at Mitsukoshi Isetan, instead of each brand having multiple staff representing them.
For his other companies, although Mr. Bierer has a core team of managers that take care of the daily operations of each organization, he himself keeps in close contact with his staff and clients by holding meetings and selling at the retail stores. When stepping into a new company, Mr. Bierer takes a process approach by carefully listening and consulting the team and looking at the cost drivers to analyze how costs could be reduced. Once he is set on a certain direction for that company, Mr. Bierer uses his knowledge and connections to work towards a set goal with his team. Mr. Bierer explains: “I think overall in Japan…you need to try to get in the inner circle of your Japanese team. Like…you need to maybe make a fool out of you at the karaoke evening, or you need to be approachable and understand the details. And I think there are many leaders in the ivory tower [who] don't really know what is [operationally] going on.”
By closely communicating with his staff, Mr. Bierer has been able to build trust with his team. He also adds that by paying his staff consistently including full timers and temporary staff even during tough times like COVID, has further developed this trust. Mr. Bierer also gives incentives by giving out company products or unexpected rewards from time to time and has received positive feedback from his team. Mr. Bierer credits the multiple revenue streams he has from his various companies that secures his staff and his own lifestyle, as well as his core management team which allow him to work efficiently between various companies.
On advice to new incoming foreign leaders, Mr. Bierer recommends having a good translator to be able to communicate with the Japanese team. He also explains that Japanese staff may need more guidance on their work and leaders need to understand that each team works differently. Thirdly, Mr. Bierer advises to “be approachable and not sit on your highchair or somewhere overlooking [the team]. You need to gain the trust of the people and show that you actually care.”
62: David Daniels, Ex-CEO Asia, Le Creuset
David Daniels shares his global experience managing various luxury cosmetics, retail and manufacturing companies in Europe and APAC, successfully rebuilding struggling businesses.
Mr. Daniels spent 12 years at Yves Saint Laurent, starting out as an intern in Paris, and experienced several roles in marketing and sales including an Area Manager and Brand Manager in the UK. He was eventually promoted to Marketing Manager, leading a team of 16 staff at the age of 29. Mr. Daniels has since then experienced various leadership roles in a global environment as Vice President and General Manager of Marketing Services at Coty Prestige, President of Asia Pacific at Georg Jensen, and General Manager Middle East at Saks Fifth Avenue, and President/CEO Japan at Folli Follie Group. Mr. Daniels most recently led Le Creuset Asia as their CEO.
After an extensive career in the cosmetics industry as a marketing and sales manager at Yves Saint Laurent and Coty Prestige, Mr. Daniels moved to Australia where he experienced first hand the challenge of engaging the local market with headquarters. Yet Mr. Daniels’ fascination with Asia led him to work at Georg Jensen, a Danish watch and jewelry company, as their APAC President. Once in Japan, Mr. Daniels fell in love with the country immediately. At Georg Jensen, Mr. Daniels successfully bought out Georg Jensen from a joint venture partnership with Takashimaya.
Mr. Daniels then worked to bring more energy to the operational management side of the organization. By spending time in the stores and asking his staff for feedback, Mr. Daniels discovered that although the Japan team had many great ideas on organizing promotional activities and creating customized products, it was not being communicated clearly to headquarters. Therefore, Mr. Daniels set up a product council who worked to create Japan exclusive products, which later became best sellers. In doing so, the engagement level between the Japan office and headquarters, as well as within the Japan team increased.
Mr. Daniels then moved onto Saks Fifth Avenue to lead their business in the Middle East in Dubai. Mr. Daniels helped set up a new department store in Bahrain, which he calls a challenging but incredible experience. Mr Daniels recalls his father, who was a veteran in the luxury retail industry was a great mentor to him during this time.
Mr. Daniels next took on the opportunity to join Folli Follie as their Japan President in 2010, when the company was struggling from the aftermath of the Lehman shock and some great internal talent had been lost. Mr. Daniels started by visiting all the retail stores and talking to the store staff as well as the finance people to look at the numbers in detail. In engaging with the staff, Mr. Daniels claims that his Japanese language skills helped him gain more trust. Mr. Daniels further explains: “Ultimately we had to close quite a number of stores that was painful…But the business changed quite quickly. Within 12 months we'd had three years of decline and suddenly the business started growing again, month for month.” After leading other Asia subsidiaries including Korea, Taiwan, Hawaii, Guam and Singapore, Mr. Daniels left Folli Follie after 9 years and stepped into his recent role at Le Creuset.
At Le Creuset, as the Commercial Director for Asia, Mr. Daniels managed nine Asian subsidiaries including Japan. Again, Mr. Daniels sought to bring more positive energy to the business. Mr. Daniels sought to bring more stability to the leadership team and improve their retention rate, communicating with people to increase their motivation. Mr. Daniels says: “One of the lessons that we know in Japan is the “hai”, or even “wakarimashita” does not mean, yes, I'm going to do this. All it means is I've just listened to what you've told me.” By taking careful steps in explaining to each individual their role and what their accountability is, Mr. Daniels says the execution is often flawless.
On advice to new incoming foreign leaders, Mr. Daniel recommends actively listening to the local staff to look beyond what’s being said, and carefully observe what is not being said, as well as the body language. He adds: “be consistent, respect everybody, and talk to everybody…don’t stop asking questions”
Phillip Rubel shares his extensive leadership experience in the US, Canada and Japan in various fields including advertising and consulting. Mr. Rubel is originally from Canada and moved to Japan in 1997 on a three-year posting but returned multiple times. In total, his career in Japan ran for over 20 years. Mr. Rubel experienced working in various roles and fields such as marketing, business licensing and acquisition, strategic planning and account management. Mr. Rubel was recruited by McCann Erickson in 1997 as the Senior Vice-President and Manager of one of the company’s division. There, Mr. Rubel dealt with global clients and helped form new partnerships. Prior to working at McCann, Mr. Rubel co-founded an agency in Canada. Mr. Rubel then moved onto other prominent leadership roles including becoming CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon, CEO of Beacon Communications, Partner at KPMG and Director Marketing & Communications at Philip Morris Japan. He has currently returned to Canada as the Managing Partner of Song Sparrow Advisory & Executive In Residence at the University of Victoria.
On his first leadership role in Japan at McCann, Mr. Rubel recalls how Japan at the time was struggling with the burst of the economic bubble, and was hesitant in engaging with global management and leadership practices. Mr. Rubel says having people look at thing with a “fresh set of eyes” and motivate them to take risks was a new leadership style compared to what he had experienced in Canada and the US. He adds: “I think one of the challenges for any new manager to Japan is to determine how to instigate a change without being revolutionary and more evolutionary.”
After McCann Erickson, Mr. Rubel became the Japan head of Beacon Communications, an advertising agency formed by merging different companies of Publicis Groupe and Dentsu. Mr. Rubel recalls the merger process as a “life time opportunity.” He sought to define the purpose of the new organization and create a common culture for all employees coming from the different agencies. On day 1, Mr. Rubel went into the office in casual attire and asked the team to take off their company lapel and start thinking as one company. Mr. Rubel encouraged those who he felt were the most engaged and motivated from the start to implement their ideas. He also spent time talking to each employee on a one-on-one basis or in small groups so people felt their voices were heard. Mr. Rubel says having a transparent two-way communication process and providing explanation over and over made people more open minded and engaged.
On innovation, Mr. Rubel points out that creativity is a commonly misunderstood phrase. He says: “it's not about being artistic or anything like that…it's actually a disciplined approach. And if you look at, for example, all of the work that's been done in design thinking, which is a very big passion of mine is all about experimenting upfront and mitigating risk, but still allowing risk and failure to happen.”
During his time at Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon, Mr. Rubel says his leadership approach did not change much, although the scale of his team had changed from his time at Beacon Communications. He explains: “Obviously scale has a big impact onto what you can do and how you can do it. But from a leadership perspective I don't think that principles changes all that much. It's about knowing and understanding all the stakeholders. It's about being empathetic and inclusive. Also in Japan [it is particularly important] to show the way, demonstrating, not just talking about it and then also making absolutely sure that any commitments that you make, any promises that you say that you keep and that you follow through.”
On advice to foreign leaders coming to Japan, Mr. Rubel first recommends to take the time to understand the organization and all the stakeholders before taking action. Secondly, he advises to come to Japan with an open mind instead of thinking one has all the answers, but also not try to act Japanese but to “be yourself.” Mr. Rubel explains: “I think if you just stay open-minded and just be yourself I think you can really enjoy yourself in Japan. It's an amazing culture. It's an amazing business society. Now this is my second time leaving Japan…The lessons from Japan still are relevant to daily business here.”
Jean-Phillpe Oulevey takes us through his leadership journey in Japan, starting off from dusting shelves in retail stores to climbing Japan’s career ladder and becoming the head of a global flower importing and distribution business. Mr. Oulevey originally studied in the United States where he was exposed to Japanese culture. After working in the finance industry for a while in the states, Mr. Oulevey moved to Japan where he first worked for a luxury goods company. He then moved onto a Japanese trading company and climbed the traditional ranks, becoming kacho in charge of purchasing at a fairly young age. After working for four years, Mr. Oulevey moved back to the US for an MBA and was rehired by the same company. Mr. Oulevey worked as an international Sales Manager, working with Sony Ericsson, liaising between their assembly lines in France and offices across Europe. Mr. Oulevey then took the offer to lead his current company, Greenwings, where he manages a growing team of around 30 employees.
Regarding his first few years of leadership experience, Mr. Oulevey recalls: “I was very young. So when you're young, everything's exciting, and maybe I didn't realize all the politics that could have gone behind the scene, I was just really focused back then on my job and delivering.” Mr. Oulevey does point out that not speaking fluent Japanese at the time was a challenge with communication. However, he brought other strengths such as IT to the company to better the working environment, which helped him build trust with his colleagues. Additionally, Mr. Oulevey explains because he grew through the ranks to become kacho, he had already built the interpersonal relationships with his team and back up from other leaders, making it easier for him to gain credibility.
Transitioning into a management role at Greenwings was, according to Mr. Oulevey, a much more challenging task. Although the business of Greenwings had a solid customer database, there was much friction between the headquarters and Japan office when he first entered. Moreover, Mr. Oulevey was made responsible for certain restructuring of the company, making it harder for him to build trust at the initial stage. Mr. Oulevey also lost some key employees at the time. In order to deal with such challenges, Mr. Oulevey built alliances where he could and led “through others”. He adds: “I have pushed and asked and did my learning without creating burden on the organization…Also without forcing my own view of things. I've been very patient into planting seeds in a way and I had the time to do so…[in] creating the culture that I wanted for the future.” Mr. Oulevey also explains that doing groundwork to get buy-in from others before making a decision in a meeting can be a useful strategy as it could speed up the decision-making and implementation process. On innovation, Mr. Oulevey also thinks it is challenging to try to go beyond the status quo and take risks. He says it is important to have innovative people and create a culture where they can thrive – meaning not punishing people for mistakes and failures.
On building trust, Mr. Oulevey emphasizes the importance of “building your brand” and understanding Japan’s cultural and business values and following them, including being on time and being reliable. Moreover, Mr. Oulevey thinks staying humble makes one more approachable and people will feel they can confide in their leader. In order to bond with his team, Mr. Oulevey spends time outside of work with them enjoying social activities. Yet he points out that every leader has their own style of building trust, and it is important to find a balance between engaging with the team outside of work and actual work.
To new incoming foreign leaders, Mr. Oulevey advises to have good time management abilities in order to be reliable and gain trust. Even if one wants to make changes, Mr. Oulevey emphasizes the need to fit into the Japanese culture first and take steps to make transitions. Mr. Oulevey recommends being polite and showing humility when communicating with Japanese people to be essential as a leader wanting to engage with one’s team. He also adds the importance of identifying who one’s key advisors will be, although he warns that language ability should not be the only quality to look for.
Dr. Jochen Legewie takes us through his 30 years of leadership journey in Japan, starting at Daimler and then as Partner and Chairman of Kekst CNC, a global public relations firm. Dr. Legewie only picked up Japanese by chance as a side hobby, but his unique background in Japanese specialization and language ability, combined with a PhD in economics gave him a competitive edge and landed him a research position at Sophia University. Dr. Legewie then left academia and started at DaimlerChrysler, which at the time was investing into Mitsubishi Motors. Dr. Legewie first started off on a contract role, providing expertise on Japan to the German executive team, but when the German CEO became the CEO of the entire company, Dr. Legewie became Officer Head of Communications, overseeing 100 people in customer relations and PR.
Dr. Legewie calls this experience leading a large team so early on in his leadership career to be “crazy.” He reflects that this position was mainly building “cultural [bridges] in both directions” by convincing both the Japanese employees of Mitsubishi Motors and the German headquarters to work cooperatively. He recalls some of his early leadership challenge was being the middle person between the Mitsubishi Motors employees and German headquarters, as well as communicating and understanding English speaking employees who on the surface seemed to have a westernized way of working, but was in fact, resistant to change. When convincing people of various backgrounds to buy into the same direction of the company, Dr. Legewie says: “I found it very important to put on paper to visualize things that we are attempting, which is not necessarily a change. It's just the next step. Sometimes it was a big change, 180 degrees, but some were just the next step, but to make sure that people [understood] it, you had to put it on paper and go through it and invest time to explain it. [Additionally,] ask why are we doing this? Japanese people are smart if they understand the background. But very often, especially if it's implemented from the outside, the background is not convincing at first sight…but if you explain [the] reason, then there is a complete different level of buy in. So two steps first understand and then buy in. That would be my simple way.”
While working at Daimler, Dr. Legewie seized the opportunity to maximize his leadership and communications experience to start a Tokyo office for his current company, Kekst CNC. He admits recruiting his team initially was a challenge, but by staying patient and investing in training, the organization has successfully built a team of highly skilled, bilingual consultants. Dr. Legewie says his employees are drawn to the company because of the global culture and flat hierarchical structure, which is appealing to those who have international experience as well as women who are prominent in the PR and Communications industry. Dr. Legewie adds that the organization encourages people to gain experience outside of Kekst CNC in other companies by working in-house, and then returning as a more experienced consultant.
On working and leading in Japan, Dr. Legewie points out that he has noticed Japanese workers tend to be fact and figure driven. He explains: “So you need to have frameworks and rules. And I go back to [explain] why is this, but then for the engagement this is only as a starting point. Engagement goes beyond. We want people to act on their own decisions. They should be proactive. And for this, you need to encourage and kick it off with some guidance in the beginning and tell people to take a risk...And then very visibly and openly reflect on this in group meetings and praise a person who has taken a risk or who has been proactive and do this in a way [that is] visible to others. And then people start to believe in you. And then you give this ownership and this responsibility.” Dr. Legewie takes the same structured approach in delegation as well, clearly communicating to his staff what he expects and providing an explanation of how this delegation will benefit everyone, making the process more efficient. Additionally, when encouraging his team to be innovative, Dr. Legewie finds that some of the best ideas are born when he is not involved too much. He encourages brainstorming sessions amongst his staff without being a part of it, and then asks for a verbal summary.
On gaining trust, Dr. Legewie maintains open communication with his team and tries to be transparent as much as possible, sharing statistics and information from headquarters to the local office, including the profit and loss reports. Dr. Legewie explains: “And we are also very transparent on a global scale about our revenues to our employees. And here in Japan, I go one step further, even in, as you said being not only open about what I think we as a company is going and should go, but also the real facts, the figures. And this is of course trust-building because I know from many Japanese companies…people don't have an idea of the big picture.”
On his advice to newcomers leading in Japan, Dr. Legewie recommends to “try to find out and not based on English language skills, but on other qualities who are the people in your team, whether it's 5,000 or five, who are the people in your team who get your story and have some commitment to the company.” He adds these are the people who you want to partner with and seek advice. He advises that even if the other party does not speak English, by preparing something in advance and clearly communicating in a concise manner and giving them a chance to reflect, it is possible to make the connection. Dr. Legewie additionally recommends seeking advice from foreigners who have been living in Japan in similar situations, and to learn from those experiences. Lastly, Dr. Legewie advises to learn a few basic Japanese phrases. To those moving to Japan or curious about living in Japan, Dr. Legewie says: “Come here. It's a great country. I have talked over my study years to many, many expats who have been here...And the people say it is still a hidden gem. People don't know how great life here in Japan is…And so my advice is just do it, whether it's in the late twenties in your career or at a later point it's definitely rewarding and you might end up here longer than you thought.”
Hans Heijligers shares his global leadership insight having led in over a dozen countries before becoming the Head of Japan for IHG Hotels and Resorts, a British multinational hospitality company. Mr. Heijligers first arrived in Japan in 2014 after having worked in Singapore and has been with IHG for seven years.
When comparing the different countries he has worked in, Mr. Heijligers says all countries are quite different, yet the cultural adaptation and leadership abilities required are quite similar. Although initially Mr. Heijligers learned that Japan has a very unique business culture, in finding common grounds he has been able to add value. As a foreign expat leader, Mr. Heijligers finds this particularly important when making important decisions. Hence, when developing an agenda and setting a strategy that works for the organization and the Japanese employees, he had done so in a collaborative way. Mr. Heijligers has also learned when to take a step back and stay patient. He adds: “If you allow the Japanese teams to have their own conversations, and if you're comfortable enough, [you can] say I don't need to be part of that…And start slowly, but surely build a culture around that.” This kind of patient and collaborative approach has allowed Mr. Heijligers to build trust over time within his team. Mr. Heijligers further notes: “Japan is not so much about what you see…[it] is a lot about what you don't see…So learn to be...uncomfortable sometimes.” In order to foster good relations, Mr. Heijligers says it is essential to have continuous conversations with the head office to communicate what will work best in the unique Japanese business culture.
On engagement and innovation, Mr. Heijligers explains it is important to understand what each individual “cares” about and base their mission and values on it. He says for IHG, “one of the things that you should care for is that you're here to make lives better for people.” These people include the employees themselves as well as the customers, owners and other stakeholders. Mr. Heijligers also emphasizes how rich IHG’s people culture is, and the organization provides a wealth of learning and development opportunities. He claims: “we put our arms around our people through coaching sessions mentoring…we help really for diversity equity and inclusion to become [an] integral part of everything that we do.” Furthermore, IHG supports those that want to gain a global experience to work in hotels abroad. Since IHG hotels are scattered throughout Japan, Mr. Heijligers ensures the leadership team works with the general managers to come up with innovative ideas on what works best at the local hotel level. He also credits technology to have automated many of the administrative tasks so the staff can focus more on customer relationships. The IHG hotels app has also improved the employee and customer experience. Since the COVID pandemic, Mr. Heijligers aspires to focus ever more on building rich relationships with the IHG stakeholders to enable the organization to grow.
On his advice to new foreign leaders working in Japan, Mr. Heijligers advises to read up on the Japanese culture and understand a little about the historical background. Secondly, he urges people to listen, ask questions, and allow people to have their own conversations and show an interest, instead of just telling people what the agenda is and what they need to do. Thirdly, Mr. Heijligers recommends leaders to be open and vulnerable. He says: “Don't be afraid of sharing what you want to achieve. Be vulnerable as a leader…what we all have learned over the years in leadership is that when it goes wrong, it's your fault. When it goes, well, you got nothing to do with it. And just accept that.”
Frank Packard takes us through his journey in Japan as well as different cultures and business experience in the financial industry. Mr. Packard was originally born in Japan and grew up in the US hoping to pursue law or journalism at Princeton University. After graduating, he lived in Cairo, Egypt for a while before returning to Wall Street to enter the financial industry, starting as an analyst at Paine Webber in 1984. He rapidly worked his way up and arrived in Tokyo in 1986 as the Vice President of the Tokyo branch. Since then, Mr. Packard has held leadership positions covering not only Japan but Asia Pacific regions at multinational financial corporations including Drexel Burnham, Bankers Trust and Bank of America. He is the Founder and President of Triple A Partners, an independent company focused on third-party fund-raising, equity research and corporate finance.
Much of his leadership style is modelled after what he had learned from his early days in finance from his mentors. On his first multinational leadership experience, Mr. Packard recalls trying to break down the hierarchy by making an open office seating arrangement, which was uncommon during the 80s and early 90s. Mr. Packard also recognized the diversity of Japanese people, with different interest, hobbies and background, which he found shocking in the beginning. He also points out that though he found it challenging to hold non work-related conversations initially, he gradually learned to “let people go at their own pace” to learn something outside of work about his staff. On engaging with the younger generation, Mr. Packard admits it is difficult as the youth have many more choices than those in the 1980s. On gaining trust, Mr. Packard claims that listening to people and having patience is key to winning them over in Japan. After gaining further experience leading a team in Hong Kong for Bankers Trust, Mr. Packard began a joint securities company focused on fund placement. He built on this experience as the HSBC head of North Asia of the Alternative Investment Group.
On team engagement, Mr. Packard consistently communicates to his staff about the mantra of the company which is broken down to three goal: to do legal business, do rewarding business and add value. He also notes the importance of ensuring the experience is enjoyable. Mr. Packard states that because of his team’s bilingual capabilities, they have been successful in dealing with clients who need support in both languages that cannot be delivered by larger Japanese firms. Mr. Packard is also keen to providing people with more opportunities to expand and develop their career. For example, he has had an administrative staff take on more active roles in finance. Additionally, Mr. Packard emphasizes the importance of giving women equal opportunities as men in developing their career paths. Mr. Packard shows he trusts his team by allowing unlimited holidays, which allows people to work in a more flexible manner.
To newcoming leaders, Mr. Packard advises to be clear and transparent when communicating with Japanese staff, as they will take everything literally. On a similar note, he does not encourage people to work long hours in the office as executive assistants think they also have to work longer hours. Secondly, Mr. Packard has observed that Japanese are very state conscious and want to have consensus over large decisions. In order to be mindful of this, Mr. Packard advises to learn about the educational background of people to better understand them. Lastly, he advises to not forget to laugh and have moments of joy by being vulnerable and authentic.
Kiyo Weiss shared extensive insight into her path to leadership starting from an OL in a Japanese corporation to becoming the first female Director of Air Canada’s Asia Pacific region. Born and raised in Japan, Ms. Weiss entered Mitsui & Company in an administrative role after graduation but became interested in pursuing a more active business career. She recalls: “watching the guys working globally going overseas all the time taking out their clients at the beautiful Japanese restaurants and luxurious places…really made me wonder if there's anything I can do, somebody like me, a women can do.” After working for Mitsui for a year, Ms. Weiss brushed up her English skills at Simul Academy and entered Business International, a consulting subsidy of British Economist. After a year, Ms. Weiss found an opportunity to work for United Airlines as an Account Executive. Within 10 years working for United and starting a family, Ms. Weiss moved on to a sales training manager role and then became the first female manager leading a team of 150 people including call centres and ticketing offices. After being promoted to a sales manager role at United Airlines, Ms. Weiss was invited by Air Canada to be their head of Sales and Marketing, before becoming head of the Japan office and now, Asia Pacific.
Ms. Weiss’s first leadership experience was leading 150 unionized employees working at United Airlines’ call centres and ticketing offices. She claims this experience as extremely challenging, as she dealt with daily union issues from overtime work, customer complaints and wage negotiations. On being a young female leader, she recalls: “Being a woman, almost like a girl from their point of view, I think there were strong reservations by some of the people [in the beginning], but since I was young and energetic, I was very committed to be successful because my boss from the US trusted me. I worked really hard. I think I had a lot of sleepless nights dealing with the union members, but I think I had passion.”
As a sales manager at United Airline, Ms. Weiss introduced certain American sales methodologies but recognized that Japanese clients and colleagues had different communication styles from their western counterparts. Thus, she encouraged her staff to develop their communication skills by learning how to ask better questions to their clients and focus on consultative sales. She also advised her team to take public speaking courses to gain more confidence, step out of their comfort zone and build a stronger presence. As the Director of APAC, Ms. Weiss explains other countries require training in different field. For example, with Australia, rather than communication skills, they would need more training in accountability. On moving from United Airlines to Air Canada, Ms. Weiss says as an active Star Alliance Committee Member, the Air Canada staff knew her from before, which made the transition between the two companies smoother.
On engagement, Ms. Weiss raises the importance of having small team activities like holding birthday tea time every month so that her staff gets to know her and each other on a more personal level. Ms. Weiss also encourages her staff to engage with members from other countries in regional meetings. By mixing her Australian, Taiwanese, Korean and Japanese staff during these regional meetings, Ms. Weiss finds they are able to stimulate each other. Ms. Weiss explains: “I like those passionate energy [from other APAC staff] and I want the Japanese to be that way. They have different qualities that we value and they don't need to be the same, but still, if they can acquire that kind of emotional attachment in public, the team will flourish even better.” Ms. Weiss also adds that by encouraging her Japanese staff to hold discussions in groups, they are more likely to present innovative ideas as they feel they will not be the sole individual who stands out. After the brainstorming sessions, Ms. Weiss also comes up with an action plan and assigns people to be responsible to leading an agenda with a set time frame, which she feels gives them a sense of responsibility and trust. Ms. Weiss claims: “I like to delegate…because I can show my confidence in that person so that the person will feel trusted and get motivated.”
In order to gain trust from her employees, Ms. Weiss advises to communicate openly and show her vulnerability as she is not always the one with all the answers. She also adds that having the right balance between being flexible and decisive is key to leadership. She finds this is particularly the case, where Japanese people are used to receiving specific instructions and diligently following them. She maintains close communication with her direct reports by having one to one weekly meetings, and also holds group meetings as well. Ms. Weiss also advises new foreign leaders coming into Japan to not be discouraged by the lack of enthusiasm from the Japanese staff, as they take longer to open up and develop trust. She adds, “consensus building is a very important process in Japan. So [it is essential to] pay attention to others opinions, even though some have different opinions, [and to] show your effort in trying to get the consensus.”
For women who want to further succeed in their careers while having a family, Ms. Weiss claims the importance of having a supportive partner. Moreover, she has observed women with certain set of skills such as specialization in law or accounting, having a global background, having an MBA to have been successful - although she adds this should not be the case in the future with more opportunities for women. Looking back on her own career path becoming a successful sales leader and Director, Ms. Weiss explains: “I was a good salesperson but I wasn’t a super revenue generator. People say sometimes the best salesperson doesn't mean [they are] the best sales leader. So it's more like your communication skill, your presence, the way you present yourself, but I was given these opportunities because I was in sales.”
Ms. Weiss’s first leadership experience was leading 150 unionized employees working at United Airlines’ call centres and ticketing offices. She claims this experience as extremely challenging, as she dealt with daily union issues from overtime work, customer complaints and wage negotiations. On being a young female leader, she recalls: “Being a woman, almost like a girl from their point of view, I think there were strong reservations by some of the people [in the beginning], but since I was young and energetic, I was very committed to be successful because my boss from the US trusted me. I worked really hard. I think I had a lot of sleepless nights dealing with the union members, but I think I had passion.”
As a sales manager at United Airline, Ms. Weiss introduced certain American sales methodologies but recognized that Japanese clients and colleagues had different communication styles from their western counterparts. Thus, she encouraged her staff to develop their communication skills by learning how to ask better questions to their clients and focus on consultative sales. She also advised her team to take public speaking courses to gain more confidence, step out of their comfort zone and build a stronger presence. As the GM of APAC, Ms. Weiss explains other countries require training in different field. For example, with Australia, rather than communication skills, they would need more training in accountability. On moving from United Airlines to Air Canada, Ms. Weiss says as an active Star Alliance Committee Member, the Air Canada staff knew her from before, which made the transition between the two companies smoother.
On engagement, Ms. Weiss raises the importance of having small team activities like holding birthday tea time every month so that her staff gets to know her and each other on a more personal level. Ms. Weiss also encourages her staff to engage with members from other countries in regional meetings. By mixing her Australian, Taiwanese, Korean and Japanese staff during these regional meetings, Ms. Weiss finds they are able to stimulate each other. Ms. Weiss explains: “I like those passionate energy [from other APAC staff] and I want the Japanese to be that way. They have different qualities that we value and they don't need to be the same, but still, if they can acquire that kind of emotional attachment in public, the team will flourish even better.” Ms. Weiss also adds that by encouraging her Japanese staff to hold discussions in groups, they are more likely to present innovative ideas as they feel they will not be the sole individual who stands out. After the brainstorming sessions, Ms. Weiss also comes up with an action plan and assigns people to be responsible to leading an agenda with a set time frame, which she feels gives them a sense of responsibility and trust. Ms. Weiss claims: “I like to delegate…because I can show my confidence in that person so that the person will feel trusted and get motivated.”
In order to gain trust from her employees, Ms. Weiss advises to communicate openly and show her vulnerability as she is not always the one with all the answers. She also adds that having the right balance between being flexible and decisive is key to leadership. She finds this is particularly the case, where Japanese people are used to receiving specific instructions and diligently following them. She maintains close communication with her direct reports by having one to one weekly meetings, and also holds group meetings as well. Ms. Weiss also advises new foreign leaders coming into Japan to not be discouraged by the lack of enthusiasm from the Japanese staff, as they take longer to open up and develop trust. She adds, “consensus building is a very important process in Japan. So [it is essential to] pay attention to others opinions, even though some have different opinions, [and to] show your effort in trying to get the consensus.”
For women who want to further succeed in their careers while having a family, Ms. Weiss claims the importance of having a supportive partner. Moreover, she has observed women with certain set of skills such as specialization in law or accounting, having a global background, having an MBA to have been successful - although she adds this should not be the case in the future with more opportunities for women. Looking back on her own career path becoming a successful sales leader and General Manager, Ms. Weiss explains: “I was a good salesperson but I wasn’t a super revenue generator. People say sometimes the best salesperson doesn't mean [they are] the best sales leader. So it's more like your communication skill, your presence, the way you present yourself, but I was given these opportunities because I was in sales.”
Reiko Nakamura, Managing Director of SGK Japan, first began her career as a radio DJ in Kobe, where she grew up and graduated from university. She entered the advertising world joining Kobe Shimbun Jigyosha, one of the largest advertising firm in Kobe as a salesperson. During her time there, she became number one in her sales team. Ms. Nakamura’s focus on providing solutions to customers rather than purely selling ad space helped her build strong client relationships. Hoping to gain more global experience, Ms. Nakamura began learning English. She then moved to Osaka to enter SGK, working for Proctor & Gamble as a Print Production Manager. After becoming an Account Manager, Ms. Nakamura stepped into her current role as the Managing Director of SGK, moving from Kobe to Tokyo.
When comparing leading between Japanese and multinational companies, Ms. Nakamura says she saw differences in decision making processes between the Japanese and Americans. She observes that the Japanese are detail-oriented perfectionists and build long term client relationships through a set process. With the Americans, Ms. Nakamura notes they are very decisive and think in a black and white logical manner. Thus, when leading her Japanese employees, Ms. Nakamura carefully explains processes and the reason behind a certain task. The clients also have different expectations depending on their background, and Ms. Nakamura says her relationship building style is different between local and global contracts. With local clients, they require much more details and processes to follow. On recruitment, Ms. Nakamura appealed to those who liked working for more flexible and less hierarchical environments as well as those that want to work for big brand names like Coca Cola.
As a women leader, Ms. Nakamura first struggled to show her leadership as she initially thought she had to adapt a more authoritative style. However, after receiving some training and gaining further experience, Ms. Nakamura realized it is best to be herself and use her strengths in communication. She has weekly Monday morning meetings with her team to ensure they stay engaged despite the pandemic and remote work environment. She values having one on one communication with all her staff as well as having daily conversations with her managers. In order to educate her team members, Ms. Nakamura tries to lead by example but also show her struggles so others can learn from them.
On innovation, Ms. Nakamura encourages her staff to think outside of the box. She has encouraged her team members to come up with innovative ideas and present them to each other. Additionally, Ms. Nakamura values the execution of those ideas and encourages people to track what they are doing and follow up. Ms. Nakamura is also part of organizations to support other businesswomen to take on more leadership roles.
For newcomers to Japan, Ms. Nakamura advises them to encourage Japanese employees to speak up and provide explanation on certain tasks or projects to build trust. She also encourages learning some Japanese to show interest in Japanese culture. Ms. Nakamura lastly advises to “not be afraid to open every door to see the world.”
Ken Shibusawa shares extensive insight in the global financial sector and alternative investment that has been influenced by his great-great-grandfather, Eiichi Shibusawa, the “Father of Japanese Capitalism.” Mr. Shibusawa was born in Japan and grew up in the United States from a young age when his family first moved to New York. He graduated from the University of Texas in Chemical Engineering but decided to pursue a different career course. After working for an NGO started by his uncle called the Japan Centre for International Exchange, Mr. Shibusawa obtained an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles. Mr. Shibusawa then went into finance, working for JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs in Japan. Mr. Shibusawa is currently the CEO of Shibusawa and Company, Inc., a strategic advisory firm. He also founded and leads Commons Asset Management, Inc. Additionally, Mr. Shibusawa is the director of Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives) and a steering committee member of UNDP SDG Impact, advisor of University of Tokyo, and visiting professor at Seikei University. Mr. Shibusawa also runs a podcast called “Made in Japan” https://madewithjapan.net/
Mr. Shibusawa recalls that working in investment firms during the Japanese economic bubble in the 80s was a mixture of fun experiences combined with stress and frustration. After turning 40, he made the decision to start his own business and founded Shibusawa & Co. When recruiting staff, Mr. Shibusawa mainly found his team through connections and just when the business was beginning to pick up, the 2008 Financial crisis occurred. Shortly before the crisis, Mr. Shibusawa started another company in 2008, the Commons Asset Management, which was a mutual fund specialized in long term investment opportunities to Japanese households.
To overcome the crisis and the challenges of leading a business during uncertain times, Mr. Shibusawa started out modestly asking for small amount investments and used the internet to promote his companies as well as using his network. He also saw a connection between his mission to encourage individuals to invest for long-term accumulation of wealth to secure the future of their families with Eiichi Shibusawa’s philosophy on ethical capitalism. Mr. Shibusawa saw the crisis as an opportunity to focus more on alternative investments and focused on growing his asset management business while researching further on Eiichi Shibusawa and his works.
On gaining trust, Mr. Shibusawa says it is important to share a common purpose beyond financial rewards. For his asset management company, Mr. Shibusawa’s purpose is to have long-term value creation and he expects his team to share his mission. He also adds how a sense of growth keeps the organization together. Additionally, having worked in a global corporate environment, Mr. Shibusawa recognizes the need to be a “translator” between headquarters and local offices, responding to both digital and analogue demands.
On his advice to foreign leaders coming into Japan, Mr. Shibusawa advises to be observant and listen to people who are not vocal yet have brilliant ideas. He also recommends learning basic Japanese to win the local team’s trust and respect.
David Wouters is the President of InterSearch Japan, an executive search and human resources consultancy company, and the former Corporate Liaison Manager of Coca-Cola Japan. Mr. Wouters first arrived in Japan in 1969 to work for Coca-Cola as the Marketing Manager after working in the US and Southeast Asia for a number of years.
Mr. Wouters developed a Coke systemized training program in Japan to train employees on both the American and Japanese side to be able to better sell and market the product in Japan. In comparing Japanese and American way of sales and marketing, Mr. Wouters points out the Japanese are more relationship based whereas the US had a rigourous system and specific set of objectives. In order to join these two different cultures, Mr. Wouters encouraged open communication by having many meetings and looking at case studies. Mr. Wouters explains: “I found the best way to teach a program like that was [to] find out what they wanted and get to their thinking and then utilize their thinking with the other side’s thinking through meetings, organizations, sales programs that we developed.” He also later brought in the independent bottling companies to the meetings as well to ensure Coca-Cola and the bottlers worked well together. Mr. Wouters adds: “We had to make it a join effort. Wasn’t easy at the time [but eventually] I got a lot of cooperation from both sides because they both wanted to be strong.” During Mr. Wouter’s time, Coca-Cola also began a recruiting program that hired young Japanese graduates who had studied overseas by visiting universities. Out of the pool of these graduates, one eventually became the company president.
As part of forming good relations between diverse range of employees, Mr. Wouters also encouraged playing leisure activities together, such as golfing. He claims: “if you make the people that are working with you happy, that's one of the secrets of training. If you strictly authorize or direct, you're going to have a problem. I had to make both sides want to work together and sports to me was one of the activities that work best.” After playing golf, Mr. Wouters recalls having a drink and then holding serious meetings on marketing and sales. Mr. Wouters emphasizes the importance of getting cooperation and getting people to understand what results and benefits the project will bring to them. He adds: “you had to do it in a way that was appreciated. It's the same thing in life. You have to gain appreciation by the way you act or react with other peoples and their situations.” Since the training programs were successful, the US asked Mr. Wouters to replicate it in Atlanta. Mr. Wouters then went to graduate school at New York University’s Stern School of Business and eventually resigned from Coca-cola in 1976. After establishing his own company, InterSearch Japan, Mr. Wouters was asked by Coke to join them again in 2019 .
On advice to new foreign leaders in Japan, Mr. Wouters highlights understanding the culture and people to be key. Secondly, he advises leaders to work together with your team in order to lead them, and choose to work with people who work with each other on a “pro-positive” manner. Thirdly, Mr. Wouters emphasizes the value of being receptive which he finds brings people closer. He explains: “get involved with them, not above them…If you are with them, they have more tendency to be with you.”
Moeko Suzuki provides valuable insight as a young global-minded entrepreneur having studied in the UK, US and established two organizations in Japan – StartUp Lady and Tailor Innovations. After graduating from an American University, Ms. Suzuki returned to Japan and worked for a company specializing in foreign direct investment as a business developer. After working for two companies, she founded Tailor Innovations, a company that provides a variety of IT and consulting services including manufacturing of IoT products, live streaming support, and helping Japanese business expand abroad. In 2015 she co-founded StartUp Lady, a nonprofit organization that aims to connect and help educate a diverse community of entrepreneurs who are starting up their business.
Giving up a stable job, Ms. Suzuki decided to pursue her dream and establish Tailor Innovations. Ms. Suzuki initially faced many challenges such as being unable to communicate with engineers in creating the operating platform. Ms. Suzuki also found it challenging to grow her network as a young entrepreneur without former connection. When recruiting her team, Ms. Suzuki focused on hiring people who did not want to work in the traditional Japanese company culture but be in a more flat, transparent organization. Her company also provides flexible working styles for people who are interested in holding a side job. Ms. Suzuki notes that the change in Japanese government policies around 2017 have made it much easier for foreigners to work in Japan and the recent pandemic has also allowed more companies to permit their employees working more than one job.
On motivating people, Ms. Suzuki notes the importance of having close communication with each individual to understand their needs and where they want to direct their energy. In order to establish this trusting relationships, Ms. Suzuki has frequent one-on-one meetings at least 1-2 times a week. Ms. Suzuki also actively participates in social events with her employees to bond with them not just on a professional basis but in a more casual environment. Moreover, Ms. Suzuki carefully coordinates what type of work people are assigned so that her employees can focus on utilizing their skillset. For example, with the CEO of the company, who is also her husband, Ms. Suzuki splits responsibilities based on their expertise and strength, which she finds makes them a good team and well trusted by the employees. Additionally, she seeks to create an open environment where her employees can freely admit their mistakes in order to prevent future mistakes from happening and they are able to find the best solution together. Ms. Suzuki says: “I feel like many people only learn from their mistakes. So what I can suggest is probably show them the [past] cases” of what type of mistakes have happened and how they have been resolved.
On StartUp Lady, a female entrepreneur community, Ms. Suzuki explains: “I think showing that there is a community where [many] international females can get together to encourage each other [will] support younger generations. I feel like a lot of young people are very motivated to do something, but there's not much [of a] safe community or the community that's maybe open to younger generations at this moment.” StartUp Lady seeks to meet such needs of young entrepreneurs. Another of Ms. Suzuki’s dream is to better the education in Japan, which StartUp Lady seeks to do by providing an educational program for female entrepreneurs called 60 days Start Up Program Challenge where they take classes for 60 days and eventually present their business ideas. Currently, the community has grown to around 1500 members, mostly spreading by word of mouth and some media exposure.
On leading in Japan, Ms. Suzuki advises to maintain open communication in order to build trust. She also advises new incoming leaders to look for communities to join in order to gain from other people’s expertise and experiences. Lastly, Ms. Suzuki explains the importance of not just studying businesses in Japan but foreign businesses who have already started something within the same field to gain insight.
Seth Sulkin takes us through his journey in Japan from working as a journalist to a civil servant to becoming the leader of three organizations - Pacific Air Capital, Pacific Hotels, and most recently, Food-e. Mr. Sulkin first arrived in Japan in 1987 while working for Wall Street Journal and experienced the economic bubble which he recalls as “an incredible time living in Tokyo [and] a rare experience that only happens every 1000 years.” Having worked as a journalist in New York, London and Tokyo, Mr. Sulkin decided to change his career path and enrolled in graduate school at Stanford University. There, he studied Japanese political economy, specifically on how Japan uses aid, trade and investment to promote economic development in Southeast Asia. After graduation, he worked for Japan Development Institute to build infrastructures all over the word including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Russia and Poland as a Project Manager. Mr. Sulkin then worked for the Clinton Administration working on defence policy related to Japan. Mr. Sulkin decided that working in business and being his own boss was a better fit and started building his own development company, first based in the US with a focus on opening department stores and shopping centres in Japan.
In Japan, Mr. Sulkin started with a team of 10-15 people working with large Japanese partners who wanted to build US style shopping centres. He first developed his network based on the relationships he had established while being in Japan for nearly 10 years. Mr. Sulkin continued to expand his network through introductions, which increased his credibility and ability to build trusting business partnerships. Mr. Sulkin believes that as a small organization, his company was able to bring the overseas real estate expertise the Japanese companies needed at that time, which would have been difficult for larger corporations to provide. He adds: “there aren't that many Japanese who can easily fit into the business world in the US [and] easily send people overseas, figure out [and] learn what they need to and bring that technology back to Japan.”
On hiring his staff, Mr. Sulkin says he always finds quirky talented people by selling them on the vision of his company as well as providing good work life balance with a competitive salary. He says the advantage of being a foreign company is that he is able to hire people who do not fit the traditional Japanese environment or are not given equal opportunities, such as women. Mr. Sulkin has been successful in hiring good managers and leaves the management of the staff to them, as he does not micromanage and instead focuses on key issues where he can add most value. In order to maintain high accountability and trust, Mr. Sulkin follows a ringi system to a certain extent to enable him to delegate day to day decision making to other. Mr. Sulkin also emphasizes the importance of horenso - report, communication and consulting. He explains to his new staff that maintaining an open communication style is critical and this means admitting mistakes honestly before it gets out of control.
To maintain high engagement, Mr. Sulkin is in constant communication with various offices in-person, over the phone and online. He has come to realize during his leadership career that his staff appreciate a good work life balance and freedom at work as well as in their personal lives. Mr. Sulkin encourages people to take time off as well, as he believes this increases work engagement and the well-being of his team. Additionally, during the global financial crises, the 2011 Earthquake and now COVID, Mr. Sulkin has never laid any of his staff off, which is his way of maintaining trust and engagement.
When speaking to many hotel and restaurant owners, Mr. Sulkin discovered they were hesitant to join the online delivery service business because they were not satisfied with the cost and quality of the service. In order to meet these demands, Mr. Sulkin has started a new gourmet restaurant delivery app company called Food-e. With many restaurants struggling to keep their business afloat, Mr. Sulkin has had over 90% prospective restaurants join his delivery service which promises professional delivery of gourmet meals through an app.
On leading in Japan, Mr. Sulkin thinks it is important for international leaders to speak out and express their opinions with suggestions on improvements.
On his advice to newcomers, Mr. Sulkin advises to study about Japanese business as much as possible, and if on a short assignment, to hire a good translator and assistant who understands the Japanese business culture. Moreover, he advises to meet people both during one’s personal and professional time. Lastly, he advises to have an open dialogue with one’s team and specifically ask for their ideas. Mr. Sulkin says: “[in doing so] I think you'll have a much richer experience and you'll learn a lot more and you'll contribute much more [to Japan].”
Jim Weisser shares his leadership journey in the Japanese IT sector after arriving in Japan to initially teach English to becoming a leader of many internet businesses since the mid-90s. After realizing his IT skills were in high demand in Japan during the mid-90s pre-internet era, he began developing further expertise in the area by working for an internet service provider and then working for Enron to help establish their broadband business. From 2000 to 2006, Mr. Weisser founded three companies. The third company he established, PBXL KK was an SaaS based company focused on cloud calling. The company was acquired by BroadSoft in November 2015, which was later acquired by Cisco. Mr. Weisser is currently the CEO & co-founder of SignTime, an electronic contract service provider.
At SignTime Mr. Weisser aims to make the contract process in Japan much more manageable for companies with the use of technology. They have taken on a Silicon Valley style agile work process while implementing Japanese level of quality control insurance. He finds that his team members are surprised by his company’s culture where mistakes are taken as a lesson to make future improvements. SignTime has landed successful deals with Japanese multinational corporations by promoting their fast-paced responsiveness in which they provide same day responses to compete against larger companies.
As a young leader starting from his early to late 30s, Mr. Weisser recalls the mistakes he had made and the valuable lessons learned from them. He recalls: “I didn’t listen very well…and [being educated] in an engineering environment…I have no problems [with] someone saying, Jim, you're an idiot. This is why…And it took me a long time to realize most people were very uncomfortable in that kind of an environment.”
From past experiences and mistakes, Mr. Weisser has learned to value diverse experiences and opinions. He is mindful of holding conversations with his team, asking questions and laying the groundwork by getting external input instead of running solely with his ideas. Mr. Weisser values establishing interpersonal relationships with his staff and identifying people’s passion and interests to motivate them and understand how they want to be treated. In learning more about his team, he says he is able to better understand his customers as well. Mr. Weisser also admits his mistakes publicly which he finds actually builds trust with his Japanese employees. He is also careful on not micromanaging and mainly focuses on communicating the vision of the company and other leadership components such as financial operations, but delegates the rest to his team.
To newcomers in Japan, Mr. Weisser advises to be a great listener and constantly share information to the point of overcommunicating. Secondly, he advises to hire people based on what they have achieved rather than putting too much emphasis on their English language skills. Thirdly, he advises to give people a sense of ownership when trying to make a change to make the process more productive and engaging. He notes: “If you can show that you're an effective advocate for the people here to headquarters, then you end up being a hero locally…having other people pushing the rock with you makes it a lot easier.”
Frank Foley, founder of the Next Big Thing and former Managing Director of HarperCollins Japan, provides a detailed account of working inside Japan’s publishing and media industry through his experience with multinational corporations including HarperCollins and News Corporation. Mr. Foley first got his start as a publishing officer at the Australia Japan Research Centre which led him to land a job at the publishing company HarperCollins Japan. This then led Mr. Foley to work for News Corporation, an American multinational mass media company owned by Rupert Murdoch. At News Corporation, Mr. Foley liaised between the media company and its Japanese partners using his language skills and knowledge of Japanese culture. Mr. Foley was involved in many start-up projects investing in satellite television through News Corporation, sitting in on meetings involving Mr. Murdoch, Soft Bank founder Son Masayoshi and executives of Fuji TV.
Working as a country manager for News Broadcasting Japan (later Fox International Channels), Mr. Foley led a team of 40 people after being in charge of massive downsizing. In addition to the task of downsizing which Mr. Foley recalls as a “traumatic experience,” he found it challenging to ensure his employees were highly engaged and working strategically towards a common goal. Being a liaison between head office and Japan was another major challenge to bridge the cultural differences between various parties. When leading the downsizing operation, Mr. Foley learned the importance of communicating the “why” behind the restructuring to maintain transparency and trust with his remaining team members, as well as investing in a strong HR department with empathetic, approachable people.
After working in News Corporation for close to 20 years, Mr. Foley discovered he was not a “TV person” but inclined more towards business development and brand management. He then moved on to HIT Entertainment to work on brand business development for Thomas the Tank Engine. On his fascination with branding, Mr. Foley explains: “I realized [what] I really liked about those brands was…the brand itself, not TV specifically, but about the brand and how it fitted with the lifestyle of Japanese people, and you can see the possibilities that go way beyond the actual business that you're in. So I…was very interested in moving from a specific operational business [to one], where you're really working with the brand and trying to figure out what the best strategy for the entire brand is…And Thomas the Tank Engine was that….it’s like sky is the limit.”
In addition to Thomas, Mr. Foley also worked for Guinness World Records owned by HIT Entertainment. There, Mr. Foley had the challenge of coming up with a new business model for the product as the brand was just entering the Japanese market. Mr. Foley then became interested in building his own business and began providing brand consulting for various consumer products, which led him to become Executive Managing Director at Universal Music’s subsidiary company, Bravado where he helped successfully recruited another executive to turn the business around.
Mr. Foley then moved back to HarperCollins as the Managing Director leading the distribution of English language books in Japan, such as Harlequin novels and manga in partnership with Softbank. Under his leadership, Mr. Foley sought to have the business operate on a brand driven strategy that focused on growth and the needs of the market rather than following a set template. For example, Mr. Foley used HarperCollins’ and his personal global connections to land a publishing deal with soccer player Maya Yoshida to publish his autobiography in English and Japanese. On landing this book deal with a celebrity soccer player, Mr. Foley explains: “if we just went head to head with Shueisha, Kodansha (Japan’s top publishing companies), we're not going to get anywhere. We have to think innovatively. We have to think, okay, what can we borrow from our leverage or head office for more international network to allow us to punch above our weight here in Japan.”
To create a culture of open communication and high engagement among his employees, Mr. Foley has created opportunities for people to share information and present their ideas. For example, at HarperCollins he has set up a “hall of fame” bulletin board in which different departments would post updated information on what type of projects they are working on. At the end of the month, Mr. Foley would have people from all levels present their projects to the rest of the team to create a sense of ownership and accountability. Mr. Foley also provided equal opportunities for people to work on projects, regardless of their job titles in which an employee in the IT department would be the project lead to publish an Elon Musk book on Tesla. Mr. Foley has also become more mindful of knowing when to step back as he adds: “in more recent years [I’ve realized it’s best to] just get the right people in the job for whatever needs to be done, give them the general direction, the strategy, and check back every once in a while. But for the most part get out of the way and let them do their jobs.”
On advice to new leaders coming into Japan, Mr. Foley advises to hire a strong HR person as he experienced firsthand having the right HR person provides security to the company. He also adds to not be afraid of letting people go if that individual is negatively impacting the rest of the team. Secondly, he advises to spend the time to understand Japanese consumers and the local Japanese strategy. Thirdly, he advises on providing equal opportunities for people including women.
Mr. Foley’s company, Next Big Thing provides consulting in children’s consumer brands and educational properties, including Japan market entry, brand strategy and brand management, character and brand licensing, and Japanese-language publishing. More information can be found on Mr. Foley’s LinkedIn page. https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankfoleyjapan/
Claus Eilersen, Senior Vice President of Novo Nordisk, Japan, provides deep insight in leading in the pharmaceutical industry in various countries including the US, Canada and Japan. Mr. Eilersen first entered Novo Nordisk after graduating from business school as a liaison between the headquarters in Denmark and Japan, as well as the US doing business development. He initially lived in the US but in 1995 moved with his family to Japan to become the CFO and eventually became the President of Operation in Canada. In 2005, Mr. Eilersen returned to Japan to step into his current role as Senior Vice President in the Japan office.
Having led in multiple cultures within the same organization, Mr. Eilersen describes doing business deals in Japan as a “complete immersion in a different culture” with a “very steep learning curve.” To build trust amongst his team, Mr. Eilersen held one-on-one meetings with his direct reports and set ambitious targets while establishing the company’s own distribution system. By having a clear common goal, Mr. Eilersen believes this strengthen the motivation and engagement of his employees. Additionally, in order to establish mutual respect, Mr. Eilersen tried to see things from his employees and customers perspective. For example, by making numerous visits to clients across the country, Mr. Eilersen gained a clearer understanding of what particular question or service is expected from a particular customer and was able to provide a better solution. By talking to customers Mr. Eilersen saw first hand the meticulousness of Japanese consumers, who will only accept the exact number of products or else doubt the brand’s quality and lose trust. Having worked in North America where defect products were accepted if for a discount, Mr. Eilersen calls this an important lesson learned. Under Mr. Eilersen’s leadership, Novo Nordsik of Japan came up with with innovation by creating a centre of excellence for quality to detect early signs of quality issues, which was implemented globally. Mr. Eilersen believes that these consistent and sincere effort to understand how business is done in Japan is appreciated and over time forms trust.
To encourage people to stay accountable with high engagement, Mr. Eilersen delegates responsibility to staff with a clear message telling them this is their responsibility and they need to make their own decisions. Mr. Eilersen takes a bottom-up approach to gain input and feedback from people in many layers of the organization to create a project plan with high team engagement. The company also encourages people to come up with ideas on how to make the business better and gives out rewards for the best ones in order to create a culture for people to think in terms of improvement on a daily basis. To further stimulate innovation, Novo Nordisk forms project teams with a specific focus to solve a particular problem with leadership monitoring the execution. From such projects, Mr. Eilersen noticed people becoming more excited and productive, coming up with proposals that improved work efficiency by 15%. Additionally, Mr. Eilersen emphasizes the importance of having some degree of tolerance for mistakes and use them as a learning opportunity instead of blaming an individual.
Mr. Eilersen also realizes that rather than rewarding people individually, team rewards were more effective in boosting morale as Mr. Eilersen believes that for his Japanese employees, the “sense of belonging to a team is very strong and important.” Moreover, Mr. Eilersen has come to think the ultimate driver of engagement for his Japanese team comes from the satisfaction of doing a good job for a good cause and having the haraochi, the gut feeling that this is the right thing to do. Mr. Eilersen believes that this haraochi can be achieved through various discussions from several different perspectives of the organization.
To newcomers of Japan, Mr. Eilersen advises to dive in and immerse oneself completely in the culture and see things with one’s own eyes on how business is done in Japan. He recalls from his first real experience in Japan, he spent much time observing how people interacted to understand the culture and way of communication. Mr. Eilersen also advises to stay approachable and spend time with your employees and customers through nomunication. Lastly, Mr. Eilersen advises leaders coming into Japan to form allies within the company and make improvements by following the Japanese guidelines of how things are done, instead of having a “I can fix this” mentality.
Wolfgang Angyal, President of Riedel Japan, originally grew up in Austria and came to Japan in 1985 as an Austrian representative in restaurant service sector of the 28th WorldSkills Competition and won first place. He credits this win to the trust he had of his supporting team who were all Japanese. Mr. Angyal has also been practicing Judo from a young age where he developed a deep respect and fascination for Japanese culture.
After working in the education sector as an instructor in Japan, Mr. Angyal became interested in working for Riedel as he was familiar with the brand due to his experience in the hospitality industry in Austria. Through persistency, Mr. Angyal met with Georg Riedel, the owner of Riedel, and secured a business development role for a subsidiary company. There, he was able to apply the skills he had gained working in hospitality and event management to promote Riedel products to Japanese restaurants and companies.
Staying true to the Riedel family motto of “stoke the fire, don’t save the ashes,” Mr. Angyal persistently approached restaurants to promote Riedel. Fortunately, this was the 80s economic boom time in Japan, and Mr. Angyal used his networks to successfully schedule appointments to meet restaurant owners in person. “I think a lot of them actually bought their first [wine] glasses, more out of pity, [thinking] this guy's sweating with this case, coming to the restaurant and waiting for two hours. Or some of them maybe were admiring the effort.” Mr. Angyal worked to establish the brand within companies to build relationships with large scale distributions.
Mr. Angyal states the main challenge for him at the time was introducing wine culture to those who were not familiar with drinking wine on a daily basis. Therefore, Mr. Angyal actively promoted the product by holding tasting sessions where people got to experience drinking wine from Riedel glasses. “If you taste the difference, it's experiential. If you taste the difference between [a Riedel glass] and another glass of drinking the same beverage, you will never forget it.”
Mr. Angyal then moved his base to Australia where he worked from Riedel’s Sydney office as the Vice President of Asia Pacific, Latin America and Southern Hemisphere. After a brief consideration of moving to China, Mr. Angyal was persuaded by an old friend to move back to Japan in 2000 where he has been since then, working as the President & CEO of Riedel Japan.
By 2000, Riedel Japan had become an independent operation and Mr. Angyal started to build his team through referrals to recruit staff. As a leader, Mr. Angyal found challenges in driving the operation side of the organization and establishing a shared vision while going through an acquisition. In order to maintain employee engagement during the merger, Mr. Angyal organized workshops, off-site meetings and external coaching. Additionally, Mr. Angyal worked to get to know his staff through open communication and personality tests. By better understanding his staff, Mr. Angyal adjusted his communication style and worked to form a more trusting relationship. Mr. Angyal notes that as a foreign leader, he is mindful of being consistent with his decision-making and tries to be predictable with his actions. He claims that constantly asking the questions “How do they see us and what do they expect from us?” is key to leading in Japan as a foreigner.
Additionally, Mr. Angyal values open communication and provides equal opportunities for his staff to be heard even if this means rejecting his own ideas in public. Mr. Angyal also seeks to bring different perspectives and ideas from his global networks and to his Japanese team in order to provide the “right fuel for their sparks.” He also has his immediate reports give him a 360 degree performance review to continue developing his leadership abilities and maintain transparency.
Riedel Japan has come up with innovation such as creating sake glasses, an idea that came out of a tasting workshop from a customer. Currently, the Japan office has independently come up with two different sake glasses - the Daiginjo glasses and Junmai glasses - by working with hundreds of brewers and testing in multiple workshops to come up with the perfect product.
For newcomers in Japan, Mr. Angyal advises to be patient and mindful of one’s actions as well as words. He recommends having small wins first and then building on that to quickly gain trust and credibility. Lastly, he advises to be authentic and to be yourself to be able to survive leading in Japan in the long term.
Loic Rethore, North Asia President of Dyson, shares his diverse background working in the consumer, luxury and premium goods industry across multiple countries including Japan, Australia, Korea and Hong Kong. Mr. Rethore originally developed a fascination with Japan after working as an intern in the Japan branch of L’Oreal. In order to stay in Japan, Mr. Rethore started working at LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics, working for Givenchy as the North Asia Area Manager. He has then worked in Unilever as General Manager of the Asia Pacific region and Nespresso as Head of the Oceania region before coming into his current role at Dyson.
During his first few years as a leader, Mr. Rethore’s biggest challenge was building credibility and trust amongst stakeholders and his staff. In order to overcome this, Mr. Rethore tried to get to know people beyond just formal business meetings. He actively invited his team on lunches and held one-on-one conversations to establish a trusting relationship. Mr. Rethore also notes the importance of body language and introspection to overcome language and culture barriers. Working with a diverse group, Mr. Rethore provided insight on the different working style and relationship building between Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. For example, he notes that when doing business in Korea for Dyson, they are quick to buy the newest technology. On the other hand, in Japan, people are interested in high-tech brands but are more cautious and want to find out if the product suits their needs. When comparing Japan with other countries he’s worked in Mr. Rethore says: “I think the relationship to speed, but also the relationship to technology is [different].”
Mr. Rethore’s experience in Japan helped him develop skills that benefited him when leading in other countries. The experience gave him ability to be more inquisitive and talk to people in stores to gain a better understanding of consumers and the market. When coming back from Hong Kong to Japan during his time at Unilever, Mr. Rethore also discovered his leadership ability had grown as he had worked with staff and stakeholders from all over the world and was able to relate to a diverse group of people. In addition, he felt recognized as people understood he was adding value by bringing in emerging distributors and exporters in premium brands. Mr. Rethore also encouraged his team to question ideas and think outside of the box to increase the engagement level and overall performance.
When becoming the lead of Nespresso Japan, Mr. Rethore worked to bridge the gap between head office and Japanese leadership to find an agreed strategy. In order to gain trust from the Japanese side, he listened carefully to his team including the staff in the retail stores through one-on-one discussions and casual conversations. Furthermore, Mr. Rethore held workshops on organizational issues and in doing so, was able to form strategies in a collaborative way. He was also able to build new connections between his team and external organization as well, which helped expand the company’s network. As a result, during his time at Nespresso, Mr. Rethore was able to oversee the opening of the flagship Nespresso store in Omotesando, move Nespresso products to the more visible depachika (underground level of Department stores) and launched popular original products like combining champagne fruits with Nespresso Iced Coffee.
Working at Dyson, Mr. Rethore has built trust based on his previous leadership experience of open communication and collaboration as well as being a role model for others. In order for people to stay connected, Dyson has formed several virtual community groups similar to a Facebook group including a reading, cooking, and animal loving group. Dyson also hosts virtual café briefings which were held every week during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, and is still ongoing now. This briefing serves as the hub for information sharing and community building.
To newcomers arriving in Japan to lead, Mr. Rethore advises to “find that balance between pushing too much and pushing not enough. Managing change in a country like Japan, that's [going to] move slowly, sometimes requires a lot of persistence and energy.” He adds: “really work with [your team] and consider it as a journey.”
Timothy Connor, Managing Director of Synnovate Advisory has been a veteran of Japanese business, having worked in Japan for over 30 years. He originally came to Japan under the MEF program (currently known as JET, a program that provides opportunities for internationals to teach English in Japan) and lived in Morioka City in the Iwate prefecture where he quickly learned Japanese.
While teaching in the evenings, Mr. Connor studied fashion design at Esmod Japon and eventually began his own apparel brand still in his 20s. He specialized in making clothes for Japanese and international clients who were either very tall or small, so did not fit standard sizes. He calls the experience “great fun” and made various outfits including a wedding dress. After four years, Mr. Connor transitioned into the more promotional aspect of the creative business and began marketing for other artists and designers. As this was the 80s, Mr. Connor recalls enjoying the boom time in Japan like eating gold speckled sushi. Mr. Connor then moved on to importing artists work and promoting them in Japan, acting as the marketing arm for boutique designers.
Mr. Connor then began working in a corporate environment in a senior strategy and marketing role in a firm of 25 staff within a large Japanese conglomerate in the printing industry. Stepping into a corporate leadership position for the first time, Mr. Connor found it challenging to lead a diverse group of Japanese and non-Japanese employees in a company with a traditional age-based culture. Mr. Connor was careful in finding the right balance between being part of a team but also maintaining a certain degree of distance as this is what was expected from leaders in the company. Having led a diverse number of teams in various industries, Mr. Connor also noted the difficulty in setting goals and targets with people from different backgrounds and set of expectations. Mr. Connor claims: “one of the tricky balancing roles and balancing challenges was to paint the right picture of where we're trying to go. But give people enough roadmaps so that they knew where they should go. What are their actual targets and what are my expectations to them?” Having worked with a number of salespeople, Mr. Connor also mentored and trained his staff to be able to close the sales instead of being too relationship focused with the client.
After the firm closed down due to the economic downturn of the 90s, Mr. Connor worked with the parent company’s president for a few years. Mr. Connor then took a leave and pursued his MBA at Duke University. Upon his return, Mr. Connor was released from his company and began his own management consulting business. Mr. Connor mainly consulted startup type clients and maximized his general manager skills he had acquired working in a large Japanese company. Mr. Connor eventually joined one of his client’s company that sold online coupons to be used in restaurants as their general manager. After realizing the infrastructure for the marketing not being present, Mr. Connor joined the parent company that provided face-to-face marketing and sales and event marketing services to consumer products. There he worked as a managing director looking after three divisions of the company in sales, retail products, and legal, as well as HR when in need.
On team engagement, Mr. Connor tries to maintain a balance between setting expectations as the leader but also ensuring his employees enjoy their work. Mr. Connor states: “What I discovered was we had people doing things and I wouldn't say they were struggling, but it seemed to me that they could shine doing something else. And so I would move people around from time to time doing different things. And when people are doing things that they're good at, they just stayed to automatically grow into it. That was a great discovery just to see that actually people do progress and grow and do things much, much better if they enjoy what they're doing.”
On innovation, Mr. Connor encourages people to come up with their own ideas by being patient and having open communication while asking leading questions. He also uses this style of communication to finding commonalities and gain trust, while noting the importance of “reading the air.” Mr. Connor also finds that showing and communicating that you trust someone further enhances the relationship.
For newcomers leading Japan, Mr. Connor advises to learn the language and understand work and home life are different for Japanese people although this is changing for the younger generation. “I think there is a lot of change happening…also, there there's a lot more openness now about people having stress-related issues. The ability to actually go to the boss and say, I'm feeling stressed out…It’s a different world now [from the showa era].”
Christian Wolf, Managing Director of JAS Forwarding Japan originally moved to Japan straight out of university in Germany where he worked in the freight and logistics industry as a student. He first started out as a roads development manager at DHL, developing new business for air and ocean freight transportation from Germany to Japan. Upon moving to Japan from a small village in Germany, Mr. Wolf experienced culture shock, and quickly realized he needed to be “very persistent” and have high “frustration tolerance” to be successful.
Mr. Wolf then moved on to work in the project forwarding business at Panalpina where he dealt with large scale projects with complex challenges such as construction schedules, liabilities involving different transportation modes, and worked alongside engineer specialists. In 2011 Mr. Wolf joined JAS to set up a new project forwarding unit from scratch. He recalls the earlier months as a challenging time since he was pressured to gain profit quite quickly while motivating his team to keep pushing with a positive attitude.
On leading in Japan, Mr. Wolf indicates how difficult it was for him to initially gain the trust from his customers and employees and maintain a positive attitude within his team members. He claims: “You need to gain trust from the customer and it is not seldom that you are quoting for over one year without seeing them... It's a very common process. And there, even if you have a lot of setbacks, you need to be calm and need to demonstrate that we are going to get there.” When faced with challenges such as consecutive profit-losing months, Mr. Wolf says it is important to cut down on your expectations and generate rewarding situations. He also points to open and honest communication with every member of the team as a vital aspect of building trust. Gradually, the new unit grew by building on client relationships and providing expertise on complex transportation solutions. In 2014 he stepped into his current role as Managing Director, leading the 40+ year old business with around 100 employees.
In order to gain trust from an even larger number of employees, Mr. Wolf first tried to understand the history and culture of the company, instead of making drastic changes. Over the years of working in Japan, Mr. Wolf has come to realize that Japanese people value consistency and patience, which he tries to exhibit through his behaviour. During Mr. Wolf’s first year as the Managing Director, he kept all the main department managers in place in order to observe how business had been developed from the previous years. During these early leadership years, Mr. Wolf also spent one-on-one time with his managers to better understand the business from their point of view. In doing so, he also encouraged his employees to be more innovative and think outside of the box when coming up with solutions. Yet Mr. Wolf mentions the importance of respecting the hierarchy and to “follow certain rules to approach certain scenes.” For example, doing nemawashi (groundwork) before a meeting or communicating with an employee through their manager instead of them directly.
To newcomers of Japan, Mr. Wolf advises to not tell one’s colleagues how long one’s assignment is. This is to avoid people from thinking you will only be there for 2-3 years and therefore, is not worth trusting. Mr. Wolf’s second advice is to learn the Japanese language. Lastly, Mr. Wolf advises to “never give up.” He adds: “You need to have a lot of frustration tolerance. Sometimes don't ask the why just accept it.”
Paul Goldsmith, Country Manager of Aquent Japan, shared his extensive leadership experience in the recruitment, automobile and IT industry across multiple countries including Japan, Australia, Singapore, the US, Kuwait and the UK. He first arrived in Japan in 1985 at 28 years old to help set up the staffing agency Adia, currently Adecco, in Japan. In 1993 he founded Panache, a recruitment agency focused on hiring bilingual IT engineers, which ran for 13 years. He then moved on to the luxury automobile industry by turning his love of cars into business. Mr. Goldsmith was involved in hosting global-scale car shows in Kuwait and the UK and also became involved in the British automobile manufacturing industry. Mr. Goldsmith returned to Japan in 2017 and worked in a software marketing company as well being part of projects working with Maserati Japan, the Italian luxury automobile company. In 2019, Mr. Goldsmith took on his current role after being approached via LinkedIn. Mr. Goldsmith found it challenging and exciting to be able to use his previous leadership skills and experience he had gained from his recruitment background in order to make Aquent Japan grow.
Having worked in leadership roles in multiple countries, Mr. Goldsmith emphasizes the importance of communicating with clarity and consistency and explaining the reasoning behind it. He further explains: “I learned that having a vision is very important and…having a strategy and presenting that strategy to your staff clearly and sticking to it.” He also noticed that in meetings, compared to the West, it is vital for foreign managers to be able to draw opinions out of people even if they do not speak up. Mr. Goldsmith also adds that COVID has reinforced the importance of managing through others, and he is very careful to continuously relay messages, ideas, instructions, innovation through his management team. In order to create a culture of open communication and innovation, Mr. Goldsmith is a proponent of giving everybody equal opportunities to succeed in their role. Through monthly company meetings Mr. Goldsmith reinforces the company values to ensure all levels of his employees understand what is expected of them. He has found that such communication and words of encouragement to take risks, has made his employees more flexible and innovative. One innovative aspect of Aquent is their use of technology, which has made the transition from office to remote work quite seamless.
While maximizing the use of technology, Mr. Goldsmith is also mindful of delivering customized service to each job or employee-seeking client. He says this can be done through training and providing incentives. Additionally, Mr. Goldsmith maintains a balanced mindset between being results-oriented organization and making sure his staff genuinely care for the clients. Mr. Goldsmith also explains that he shows a degree of tolerance regarding employee performance instead of purely evaluating them on numbers. He claims: “We have these [all-staff] meetings and each office relays to the rest of the company, their successes during the month, but also failures…And the lessons learned from both. And as we both know, you learn more from failure than you do success.”
To newcomers in Japan, Mr. Goldsmith advises to have cultural sensitivity and to take the time to understand Japanese culture, instead of trying to implement drastic changes right away. He explains: “things are not the same in Japan as they might be from your home country, but Japan is open to new ideas and you can apply new ideas, but maybe there's a way of localizing some of those ideas. And maybe in some ways, some of those Japanese ideas are better than they are outside.” Secondly, Mr. Goldsmith advises to understand the importance of going the extra mile for clients and paying attention to detail in order to build long-lasting, trusting relationships as he believes that “trust is an accumulation of positive experiences.” Thirdly, he advises newcomers to develop strong ties with the foreign community to share ideas and expand one’s perspective. He claims: “I think there are often viewpoints and sometimes there are rules that initially as a foreigner that you think are quite illogical, but then when you start to think through it from a different viewpoint you kind of see where it comes from.”
Loic Bizel currently leads Wantomo, a premium Japan made recommended dog food company exclusively sold online. Mr. Bizel originally came to Japan from France in his mid-20s as the Export Manager for French shoe brands. As the leader overseeing the Asia branch, Mr. Bizel successfully introduced these shoe brands to Japanese department stores and select shops. Being a young leader, he sought to gain gradual trust from his team and was heavily involved in recruitment. Mr. Bizel specifically looked for people with international backgrounds who were open-minded and flexible about working in a smaller scale foreign company. Mr. Bizel also notes that the people he hired in Japan are very committed to the nature of their work.
In 2001, Mr. Bizel founded his own company, Lebiz Consulting www.lebiz-consulting.com, where he provided fashion consulting using his knowledge and connections from his previous company. Mr. Bizel provided consulting to brands who wanted to launch in Japan or brands who already had but were having issues with distribution, positioning, and strategy, and so on. He launched www.fashioninjapan.com, a street fashion photo collection site. During this time, Mr. Bizel explains that Japanese fashion was becoming globally known, and entrepreneurs from all over the world began to come to Tokyo to understand new fashion trends and concepts. To meet this demand, Mr. Bizel also created www.tokyofashiontour.com and organized customized tours to inform visitors of Tokyo fashion. Capitalizing on the Cool Japan boom in the early 2000s, Mr. Bizel gradually gained more media attention and buzz.
Mr. Bizel then joined Glamour Sales, a start-up company created by two French entrepreneurs. The company operated a membership-based flash sales business that distributed and promoted brands with excess inventory through pop-up stores and e-commerce websites. Mr. Bizel bought another flash sales company, Gilt Japan www.gilt.jp and changed the company names to Gladd www.gladd.jp, growing the business from 14-15 people to over 150 employees in 2016. Currently, the company has grown even further and is at about 250 staff.
While researching on some successful business models in Europe and on Japanese trends, Mr. Bizel decided to target Japanese dog owners, and founded Wantomo, a premium dog food company. Wantomo delivers dog food recommended by a veterinarian to owners based on the dog’s online profile through their online store, Leo & Lea www.leoandlea.com. Mr. Bizel hopes to market Wantomo through user generated content by building a rich online community, having customers post their experiences through social media.
Mr. Bizel again mentioned the importance of building trust and being involved in recruitment of all leadership roles including sales, marketing, finance, logistics & operations, HR and web. He says: “I need to build the structure in the, the wall of the house and, and I, so you need to find the right people, the right talent and the right fit with the company.” Mr. Bizel also values open communication and transparency to encourage his team to move in an agile manner instead of being too risk-averse and afraid of going in the wrong direction, like many larger corporations. When recruiting new hires to enter the Wantomo Mr. Bizel emphasizes: “the talent has to bring you something, but you have to bring them something also...that the Japanese company [doesn’t know how to].”
To newcomers leading in Japan, Mr. Bizel advises to “stay yourself” instead of “trying to be Japanese.” He adds that understanding the company culture is the key to succeeding and gaining trust. Secondly, Mr. Bizel advises to be curious and to be a good listener even towards opinions that you do not necessarily agree in order to maintain open and transparent communication.
Kei Sakaguchi has a wealth of experience both in global Japanese corporations and small-scale innovative companies. Growing up in a Catholic environment, Mr. Sakaguchi was exposed to foreign culture from an early age and aspired to work in a global organization one day. Mr. Sakaguchi graduated from Keio University with a law degree, and entered Sony Corporation as a new graduate after reading a cover story on Akio Morita, Sony’s legendary co-founder and CEO. Mr. Sakaguchi first worked in the legal division of Sony but was selected by Mr. Morita to join his speech writing team. Mr. Sakaguchi had an incredible experience working under Mr. Morita, learning the ins and out of how he led. Mr. Sakaguchi recalls Mr. Morita’s speech to newly hired graduates which urged young employees to be self-reliant and be the owner of their own career. In working closely with Mr. Morita, Mr. Sakaguchi describes him as a passionate believer and communicator of the Sony vision. He adds: “[Morita-san] was a very results-oriented person, careless about the method…but he was very demanding as to the quality of the outcome. So for employees, the team members, it was very easy to understand what he is demanding and what we need to deliver. That clarity of leadership made people work with commitment, passion, and motivation.” Mr. Morita also encouraged innovation, encouraging employees to think outside of the box and to not be afraid of making mistakes as a result of that. To Mr. Sakaguchi, the lessons he learned at Sony and the “Sony DNA” that he developed is something that he still carries with him when leading and engaging with others.
After 27 years at Sony, Mr. Sakaguchi’s next move was to Coca-Cola, where he became the Manager of Global PR, leading a team of 30-40 staff. In leading a diverse team of staff, Mr. Sakaguchi highlights the importance of having a two-way communication, talking about the company vision and business goals. This style of communicating and creating real value for the company has, in Mr. Sakaguchi’s experience, led to higher levels of commitment and motivation. Interestingly, Mr. Sakaguchi found certain aspects of the leadership style at Coke to be more manual-based than Sony. Yet Coke also encourage innovation and as proof, 70% of Coca-Cola Japan’s revenue came from Japan-originated tea and coffee products. Within his PR team, Mr. Sakaguchi was mindful of encouraging his staff to not only publicize the joy and value of a new product but communicate the innovation behind it to tap into the unique Japanese monozukuri spirit.
Mr. Sakaguchi then joined the senior leadership team of Meltwater, a San Francisco based online and social media intelligence company. There, he led a team of 20 people, who were mainly in their 20s. Mr. Sakaguchi committed himself to “downloading [his] longstanding corporate experiences” and educating his young team on the large Japanese corporation mentality and how the Meltwater employees can better approach them. Since his team was from a diverse international background, Mr. Sakaguchi also advised them on how to follow Japanese company work styles when communicating with potential clients. In order to maintain engagement amongst his team, Mr. Sakaguchi urged them to try new things on their own and be accountable for the results. He also encouraged those who failed in this task by encouraging them to carefully view the process and how it can be improved.
After two years at Meltwater, Mr. Sakaguchi was headhunted by Eurasia Group, a New York-based consulting firm focusing on focusing on advising global companies on the potential risk of geopolitics on their global business. Mr. Sakaguchi initially ran a solo operation as the Japan representative mainly focusing on business development.
To newcomers leading in Japan, Mr. Sakaguchi advises them to be avid proactive communicators of the organizations value, mission and goals and engage in one-on-one conversations with employees frequently. He also advises the encouragement of the box thinking and being lenient towards failure as long as it is constructive failure. Moreover, he urges foreign leaders to encourage more individual initiatives from their team and tap into diverse talents, including non-Japanese and female candidates. Mr. Sakaguchi states: “globalization is still a must for many Japanese companies and for real globalization, for real success in the global market, you need to pick up positive and innovative views and suggestions from non-Japanese managers hired outside of Japan with new thinking.”
Timothy Langley has been in Japan for over 40 years and has an intriguing career in American and Japanese public affairs. Mr. Langley originally grew up in Okinawa where his father’s military post was stationed. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Mr. Langley taught English and played for the Santa Monica Rugby Club. He set his path to become a lawyer through the Monbusho scholarship and attended Tohoku University to study law but was rejected from taking the bar exam as a foreigner since it had “never been done.” Unable to sit for the bar, Mr. Langley landed a job at the Japanese National Parliament after writing to a prominent Japanese politician and sending his resumes. Since this was the first time a foreigner was working inside the Japanese government, Mr. Langley was featured in the media within and outside of Japan including the American CBS show, 60 minutes.
Mr. Langley eventually became an official lawyer after completing a law program at Georgetown. After working in Atlanta for a few years at a law firm, Mr. Langley was hired as an attorney for a manufacturing company in Kyoto to deal with a trade issue they were facing with the US government. Mr. Langley calls this experience working for a traditional Japanese company to be “a valuable experience in seeing how the Japanese work…how decisions are being made.” He also notes the difference in leadership that he observed: “basically since it's a Japanese company, you're going to be there until you die. So that leadership and that aspiration that you might have to be a leader is applied very differently than it might be in a competitive environment, such as in the United States…and [Japanese] people [are] very risk averse as, as people know. And they're punctual, they get the job done, but they follow the manual.
Mr. Langley then became the representative for the Commonwealth of Kentucky in Japan where he served for two years and gained some early leadership experience managing several staff. He then became General Counsel for Apple for four years where Mr. Langley essentially established the legal division from scratch. Since Apple was a growing company at the time, Mr. Langley recalls many challenges, including hiring the right staff and gaining commitment. Mr. Langley then transitioned into Amway for a brief period, before returning to Denver, Colorado with his family to start a law firm. He was not away from Japan for too long after being approached by General Motors to become their General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs in Asia although his term was cut short due to the 9-11 attacks.
But this time, Mr. Langley was committed to staying in Japan. Realizing his value add as General Counsel, having represented global companies like General Motors and Apple, Mr. Langley started Langley Esquire, a public affairs consultancy where he is the President and Representative Director. He describes his earlier challenges on recruitment, including convincing his sons to join the organization. Mr. Langley also highlights the importance of building trust and avoiding a breach of trust to maintain good relations, which he calls “an asset that can be transitioned from generation to generation.”
To new leaders coming to Japan, Mr. Langley advises to have language familiarity, carefully observe others and ask questions to pick up on social cues that will help with decision-making. He adds that holding back and pausing in conversations is also a great way to communicate, claiming that in Japan, the “things that are being left unsaid carry as much weight as what [people] are verbally saying.”
Andrew Hankinson is the President of Zwilling J.A. Henckels Japan and host of the podcast Now and Zen. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Mr. Hankinson’s passion for Japan grew at a young age, having been exposed to Japanese culture by family members living in the country, leading him to learn the language from high school. After briefly teaching English in Osaka, Mr. Hankinson returned to Japan with a degree in international business and Japanese language from the US. He shortly began working at a Japanese department store as a menswear buyer which he describes as an “eye-opening” experience and a “great foundation to be living and working in Japan.”
Mr. Hankinson’s next move was in the travel industry, where he worked for a travel publishing company as a salesperson. He explains the company to be “very flexible and very open” as they originally hired Mr. Hankinson in hopes of increasing innovation. Mr. Hankinson was quickly able to gain the trust of the organization due to achieving success early on where his suggestions led to better results for the organization. Mr. Hankinson’s first official leadership role was working as country manager for a European-based office product company where he managed seven employees. He describes his work there as hands-on, especially with client facing aspects of the organization.
Currently, as head of a much larger organization, Mr. Hankinson leads about 250 employees. Mr. Hankinson says jumping into an organization that he had no previous knowledge of required lots of catching up, and building trust with the people had its challenges. To overcome this, Mr. Hankinson interviewed his staff in the Tokyo office to build rapport and connect with them at a more individual basis. In order to lead a much larger team, Mr. Hankinson is mindful of the Japanese way of thinking through group consensus. He explains: “if we do it all together…[and] if it fails, nobody’s responsible.” He is also conscious of fostering empowerment amongst his employees to give them a safe space to express their thoughts and encourage innovation. Mr. Hankinson also leads through other managers by delegating to ensure everybody is providing input to determine the direction of the organization. The Japanese office of the global kitchenware manufacturing company have introduced many innovative products such as Japanese kitchen knives and pots that have become popular on a global scale.
Mr. Hankinson sums up his ideals of leadership as being able to “deliver results, have good people skills, being engaged and having market intelligence,”
To newcomers leading in Japan, Mr. Hankinson advises to enjoy travelling and exploring the culture and sharing that with one’s team, which is a wonderful way to connect with others on a human level. Secondly, Mr. Hankinson advises to earn some “quick wins” as a fast-track way to earn credibility and trust amongst Japanese staff when trying to implement change. Thirdly, he recommends finding the perfect balance between adapting to local culture and retaining your personal management style in order to find the best of both worlds.
Dr. David Sweet initially worked in the US Treasury Department in labor relations and organizational development for 10 years before moving to Japan. He has been working in executive search, having worked in en world Japan and serving as Director of the Tokyo consultancy Wall Street Associates, Dr. Sweet is currently the CEO and founder of FocusCore, a recruitment company focused on mid to executive level search for small to medium sized businesses. He is also the author of Sweet Sales, Sweet Success and host of the podcast series, Barefoot Lunch.
One of the biggest leadership challenges Dr. Sweet faced was encouraging open communication and having his diverse team of people from various backgrounds all work together in the same direction. He found that having open forums enabled people to express ideas without fear as well as having offsite training and team building opportunities. Delegation and trust are also key factors, especially when the team grows to over 30 and it becomes important for mid-level management to take on more leadership. Dr. Sweet adds: “you need to really care about their wellbeing and follow up.” By doing so, he notes that the managers overtime learn to manage through outcomes instead of micro-managing, Dr. Sweet mentions the need to adapt to the Japanese style of communication, which is “high context,” and the importance of nemawashi before finalizing a decision. He adds, “[decisions are made] a little slower oftentimes, but I think there's a lot more buy-in and less mistakes along the way.” Dr. Sweet also notes the long-term trust and relationship building component of Japanese business that drives workers to always maintain a high standard of product and service quality. This strong sense of customer service and emphasis on softer communication skills such as listening to the buyers needs was something Dr. Sweet brought back to the US when he returned to run a sales training company.
Dr. Sweet believes that employee development is crucial in leading and keeping engagement high. For new recruits, FocusCore has a six month training program and for staff, there are weekly training opportunities. Dr. Sweet also encourages people to run projects. He finds that employees who take the training usually increases their performance and improves their time management. On Friday nights his team are free to join a zoom call to hold casual conversations where people exchange ideas in a more relaxed environment. In order to bring those ideas to realization, Dr. Sweet keeps track and follows up with people. He does however recognize that not 100% will be implemented.
On building trust with the team, Dr. Sweet emphasizes the importance of listening. Some tips he uses include, asking a question and counting to 10 to let the other have time to give a thoughtful response. Dr. Sweet also asks the question “what else?”to dig deeper into the answers to get to the heart of what really matters to his team. He also says using different management styles for different people is essential, whether it is micromanagement, coaching, giving public praise, or holding one-on-one meetings depending on what is best suitable for the particular employee.
Dr. Sweet advises newcomers to Japan to recognize 85% of leadership done in Japan is the same elsewhere, but be aware of the 15% that is different, learn it quickly. Dr. Sweet also points out the importance of forming good relations with 1 or 2 key players of a company who are the main drivers of the organization. He recommends going out for drinks and dinner with the team to build further trust, as it is an important part of Japanese culture.
Originally an engineer from Bologna, Italy, Lorenzo Scrimizzi arrived in Japan 26 years ago, and has been working for Carpigiani Japan for the last 19 years. He currently serves as the Representative Director. Previously, Mr. Scrimizzi worked in industries including consumer goods, automotive and trade, which has led him to gain a wealth of experience and knowledge.
According to Mr. Scrimizzi, hiring the right people and retaining them, as well as engaging and gaining trust from staff, customers and headquarter are all challenging aspects of leading in Japan. Mr. Scrimizzi tries to recruit people with a sense of individuality and creativity instead of focusing too much on language capability. In doing so, he has created a team that is capable of adjusting to the Italian work culture which sometimes values individuality and initiative over structure and organization.
Over the years Mr. Scrimizzi has worked to gain trust and encourage innovation from his staff by listening to them through smaller meetings, allowing some margin for mistakes, and being consistent with his words and actions. Moreover, Mr. Scrimizzi has found that having face to face meetings between his Japanese customers and headquarters has also helped increase a “certain level of awareness and sensitivity on both sides.” These efforts have benefited his organization as Mr. Scrimizzi claims, “the level of detail, the level of attention, and that level of a need that Japanese customers have, probably has no matches in any other country in the world. So, if you're able to satisfy that, then what you gain is that you already have something which is ready and very reliable and good to be marketed in any other country in the world. “
Mr. Scrimizzi advises to any foreigner looking to lead in Japan to learn the Japanese language and use body language to communicate. Despite living in Japan for 26 years, Mr. Scrimizzi is also open to new experiences. He explains: “I'm always curious to learn…we still have to be prepared to be surprised and to learn that there are other aspects of the Japanese business culture that we have not understood yet.”
Once on the Board of Governors for the American Chamber of Commerce Japan, being Vice-President for six years and President for two, Glen Fukushima has an incredible wealth of knowledge in business, government and law. Studying at the prestigious Stanford and Harvard university, Mr. Fukushima worked in government including the Office of the United States Trade Representative where he was heavily involved in US-Japan trade negotiations. He then transitioned into the private sector, becoming Vice-President of AT&T Japan, President and CEO of Arthur D. Little, President and Chairman of Cadence Design Systems Japan, President, CEO, Chairman and Director of Airbus Japan, and now Senior Fellow at Center for American Progress.
Despite his experience in negotiation, Mr. Fukushima explains that leading a Japanese organization with a global headquarter had many challenges, largely due to different expectations and way of operation. For example, Mr. Fukushima recalls his struggle to convince headquarters to adjust the performance evaluation system in Japan and avoid firing people for being bad performers like they did in the US. He also found difficulty navigating between headquarters who expected detailed reports from him on business in Japan, and his direct reports, who only expected him to manage higher-level matters.
To deal with such challenges, Mr. Fukushima notes the importance of understanding Japanese values and respecting long-term relationships, as well as producing results. Mr. Fukushima also drew heavily on his diverse experience working in other American and European companies to persuade headquarters on how things are done differently in Japan. Additionally, Mr. Fukushima encouraged his Japanese team to interact with others outside of Japan on occasions such as regional meetings and visiting headquarters to establish better relations and broaden both cultures’ perspectives.
To encourage innovation, Mr. Fukushima worked on changing the Japanese risk-averse mind-set by rewarding those who would try out new ideas. Moreover, in leading multi-national organizations in Japan, Mr. Fukushima explains: “I think one of the selling points is that we're more innovative, we have new ideas, and to succeed in Japan, we can't do what the entrenched Japanese companies are already doing. Because unless we do something different and something better, we're not going to succeed.”
Mr. Fukushima gives fantastic advice for any foreigner who is going to Japan for the first time and will be leading a Japanese team. Firstly, he indicated the importance of understanding differences between Japan and the US and adjusting one’s actions to respect Japanese culture. Secondly, Mr. Fukushima advises to learn from others and seek those who are experienced in working in Japan such as joining study groups (benkyokai). Thirdly, he emphasizes that respecting continuity, consistency, and precedence are all very important in Japan. Therefore, it is important to understand and respect the history, instead of trying to change everything. Lastly, he notes the increasing diversity of Japan during recent times. Mr. Fukushima states: “On the one hand, you could talk about large traditional Japanese companies from the pre-war period, they've been around for a hundred years…And then on the other hand, you've got these newer companies that are…similar to Silicon Valley companies…So, one caution I would add is that you need to realize that there's tremendous diversity in Japan and know what kind of organization you're dealing with. “
Born and educated in France, Malik Roumane details his journey to Japan, revisiting his experiences at Saint-Gobain, Cartier, Van Cleef and Arpels, Carrera y Carrera, Classic Fine Foods, and now Edenred, where Mr. Roumane is the company President and CEO.
Mr. Roumane shares valuable insight in leading in Japan through patience, persistence and an open attitude. In order to enhance communication with his staff, Mr. Roumane actively participates in social events and has breakfast or online meetings with small groups to share about his life outside of work to create a more personal bond. By doing so, he believes his employees will in turn open up as well and be more trusting. He explains: “[In Japan] it takes more time for people to listen to you and to believe in your ideas…but when they [do believe it], they go for it. And they are extremely precise, they want to do things perfectly.”
Additionally, to increase employee engagement, Mr. Roumane encourages his team to take online classes, practice speaking English and take full advantage of digital tools. Mr. Roumane claims: “In order for people to develop, they need to be exposed to the outside world. And the outside world is education training seminars, talking to people, getting inspired.” Mr. Roumane leads by example and constantly pushes himself to be exposed to new ideas, which he believes has helped him manage business in Japan.
Based off his own experiences, Mr. Roumane gives fantastic advice for any foreigner who is looking to successfully lead in Japan. He emphasizes the importance of opening up and sharing one’s personal side to establish a more trusting bond, but advises to maintain a good balance and not overpromise in order to run a profitable business. Mr. Roumane adds the value of patience and persistency to win trust. He explains: “if you're persistent, people around you will say, “wow, this is somebody we can trust because this person has a view, has a vision, and he builds on this vision.”
Robert Noddin first arrived in Japan as an exchange student when he was at university. He attended Kansai University of Foreign Studies, before eventually going back to the United States where he started his career in the banking industry. Very soon after, Mr. Noddin received a job position with AIG, who he has been with ever since, and formerly served as President & CEO at AIG Japan Holdings.
Mr. Noddin gives fantastic insight to his experiences, detailing the importance of communication, trust, and accountability. Mr. Noddin states: “to me, leadership is about inspiring people to go somewhere that they wouldn't necessarily go on their own. Management is about, I got a set of tasks to do today.” Mr. Noddin holds open discussions across department on how to achieve clearly set objectives through each stakeholders’ point of view. These discussions help create a sense of ownership and accountability amongst his staff in producing quality work.
Additionally, attending social events outside of work and showing his “human side” has allowed Mr. Noddin to better engage with his employees. By building trust in this way, Mr. Noddin finds that his employees are more willing to seek advice when they are in conflict. “[Japanese people] have to put this façade on because that’s what culture expects…so give them the opportunity to break with that…it makes a big difference.”
To encourage innovation, Mr. Noddin launched a venture capital-like operation within AIG in which a select number of employees worked on a short-term project to launch a product from scratch. Mr. Noddin explains: “that [project] was probably the single most effective thing we've done here, in my stint, to be able to prove to people it's okay to be creative, it's okay to think differently. We even let them change their work hours.”
For newcomers to Japan, Mr. Noddin advises to stay resilient, focus on the objectives, and respect Japanese history and culture, commenting that anyone coming to Japan to lead should “try to show how you can use that to become competitive and unique and different in the Japanese market.”
Originally from the United Kingdom, Gordon Thom graduated from the University of Aberdeen and started learning Japanese before his career started in Japan. Mr Thom is the current Director of Nobasu Consulting, and shares his fascinating career progression leading Dyson's growth in the Japanese market and turning declining businesses around through patience and persistence.
When Mr. Thom initially joined Dyson, he was entering a challenging market that was 99% dominated by Japanese products. He gradually built up his Dyson Japan team starting in 1998 and took a “hands-on” approach in selling and promoting the product by meeting up with potential buyers along with the Japanese Sales Director. Early on, Dyson’s product was seen as “too big, too heavy and too noisy,” so Mr. Thom became determined to develop the right product for the Japanese consumers. He explains: “I think Japan is a fabulous place to be because the customer is very demanding, in terms of quality, obviously, reliability, appearance.” Overtime, Dyson developed a powerful, lightweight vacuum cleaner with a “No Loss of Suction” tagline and had a successful nationwide launch. The company’s market share grew from 0.5% in 2004 to 16% in 2005.
Mr. Thom moved on to lead the company’s US branch. Even when dealing with a much larger scale business with thousands of stores to distribute to and 100+ employees to manage, Mr. Thom held on to his “hands-on” sales approach and sold directly to buyers instead of using distributors. After successfully turning around declining multinational businesses including Electrolux and Bodum in Japan, Mr. Thom led the launch of Shark Ninja, a US-based appliance manufacturer in launching their products in Japan.
On leading in Japan, he advises to ensure whatever product or service is “right enough” for the Japanese consumer and to hire good people who can build on it. Mr. Thom further emphasizes that “people are critical” but “be prepared to take risks” and understand that “one can only change oneself. And the way to get people to change is, in a sense, to lead by example and behave the way you want your people to behave.”
Michael Magee previously worked as a Product Manager for Johnson & Johnson in Japan before working at EMC Japan, then 3M Asia Pacific, before finally stepping into his current role as the Managing Director of BRITA Japan.
Having been born and attending school in Japan, Mr. Magee already has the critical knowledge of Japanese language and culture that he recommends understanding before leading in the country. Through his experiences, Mr. Magee learnt that it is important to build relationships and trust with Japanese people and further comments that “the joy of working in Japan is really the relationships… If you have a friend, you can have friends for life.” His wealth of knowledge about Japanese business and people lead him to give fantastic advice about competitive dynamics, the importance of listening, and how to relate to people on a deeper level rather than a professional level.
Spencer Wolfe is the current Director of QuickerWeb Cloud Services, the Managing Director of CIRCLE, the Manager of TRIBE Support, and the CEO of AINEO Networks. Having first worked on a farm in Oregon (U.S), and studied both judo and Japanese in high school, Mr. Wolfe soon moved to Japan to begin his career journey in technology. He explains how he realised that he could deliver tech services better than what other companies were providing, and so his entrepreneurial journey began.
Throughout his story, Mr. Wolfe gives insight into how to manage people, including how to effectively communicate with Japanese employees. Additionally, Mr. Wolfe emphasises the importance of ‘running with champions,’ which he believes will greatly aid anyone who wants to be a champion themselves. His life and career experiences have given him an incredible work ethic and insight for advice to give those who want to lead in Japan.
Thorsten Pohl, Ex-President CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim Japan, talks about his global leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry, having worked across continents in Brazil, Spain, and Japan. From a young age, Mr. Pohl aspired to work abroad, growing up in Germany in the age of the European Union where he saw opportunities beyond the limits of his home country. Mr. Pohl joined Boehringer Ingelheim shortly after graduating from university with an Economics and Business Administration background, being drawn to the human centric values of the family-owned pharmaceutical company.
Mr. Pohl started working in Brazil during the first few years at the company, then became the Head of the Spain branch, before moving to Japan. Working in various cultures around the world, Mr. Pohl shares valuable insight on leading and motivating employees in the unique Japanese business culture. Moreover, Mr. Pohl values consistency, communication, and gaining consensus in order to build trust and effectively manage a team of 1600 people.
For newcomers in Japan, Mr. Pohl advises to “listen, watch, try to understand people…build relationships with people and see things through their eyes and be patient. But also say what you want and make people understand how you want to lead.”
Mike Alfant, Group Chairman and CEO at Fusion Systems and Chairman and CEO at Binfinity AG delves into his experiences leading in Japan. Mr. Alfant previously held the position of Vice President for The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan and currently is the President of the Tokyo American Club. In addition to this, he is also on the Board of Newport, Pasona Tquila and Healios KK, and has also advised at Stanford University and lectured at Keio Business School, Kyoto University and Temple University.
Mr. Alfant’s wide range of experiences clearly shows that he is true leader in the fintech industry of Japan. Mr. Alfant originally grew up in Brooklyn, New York and worked on Wall Street for roughly 10 years in the technical side of investment banking with his Computer Science background. Mr. Alfant became fascinated with Japan after a business trip, prompting him to move to Tokyo to start his first company, Fusion Systems.
Mr. Alfant explains the difference in work culture and leadership style between the US and Japan, in which he describes the former to be achievement oriented, and the latter to be process oriented. He explains, “what I needed to do [in New York] was clearly articulate a goal and essentially get out of the way. What I found in Japan was that I really needed to flush out the process and the process would then enforce itself based on the characteristics of the employees and the culture here.” Mr. Alfant additionally points out that Japan-based leaders need to have a long-term mindset like a marathon-runner to achieve definite results.
In order to increase employee engagement and motivation, Mr. Alfant tries to avoid interjecting and let others take initiative. He also makes many of his employees shareholders of the company so that they feel more ownership within the company. In order to build trust with his employees, Mr. Alfant talks about being consistent with his behaviour, and understanding how people pay attention to action rather than just words. He also adds leading a healthy lifestyle with meditation, exercise, and eating well has helped him achieve this.
Lastly, Mr. Alfant leaves excellent advice for those who wish to successfully lead in Japan.
He advises newcomers to “limit the scope of your vision and goals” and focus on achieving one or two business goals. Secondly, he advises people to have thick skin, and accept that Japan is a unique culture that will not easily change. Thirdly, Mr. Alfant advises people to explore the beautiful places in Japan as “the real Japan is not Tokyo. The real Japan is outside.”
Hideki Matsubara Summary
Mr. Hideki Matsubara began his career in government banking but switched into cosmetics, working for globally renown brands including L’Oreal, Lancome and Unilever. He then moved on to Miele, a German manufacturer of high-end household appliances where he currently serves as the President and Representative Director. Mr. Matsubara obtained his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania.
With a wealth of academic and real-life experience, Mr. Matsubara successfully revised a staggering business at the Swiss cosmetic company, La Prarie, as their first Japanese Managing Director and President. During this time in the early 2000s there was a boom in the high-end luxury brands and cosmetics, which Mr. Matsubara took advantage of, and increased La Prarie’s profit by 2.5 times. Mr. Matsubara was also blessed with mentorship from Chris McDonald, the late President of Rolex Japan who introduced him to the Swiss Chamber of Commerce where he has made invaluable connections with other talents.
Mr. Matsubara made the switch into Miele, where he leverage his experience with high-end consumers to revive the company’s Japanese market. There, Mr. Matsubara gradually turned around the business and gained the trust of his employees, which was challenging at first due to previous drastic changes. Comparing the Japanese, French, American and British way of leadership, Mr. Matsubara talks about the importance of having a framework, a clear structure of reporting lines, in order to gain trust and increase engagement in Japan.
Mr. Matsubara is often the mediator between the Japanese staff, clients, business partners, and German headquarters. He encourages his staff to communicate more by holding small group discussions, creating an internal communication committee, holding engagement surveys, and being open to implementing change through a bottom-up approach. To increase employee engagement, Miele holds celebrations, both large and small, including an annual celebration at the Roppongi Hills Club or cooking as a team building activity with Miele’s appliances. To maintain creativity, Mr. Matsubara values the company’s philosophy, Immer Besser, meaning better and better. To ensure constant growth in an engaging environment, Mr. Matsubara has set clear KPIs for each division so that outputs are quantifiable, while also valuing his employee’s voices, in the form of encouraging presentation of new ideas in senior meetings or having voluntary committees.
To newcomers in Japan, Mr. Matsubara advises them to learn the language, understand the culture and the way of the Japanese people in order to build trust and teamwork.
Originally from Australia, Martin Spann graduated from Bond University in 1991 with a major in Finance. He first arrived in Japan in 1993 and got his first job in the bank industry as a futures and options broker. Having gone back to Australia but continuing to study the Japanese language, Mr Spann soon found himself back in Japan with a leadership opportunity with the Japanese Government Bond Repo. Mr Spann joined his current company, the Commonwealth Bank, in 2010 where he became Country Head of Japan. In addition to this achievement, Mr Spann is also a member of the Australia and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan.
Through his 20+ years of industry and Japanese experience, Mr Spann delves into the challenges and success he faced leading in a country that can often be difficult to foreigners. Emphasising the importance of good communication and accepting Japanese culture, Mr Spann explains his style of management and why it is imperative to learn the Japanese language. Furthermore, Mr Spann gives fantastic advice for anyone who is thinking of leading and managing in Japan.
Peter Jennings was fresh out of Law school when he joined Dow in 1985 as an attorney. After representing the company in major legal cases, Mr. Jennings moved to Hong Kong in 1998 after accepting the role as legal counsel for Dow Asia-Pacific. He stayed in this region for six years and briefly took on major roles in the United States before stepping into his current position as President of Dow Japan and Korea. Furthermore, Mr. Jennings is the Vice President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan.
Mr. Jennings’ experience in the United States, Hong Kong and now in Japan has enabled him to gain a vast amount of knowledge about what it takes to be a good leader. He reflects back on lessons he learnt from his previous bosses and associates, and delves into the key components for being successful in Japan. Mr. Jennings further explores how he has been able to change the sometimes difficult Japanese business culture, which has allowed his Japanese employees and associates to feel more comfortable and trusted. Additionally, he talks about the importance of diversity and encouragement, and explains and exemplifies this by sharing success stories about women from Dow Japan. Finally, Mr. Jennings concludes by giving three key pieces of advice for any person who is hoping to work and lead in Japan.
Stefan Sacre, President CEO of Carl ZEISS Japan, originally came to Japan to pursue research in Tokyo University during the 80s. Dr. Sacre was fascinated by Japan, an emerging Asian power at the time, particularly in the semiconductor industry. He even remembers one of his professors in Germany saying “better watch out” as he predicted Japan to become the next superpower.
By the time he was around 30, Dr. Sacre had lost interest in research and became an advisor to the European Commission in metals of industrial corporation towards Japan. His experiencing working in the “bureaucratic” circle gave him key insights into the funding structure of projects, which gave him an edge once he started working at a German optoelectronics company, SICK. There, Dr. Sacre was hired to turn around the loss-making business as someone new to a leadership role. Dr. Sacre implemented new work habits and restructured the business strategy to focus on selling key products. To have these products accepted by Japanese clients through meticulous testing and communicating this back to headquarters was a major challenge he faced. Yet Dr. Sacre fortunately found like-minded colleagues and stayed persistent.
After three years, Dr. Sacre moved back to the company headquarters in Germany. By that time Dr. Sacre was married to a Japanese partner and decided to raise their children in Japan, he returned and became CEO of Bosch Rexroth in Japan. There, he managed a company of 1000 employees from originally leading 10-15 in his previous position. Dr. Sacre again had the challenge of communicating between headquarters and Japanese offices, and persuading those who were resistant to change. In addition, the organization was struggling from the impact of the 2008 Financial Crisis.
He then moved to Eagleburgman in Germany after 6 years in Bosch, and returned to Japan to resume the role of CEO at ZEISS Japan. At ZEISS, Dr. Sacre manages a team of approximately 350 people and is proud of the company’s reputation for integrity, long-term thinking and super advanced technology. Yet he has been confronted with difficulties that come from long-term success where people are reluctant to change from good to great. Dr. Sacre has taken on this challenge through constant communication and building trust, particularly by being transparent and consistent in his thought process and behaviour. To newcomers arriving in Japan, Dr. Sacre advises people to be open to learning without making any quick judgements based on your previous experiences, and accepting Japan as a well-functioning society.
Thierry Cohen, President of Japan Europe Trading and Founder of Solleone Bio, deep dives into Japan’s business culture to explain why it’s imperative to understand Japan before working in the country.
Although Mr. Cohen is Italian, he moved to Japan with his parents when he was three years old, having graduated from the high school St. Mary’s International School. Although Mr. Cohen could not speak Japanese, he did note that growing up in Japan gave him a familiarity advantage that many foreigners will not have. Mr. Cohen then travelled to England for University, having graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science, which guided him back to Italy where he worked for a few years. Briefly working in Australia, Mr. Cohen then found himself back in Japan and having gained the experience to work for his father’s company, Japan Europe Trading. He comments on the cleverness of his father as he gave Mr. Cohen a mid-level position in the company before he would allow him to become Vice President. In Japan, family businesses are quite common, so the concept of Mr. Cohen taking over his father as President of Japan Europe Trading was well accepted. However, Mr. Cohen delves into the issues that can arise from not understanding Japanese people and even explains some of his own mistakes.
Thierry Cohen goes in-depth about the dynamics and processes that he has within his own company and gives fantastic advice for foreigners who are planning to work in Japan. Overall, his experiences and messages emphasise the importance to learn, accept and embrace Japanese culture and people, as well as gaining their trust.
Markus Baron, member of the Board of Directors of the German Chamber of Commerce, and President and Representative Director of SGL Carbon Japan, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of products from carbon, talks about his journey from the IT world into sales and leadership. In 2003, while still a university student studying Mechanical Engineering in Germany, Mr. Baron founded the start company Eastbeam Co., which expanded to Japan, then founded Wazap AG in 2006. These early experiences working in both Germany and Japan gave Mr. Baron a strong foundation to be the leader of a multinational enterprise.
Mr. Baron is half-German, half-Japanese and speaks both the native languages as well as English. Through his experiences and his heritage, Mr. Baron shares his insights about the cultural and corporate differences between his two mother countries. Mr. Baron explains how in Germany, people have a strong sense of responsibility toward their own work and function according to their job description whereas in Japan, “the general principle is to basically be on one ship and help each other…but not always constructive in terms of how the company achieves it goals.” Mr. Baron also talks about overcoming the challenge of being a young leader and building credibility through his IT background and language skills. He additionally seeks advice from senior leaders within and outside of the company, including members of the German Chamber of Commerce.
Furthermore, with SGL being a small company of 55 people, Mr. Baron discusses his experiences of gaining trust from his staff through transparency, delegation and supporting employee engagement. He is mindful of giving praise and showing appreciation to create a safe space for innovation. Mr. Baron is also careful to take a step back from leadership when necessary so that his staff can take charge themselves.
Mr. Baron advises newcomers in Japan to learn the language and any form of Japanese art such as martial arts or sado to gain a deeper understanding of the culture and Japanese mindset. He also recommends interacting with local Japanese people by going to places like Shimbashi to find out “what the average employee talks about after five.”
Andreas Dannenberg, President and CEO of Adcomm Group, has been running his business marketing agency for over 30 years since arriving in Japan from Germany. As a boy growing up in West Berlin, Mr. Dannenberg dreamed of one day travelling Asia, which he fulfilled as an adult, capturing photographs of places in China that were unfamiliar to the rest of the world. The photographs he captured there were published in globally renowned magazines. This experience led him to land work in a film and photography firm in Japan. Soon after, he founded his first company, Ad-Media, a creative and strategic agency. Mr. Dannenberg credits his bold move to start a business in a foreign country to hard work and having a fundamental belief in oneself. His experience sailing across the Pacific and surviving a storm has also made him develop a strong mentality in facing challenges.
With a firm belief that his company could provide valuable strategic insight to clients that other agencies could not, Mr. Dannenberg first hired freelancers and then full-time staff to grow his business. As a leader, Mr. Dannenberg wants his staff to show accountability and initiative in analyzing problems and coming up with solutions. As a creative agency, he also points to the importance of thinking creatively but with comprehensive reasoning behind the thought process.
To maintain strong engagement with his staff, Mr. Dannenberg tries to communicate a holistic view of the business, by talking transparently in smaller groups or through one-on-one conversations. The company also holds social events where people can communicate in a more relaxed environment outside of work. Mr. Dannenberg is open to feedback, as long as some solutions are suggested. During the start of every project, when his staff are giving out ideas, Mr. Dannenberg is mindful of choosing the best idea, even if they overrule his. Additionally, he has had experience standing up to clients with unreasonable expectations to ensure proper working environment standards for his staff.
For newcomers in Japan, Mr. Dannenberg advises people to believe in their common sense, learn the language and culture, and be open to new information by being “an empty cup.” He explains: “Don't come here with a cup already full, [thinking] I know how businesses are run. Maybe you know that, but not necessarily how they're run in Japan. So listen, keep it open.”
Ross Rowbury, Former President of Edelman Japan, celebrated his 40th anniversary since first arriving in Japan as a Rotary Youth Exchange student. Mr. Rowbury began his career in the finance sector in banking and securities before moving on to PR roles specializing in finances. With several years of leadership experience in foreign financial firms, Mr. Rowbury made a smooth transition into PR where he embraced the creative and engagement aspect of the industry.
When the President of Edelman, the largest foreign PR firm in Japan with a rapidly growing team, Mr. Rowbury strived for strong communication and engagement with his staff, but took a conscious step back when necessary. He explains, “I think, the key thing is that the leader needs to be able to identify where those turning points or tipping points [of change] are so that [you] don't become a bottleneck in that process.” Delegation also plays a large part in managing such a large team. To better lead his 80 employees, Mr. Rowbury planned on welcoming a new COO to take on much of the operational decisions.
On the changing landscape of PR and modern audiences, Mr. Rowbury says ”you have to create a very strong narrative or storyline that makes them understand why it’s relevant or important to them, or they’re not going to stay there with you.” To make this possible, Edelman hires a diverse team of specialists who are talented planners and creatives, but do not necessarily “speak the same language” and work at various speeds. Mr. Rowbury tries to find the common ground between such differences through repeated discussions. He explains, “through a process of really intense discussions… over time, you are unable to get to a point where those three different definitions of product manager have actually melded into something that's unique for us. And that's where we want to be.”
In an ever-evolving world, Mr. Rowbury was aware of the younger employees’ need for transparency and involvement in decision-making processes to have more trust in leadership. Through his regular lunch meetings with junior staff, Mr. Rowbury learned of the stress younger generations and implemented a wellness day to promote better mental health.
To foster creativity in a mistake-free culture like Japan, Mr. Rowbury explains, “these days a relatively small mistake can actually result in quite a significant impact to the business so I'm not quite sure…[if] it's okay to go out and make mistakes, is exactly the right message. I think it needs to be refined a little bit more, with some parameters around what sort of mistake is okay to make and what is not.” Additionally, Mr. Rowbury explained that being able to admit to one’s mistake, recognize one’s weaknesses and constantly learn, are all essential factors in adapting to such a rapidly changing society.
Mr. Rowbury advises newcomers to Japan to remember the three Ps – patience, persistence, and politeness - something he was first told as a new arrival himself. He explains that in Japan, everything takes more time and money, but when done, the end result is better than anywhere else. Mr. Rowbury also encourages newcomers to not be afraid of making the ask, but maintaining politeness by using phrases like onegaishimasu (please) and soudan ga arimasu (I would like to consult you).
Mr. Fujita, President & CEO of Seimens K.K., began his career in the Japanese manufacturing industry at Alpine Electronics, then became a business consultant, before joining Siemens.
During his time at Alpine, Mr. Fujita worked in Germany and managed a team of European staff, which he found were strikingly different from his Japanese counterparts. Mr. Fujita explains how he has a “western/Japanese switch” that he can control in order to adjust to the two cultures. With the westerners, Mr. Fujita says he tries to speak in logical, short sentences, and keeps meetings to 30 minutes. However, with his Japanese staff, Mr. Fujita is careful in listening to them, and showing more empathy. Mr. Fujita explains “Japanese [do] want to talk in meetings but they are missing the timing to start talking.” According to Mr. Fujita, this is partly due to the Japanese desire for harmonization. As the Japanese head of a global company that requires much coordination with the Germany headquarter, this cross-cultural communication skill is vital for Mr. Fujita.
On innovation and leadership, Mr. Fujita explains the benefits of providing support and coaching for the staff to try to make them into “star” players. Mr. Fujita encourages people to learn from mistakes and rewards those that challenge themselves.
To be a successful leader, Mr. Fujita states, “in the West, trust means fairness” whereas in Japan, it’s more about being a transparent leader who is honest with good intentions. In order to blend into both cultures, Mr. Fujita recommends becoming an “insider” and trying to learn the culture and language to better understand the people and win their trust.
As a teenager growing up in Germany, Dr. Carolina Kawakubo was fascinated by Japan, which led her to study in Keio University as an exchange student from the University of Dusseldorf. Later, while pursuing her PhD in Business Management and Economics, Dr. Kawakubo began working as Marketing Manager at Henkel Japan. Dr. Kawakubo learned the different thought processes and quality expectations between Europe and Japan. In dealing with such differences, Dr. Kawakubo seeks to understand and talk with both the German headquarters and Japanese clients and find a common ground where the customer is satisfied with the product at a feasible price.
After earning an MBA from Beijing Normal University and teaching for a few years, starting a family, and freelancing for different companies between Japan, US, and Germany, Dr. Kawakubo started working at MedSkin Solutions. In taking on the role of General Manager of MedSkin as a woman with many older male employees, Dr. Kawakubo explains, “I personally think it's more about bringing in new ideas and actually performing and bringing in business. I'm also lucky that in my industry 99% of the clients tend to be women. It's also easier to present the product convincingly, because you can talk from your own experience.”
In encouraging innovation, Dr. Kawakubo refers to the saying: “Europeans like old things and new ideas and the Japanese like old ideas and new things.” In Japan, many companies push for innovation in products and technical processes but according to Dr. Kawakubo, “the real challenges is in social processes and in social values.” She adds “Tokyo looks like an extremely high-tech modern city, but if you live here, you start to see that under that surface society in many ways, [they] still follow [traditional] values.” To overcome these restrictions, Dr. Kawakubo relies on her global background to bring in new ideas and perspectives, which she finds many Japanese people are interested in hearing. She also stays takes extra care in staying patient and giving Japanese employees and clients enough time to open up, holding regular face to face meetings. Although as a woman leader, she still faces challenging situations such as dealing with discriminatory comments, Dr. Kawakubo describes it not necessarily as a cultural but human problem that needs to dealt with confidence.
Dr. Kawakubo advises new arrivals in Japan to learn the language, take special care in not blaming everything on Japanese culture, and picking one’s battles. Dr. Kawakubo refers to the subtle Japanese language nuances that can only be understood by those that speak the language. For example, if a Japanese client says “we will think about it,” it will most likely mean they are not interested. If one does not understand these subtleties, communication can be a struggle. Furthermore, Dr. Kawakubo is careful to not fall into the temptation of blaming challenging situations on Japanese culture and generalizing. Lastly, Dr. Kawakubo advises to pick your battles, and understand what can be and what cannot be changed in Japan. She says: “[it’s] the art of the possible. You have to make sure if what you want to do is actually feasible. So you should have somebody who's very familiar with the Japanese industry and at the same time, ambitious enough to question that… you have to have somebody who knows both sides and who can be a consultant to you.”
Pierre Gaulis, founder and CEO of CREAM, a digital agency, came to Japan 13 years ago as a new graduate from Switzerland. Taking intensive Japanese language classes and providing free-lance consulting, he eventually started working as a project manager at GPlusMedia, an online media company. He later became their business development manager which allowed him to build the foundation of an entrepreneur to start CREAM. CREAM researches, designs and develops digital products, services and experiences to help mid-large multinational companies achieve their digital transformation. As a small, close-knit company, CREAM works with agility, backed by digital native employees, the majority in their late twenties. Shortly after a year of founding the company, the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake hit Japan and business stagnated. Despite many foreigners leaving the country, Mr. Gaulis stayed to strengthen the company structure including building prototypes, improving the website and developing trusting relationships with his employees and clients.
CREAM is a multicultural organization with 80% non-Japanese employees or those who have had international experiences. This unique mix of Japanese and foreign culture allows the company to have a deeper understanding of any communication issues between Japanese and foreigners which helps when dealing with multinational corporations. In leading this international team, Mr. Gaulis tries to instil a sense of responsibility and accountability within each individual. He insists that his team stay engaged and genuinely care for the well-being of the organization and “recognize that they are responsible for the relationship first and foremost with the clients and with their teammates.” In addition to engagement, Mr. Gaulis explains the vitality of hiring the right candidates to stay creative and keep growing as a company. To assess whether the candidate can work in challenging environments with high creativity, they take a personality test as part of the recruiting process. Mr. Gaulis’ leadership style is to be empathetic towards people and understand their needs and aims to build trust. He also encourages his team to provide feedback to each other and take risks as he sees failure and mistakes as an investment for future growth. For newcomers to Japan, Mr. Gaulis advises the importance of staying committed, finding local partners who know the local market and network, and hyper localizing to fit the Japanese market needs.
Richard Dyck, President of TGK-Japan, a semiconductor testing company as well as many other companies, originally visited Japan as a student in 1965. With a PhD in the field of semiconductor from Harvard University, Dr. Dyck began working at General Electric’s Japanese office. Dr. Dyck worked closely with Jack Welch, Senior VP of GE at the time, and was responsible in building the material business in Asia, with a focus on Japan. Among many things, Dr. Dyck learned from Welch’s hard work ethics and his value-based pricing strategy. Dr. Dyck then moved to Teradyne, a Boston based manufacturer of semiconductor equipment, leading the Asia operations for 20 years. He then went on to establish his independent company after a management buy-out of Teradyne’s high speed connection system business, starting at $8 million. Dr. Dyck describes the first 10 years as “more rewarding than anything [he] had done before.”
After selling his company that grew to $50 million, Dr. Dyck then became involved in Japan Industrial Partners, a private equity specializing in carve-outs of businesses from large Japanese corporations. When the firm bought out a spindle motor business from The Japan Victor Company, Dr. Dyck took on the role of leading the $300 million business with a large factory in Thailand and a labour force of 5000 employees. He was confident in using the Japanese approach of quality control and quality circles. He “ became a huge fan and still place a lot of value in the Japanese approach to a manufacturing operation…and it is very effective, not only in Japan but…in Thailand and China.” Dr. Dyck also serves on the board of Hitachi Chemicals, which he describes is another “experience at looking at a Japanese company from the inside.”
On leading in Japan, Dr. Dyck highlights focusing on customer satisfaction and relationship building as the key to gaining credibility among clients and the team. Communication among all operations within and outside of the Japan office is also crucial, ensuring there is constant feedback getting communicated back to headquarters. In Teradyne, Dr. Dyck’s employees were on a team commission, in which teams were rewarded instead of individuals for their performance. Dr. Dyck also encourages his team to face their mistakes and learn from defective products calling them “treasures.” He holds regularized engineering reviews to ensure quality and performance standards are maintained. Dr. Dyck also participates in social activities such as playing softball and volleyball to build team engagement outside of work. He is always trying to be honest and open to learning from his employees.
On Innovation in Japan, he sees more and more Japanese companies fund businesses within their organization, treating it like a start-up company. Dr. Dyck talks about the challenge of collaboration in the academic field, in which departments within the same university do not have a collaborative mindset. Dr. Dyck also thinks letting employees work in one specific position instead of rotating them, would lead to more specialists who are skilled within their area of expertise with a strong network.
He advises newcomers to Japan to be ready and willing to learn from Japan and figure out what you can bring to your company that differentiate you from a local Japanese employee. Dr. Dyck also addresses the value of spending time with the customers in Japan to build relationships to be able to provide the best solution for them.
Jeremy Sampson, Managing Director of Robert Walters Japan, originally started his career at Hilton Hotel in Australia, before moving to Japan to teach English. He joined Robert Walters as an Associate in 2005. In 2008, Mr. Sampson became the team manager specializing in manufacturing and heavy industries, coinciding with the Global Financial Crisis.
Looking back, Mr. Sampson thinks of this difficult time as a “year of learning” in which he worked to instil “great habits, great processes, and great discipline.” This put his team in a strong position when the market rebounded in 2010, making them one of the highest performing teams among all offices in Japan. During this time, Mr. Sampson explains how he learned the importance of being a leader that leads by example, working hard and setting clear expectations to earn the trust of his employees. He says: “if you're doing the same things that you're asking others to do, I think that is quite powerful and impacts people…[to] follow suit.” He also explains the power of accountability: “I think when people know that you would be checking in to see how something went, it creates accountability and there's more responsibility to do what's asked.”
To grow his team and organization, Mr. Sampson worked to further specialize in the manufacturing, chemical and energy industries. The division grew from 20 people to over 50 people by 2018, at which point Mr. Sampson had become Managing Director. In managing a larger team, Mr. Sampson talks about learning to lead through other people, welcoming feedback, and being consistent with his communication to ensure it reaches all levels of the organization. To make this possible, Mr. Sampson takes part in all first day training for new hires and communicates his leadership principles throughout the induction training process. He also has coffee with the new employees in small groups after their first month to check in with them and reinforce the organizational values. The company also has offsite meetings to have brainstorming and feedback sessions, which Mr. Sampson and the other directors review at a later time.
In retaining his employees, Mr. Sampson sticks to his simple philosophy of “hiring good people, developing them well and keeping them happy.” This not only includes financial rewards and promotions but being a genuine leader that provides a caring work culture. Mr. Sampson constantly communicates to his employees how he is there to help them in their careers and develop their skills, providing necessary training. As a result, Robert Walters has been ranked 16th in the Great Place To Work Institute Japan ranking in 2019, winning the best company award. When explaining how he keeps his employees happy, Mr. Sampson claims, “it's the simple fun things from company parties to drinks on a Friday afternoon, [as well as] actual initiatives.” For example, the organization has a voluntary wellness committee that plans activities related to health and wellbeing.
For newcomers to Japan, he advises them to learn the Japanese culture and landscape first. Secondly, building trust and engagement among employees especially during a time of labour and talent shortage. Lastly, he highly recommends building a networking in Japan’s international business community, which he assures is very welcoming.
Laurent Depus, President of Natixis Japan Securities, the Japanese branch of French bank corporation Natixis, has been working in Japan for over 30 years. Originally from Belgium, he aimed to become an English and Spanish interpreter but changed his career course when he joined Chase Manhattan Bank in Luxemburg as a trader. After experiencing various management positions in the financial sector, Mr. Depus joined Natixis in 2014.
Mr. Depus observes successful organizations need to establish three main pillars. First is to have a profitable business model. Second is to have regulated governance. Third is to have a strong company culture.
During his time at SMBC Trust Bank, he built these three pillars for the company from the ground up. He especially notes the challenge he had of creating a strong company culture in the complex Japanese workplace. Although very hierarchical, Mr. Depus observes that the Japanese decision-making process is more participatory than the west. He explains how vital it is to establish trust within one’s team to ensure everyone is moving towards the same direction. This is a challenge especially in a non-confrontational culture like Japan where people may seemingly agree with the boss but silently resist. Additionally, Japanese staff may be wary of foreign managers as they are seen as short-term workers who will move onto another position in 2-3 years. In navigating such challenges and winning trust, Mr. Depus emphasizes the importance of being genuine, honest and transparent. He says, “I think once people have realized that you are honest and genuine, the ice will crack. Trust will be generated. And once you have trust, mistakes can be made. You can make mistakes and your staff can make mistakes. But there's no hard feelings because there is trust, like in any…family.” Mr. Depus adds that when there is trust, more people come forward with new ideas, creating a momentum for creative innovation.
Mr. Depus advises newcomers of Japan to be prepared, detail-oriented, and honest in order to gain trust. He explains, “in the Benelux where I'm from, I would only get a transaction when I had the best price. [But in Japan], once the relationship is created, it's usually more than just a simple, pure business, [but a] product-oriented relationship.”
Vijay Deol originally came to Japan to teach English in rural Kyoto before starting at en world, a global recruiting company where he now serves as Regional Director.
During his first 8 years, Mr. Deol worked his way up to Sales Director ast enworld before becoming President of a British multinational recruitment firm. As the sole employee in Japan, Mr. Deol grew the firm to about 30 staff by the time he left in 2017, to make return to en world.
He currently leads en world Japan, Australia and Singapore, managing approximately 350 employees.
Mr. Deol constantly puts en world’s vision of nyuushago shuukatsu, Enabling Success, to practice in order to effectively lead a large and diverse team. He emphasizes the importance of hiring the right talent, continuous improvement and active listening.
For example, Mr. Deol admits his own mistakes in company meetings to encourage his staff to be more creative without fearing failure. To understand and address the different demands and expectations of his staff, Mr. Deol holds one-on-one sessions, live engagement surveys and provides opportunities for career development.
They have successfully launched LinkedIn Learning for their staff to take free online course. Mr. Deol stays updated on trends in the industry by looking at investor relations reports from competitors to use as a benchmark for en world. He also points out the importance of understanding the various priorities his staff have in order to offer suitable incentive and maintain engagement.
For his younger, millennial and generation Z staff, Mr. Deol explains, “I think, [their] highest priorities are, [the] opportunity to learn, develop, and work in an independent and flexible way.” This, in turn, leads to greater motivation, satisfaction and retention for the company.
Robert Heldt, founder and President of Custom Media, an award-winning bilingual media agency, originally started his career in the Maladives in the hospitality industry. Founded in 2008, Custom Media company had a rough start following the Lehman shock, but picked up soon after launching the bilingual lifestyle travel magazine WITHIM and BCCJ Acumen, the British Chamber of Commerce magazine, which recently celebrated its 10th year anniversary.
Additionally, they help create ACC Journal of the American Chamber of Commerce, The Canadian of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, INTOUCH of Tokyo American Club and Mansion Global, a luxury real estate magazine.
In 2013, the company won the prestigious British Business Award for their success.
Starting as a close-knit team of just 3-5 staff, Mr. Heldt talks about the difficulties of recruiting and retaining a multicultural group of people in today’s Japanese workforce.
Communicating amongst different cultural nuances is another challenge. Yet he also points out that diversity gives them their creative edge. Mr. Heldt strives to lead with flexibility, patience and personal positivism to build better rapport with his staff.
He says, “you need to be a good listener…I [try] to nurture that style of work environment where everybody, no matter, [what] age or seniority in the organization can share their opinion, can share their idea...that really helps to get buy-in and engagement from the team.”
He welcomes mistakes to be openly discussed and rewards hard work through incentives like career development opportunities. In doing so, he believes he is able to create a transparent and engaging team that feels a sense of purpose in working at Custom Media.
Generally speaking, compared to other nationalities, they are a bit more reluctant to state their opinions so you have to know that, and cater for that by asking for opinions and waiting. They do however speak amongst themselves, so another useful source of information is having fellow Japanese people who are willing to come and tell you the vibe of things going on.
I have found in Japan there are two extremes. People who do not speak English well, but want to speak English, and people who speak English perfectly well but would rather speak Japanese.
Employees always rate the company and their job satisfaction as very low in Japan, but that is a cultural bias, no matter whether you survey Japanese companies or foreign companies in Japan.
I tried to go out once a month with my direct reports and I expected my managers to do the same with their direct reports.
I always tried to hire people who were smarter than me, and then trusted their judgement.
We tried to share best practices, for example, instead of each division writing their own internal guidelines, we would come up with the best template and distribute it. Internally, I found this worked well, but externally with clients, I would sometimes run into the problem of the clients employees not taking it on, because it was not from their own rules.
My philosophy is you do not fire someone without a cause. You coach them, you involve HR, you come up with a plan and you give them time to implement it. If nothing changes, then you say maybe this is not the place for you. It is different to if they are not performing or they do something contrary to code of conduct. But in most cases, I found if someone was not fitting in, either because they could not get along with people, or they could not perform to the level required, if they had a sense of pride, then they would look for another position of their own accord.
I have generally found that Japanese are good at taking an idea from another country and rejigging it for the Japanese market, so that concept of kaizen.
Foreigners have a tendency is fill silence, but in Japan, it is important to not try and fill up and space, but use it as a pause to allow Japanese people to speak up. Another useful tactic is to ensure that someone is asking their opinion before the meeting. It is easier to get opinions outside the meeting.
If you have a situation where the company is not doing what you ask them to do, then it is a big problem, because Japanese will turn any organization into the Japanese model of not-for-profit, market share driven organization if they can. Profit is seen as inefficient, because you have to pay tax, and then give what is left to the shareholders, so it is better to expense it in hiring more people and having a larger organization.
Foreign companies that are successful in Japan are successful because they are not doing what everyone else is doing. A good mix of Japanese and foreign staff is necessary. You need a good mix of people who have experience in the market and people who come over with new ideas so that they can work with each other. Having a dialogue and coming up with the best approach is ideal. You shouldn’t have too much of one or the other. If you have a completely American organization in Japan, it's not going to work. If you have a completely Japanese organization, it's just going to be like every other Japanese company. So, I think the advantage is having that mix.
The standard dress code is much more formal in Japan than many other countries, even including other Asian countries. Casual Friday, for example, is not a thing here in Japan.
I have had to make sure in meetings, as the boss, that I do not state my opinion first, because then there will just be silence and no one will be willing to speak up. While in other countries, you are free to question the boss, and even say to a certain extent that I do not agree with this, in Japan, it would be a disaster.
One thing that is excellent about Japan is the network of expats. You just need to ask the questions. You hear a big noise about how different Japan is, about how tough it is, but once you get here, and you ask questions of expats, and you experience things with an open mind as to why and how they are occurring, you can pick up simple things and start connecting the dots.
You have not come here to be comfortable. You have come here for the challenge, so throw yourself into it and learn and have fun. Remember you have come to Japan, Japan is not going to change for you, so you need to work out how to go with the flow of what cannot be changed in Japan but influence what you can influence in the patch of Japan that you are being entrusted with.
Nodding and smiling and saying yes does not necessarily mean they agree with you. You need to ask questions in such a way as to the answer might be negative, because if the answer can be given in the affirmative, then they will do so whether or not they actually are saying yes in the way Westerners understand it. Japanese have an extraordinary poker face and body language that is hard to read. So asking questions where the answer might be negative is vital if you are to find out if they are actually in agreeance and things will happen, or they are just saying that they hear what you are saying.
I want my employees to make mistakes, because that way you will learn. If you make the same mistake again, you are foolish. If you make the same mistake a third time, then please find a new job. Making mistakes is not frowned upon at all under my leadership, but the same mistake three times is not acceptable because it means you have not learned from it, and I cannot have someone on my team that cannot learn.
Silos are also something you need to watch out for in Japan, such as silos of individual work space, silos of job descriptions, because they have a drive for perfection and they are very used to not really knowing what other people are doing. The concept of helping each other with their jobs is not very common in Japan so it has been one of the challenges I have faced in Japan in getting my team to do multiple jobs and help each other with those tasks.
To drive improvement, I ask the team to point out what went wrong. They need to develop that awareness of when things are going well or going poorly, as well as if I tell them what went wrong, there is a chance they will not accept it and then our solution implementation is going to negatively impacted.
I work hard to build a one on one bond with my employees so trust is shown and more easily reciprocated. We also have no clocking in, clocking out machines, no walls, glass everywhere. It is a very specific and intentional approach towards creating trust. Trust does not come with telling someone that you trust them. Trust comes from actions and behavior and how you create the environment.
One thing I tell my team a lot is to keep your ego out of it. It is not about me being right or you being right or anyone being right. It is about the best solution for that problem in alignment with the company strategic priorities.
When a solution presented by a staff member shows a lack of alignment with the company strategic priorities, then I know I have a bigger problem, which is that they do not understand the strategic vision and this is a real issue. So I make sure that we constantly reaffirm the company strategic priorities in our meetings, our overarching value is “good for you, good for the company.”
It is easy to digress and get distracted in life, in business. So you need to keep re-focussing on the priorities and a good way to do that is via constant reaffirmation of the overarching values and mission.
Businesses in Japan are always facing the dual issue of delivering 100% at the cost that the consumers want. It’s a constant battle for all companies. This is one of the Japan only issues. In other countries, 90% delivery is fine.
The other part of leadership is the expats families. If they are not comfortable, if they are not enjoying the place, then the leader will not last long. It takes effort and the right mindset. It takes learning Japanese, even just a little bit, because extra effort in understanding Japans culture is very much respected overall by the Japanese.
As a leader, I learned to not compete on things I did not have expertise in. I had a financial background, not a technical background, so there was no use trying to convince technically strong employees on that front – I had to use financial data as facts in order to convince my employees to accept that things needed to change in order to grow on the global scale that I wanted.
While I accept there are differences in practices between cultures, I think the basics of people are the same. People are motivated to learn, to grow, to advance. Young people particularly, regardless of culture, are willing to challenge themselves and are not afraid to try and even fail.
We invested heavily in the company computer systems so that all staff can, at the touch of a button, contact any other member of our overseas team. So, apart from being conscious of time differences, there is no excuse for a lack of communication. We communicate, even at the Japanese headquarters, mainly in English and what I encourage the most is everyone just having a go, it can be horrible English with just a bunch of words together but there will always be someone in the meeting who can translate so it is vital that people gets a chance and just tries. Bit by bit, they will realise no one`s English in the company is perfect and that just trying to communicate is the key.
We never fire people for making a mistake, even if it is a big one because they tried, so they are not penalized and in fact we set up challenge systems within the company to recognize employees globally who met the challenge, made the contribution and tried.
We also bring managers to Japan and take Japanese managers to our other offices in India and China and Europe etc, so as many people as possible, can see first-hand how our business operates in different cultures. It is expensive to do this, but I see it as an investment in my people, in team building and in my company.
I think while money is important to people, they have bills to pay after all, but recognition in so far as being trusted to take on certain roles and responsibilities is a bigger motivating factor in my company.
When I took over the company, and instigated the global expansion, I had to be very precise and transparent about my messages. I would send the messages in English and Japanese to the employees about where we were and where we wanted to go. I would outline the broad plan and then ask different groups into meetings to plan, plan, plan – down to the detailed plans. This was how I built ownership from the employees into the global plan, and changed the company culture from a One-King culture, top-down strong leadership style that my father used, to a style that was more suited to me and what I had learnt in the US
I think a problem in Japan is we ask people to choose a specialization at far too early an age. For example, once you go down a science path, you do not learn management or business skills, so we end up with highly skilled workers but only in their particular field, and that puts us at a competitive disadvantage because in many other Western countries, even if you major in science, you still get a liberal arts education, which basically teaches you the leadership and communication skills you need anyway.
In Japan, a well-mannered conversation is based on listening, to fully understand and make an in-depth comment. Feedback is only considered appropriate at work, feedback to people at your own level is considered aggressive. You need to be very careful giving feedback to Japanese people, listen carefully to what they are trying to do and the reasons they are doing that.
Personal relationships are key in Japan. Japanese have hospitality in their DNA, so show some interest in the culture and people will be more likely to engage with you. It helps build trust.
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Once you walk the talk over a given period of time as a leader, you gain trust, and then people will follow you, instead of just doing what you say. Then you start getting buy-in and ideas and you can work cross-functionally.
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On engagement surveys, if you are giving a very low score, then you should not be coming into the office. If you are not going to be part of the solution, then you should reconsider your career and job. Engagement scores however tend to coincide with big decisions, e.g. head count freezes has a negative impact on scores, but bonus time has a positive impact. It is also not helpful to compare countries against other countries. It is about trends and patterns and feedback. You are always going to get people who score low, but it is when you see big swings that you know there is an issue.
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I used to think that my job was to find a local leader to replace me once I moved on, but I have realized we are an international company and rotation is a better solution, so succession plans are not just country-based, they are global.
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While it may not be a fantastic analogy, chopping the tree down from the top takes a long time. If you wedge things in the tree all the way up, the tree will fall the way you want it to fall.
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The unwillingness to change in Japan is strong. We have long had an innovations/idea box and you can put your name on it or not, but we would offer prizes and that encouraged people to put their names on it. But then we received feedback that the idea then became the responsibility of the person who suggested it, and yet often it was not even about their own division. So we created a business development department that reported directly to the CEO, and they can then tackle any strategic ideas that need to be implemented cross-functionally. It was a great tool to get ideas out of heads and onto paper and then to receive quick feedback on that idea by a specialist department who was responsible for it.
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Employee meetings are held quarterly and they are mandatory to the extent I myself would walk the floor to see who was not in attendance. There would be various presentations but it was designed as a forum for communicating what needed to be communicated.
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I used to have a pizza lunch every 3 weeks with the newcomers where they would have to answer 5 questions and I would have to answer the same 5 questions honestly. It helped build trust and exposure. My door was always open. I would meet with anyone and everyone.
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Sharing personal stuff really helps brighten engagement. I do it because it is just me and how I am but especially in Japan, I realized it was seen as a really big deal. My view is you do not need to be a rock or some kind of impenetrable individual. You are a human, you have a family, you have a dog, you have issues, so its okay to relate to people and have them relate to you. You should not stop a weekend activity you have been enjoying for decades just because you are the CEO or whatever.
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I think it is important to be careful what you wish for because changing things that are inherent to a culture, even if they sometimes cause frustration, would fundamentally change the country. Manage the business with the environment you have. Use it to your advantage.
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Do not be brainwashed by some of the things you have been told about Japan either by foreigners who are new to the country or who have been there a long time. There are as many challenges in Japan as they are in any other countries. Focus on the good and where there are growth opportunities. Yes, it can be a flat market in general but pick your battles and look for areas you can innovate in. You need to think and you need to ask for help. Consultants can often give you insights into the market from a bigger picture and help you develop those plans, as well as point out where you can hit to grow your business, grow your career and grow your family. So be open-minded, draw your own conclusions and enjoy the ride.
President and Chief Executive Officer Interbrand Japan
Previously Chief Strategy Officer Interbrand Serving to a wide range of clients on a broad set of management issue centered around brand while leading a strategy group. Senior Manager at Kurt Salmon
Senior manager at global management consulting firm responsible for sales, project delivery and organization development
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- Kervin Go Country Manager Curvature Japan Curvature is the global leader in providing third party maintenance covering Cisco Networking and large enterprise storage systems such as Netapp andEMC to large enterprise customer and telecommunications companies.
Senior Account Executive Curvature Japan Markets - Direct selling of products and maintenance service to the Japan market since 2007, successfully developed and acquired new customer who are the INCUMBENT Telco players and ISP, Major Financial (Banking) institutional customers, Fortune 500 Japanese Manufacturers in Automotive, Pharmaceutical field as well as Multinationals operating in Japan.
- Kervin Go Country Manager Curvature Japan Curvature is the global leader in providing third party maintenance covering Cisco Networking and large enterprise storage systems such as Netapp andEMC to large enterprise customer and telecommunications companies.
Akihiko Kubo: Japan Representative Director of Williams Lea Tag, leading providers of marketing and communications supply chain services
Prior to joining Williams Lea Tag, Aki Kubo held the position of President and then Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Group Japan. As the first local president, he managed six operating companies across advertising, digital planning, PR, activations, social media and digital media planning and buying.
Previously, Aki Kubo spent two and a half years as CEO, President of Weber Shandwick, where he helped blue chip global and local clients to retain and enhance their corporate reputations.
During more than 27 years at McCann Erickson, Aki Kubo worked his way up from Account Executive to Managing Director of McCann Erickson International, where he handled a wide variety of high profile clients across both the B2B and B2C space. In 2007, he moved with McCann Erickson to London to take on the role of Global Business Director.
Luke Verwey
While every country has its nuances, it is about finding the calibration point between the goals of the multinational company you work for and what resonates / can be adapted to the local market and workforce. Its about leveraging global strengths while respecting the local culture.
Language is obviously a big challenge when it comes to communication. So even if I conduct a town hall meeting with representatives from every area of my business, and they appear to be listening and nodding does not mean that people are receiving the message in the way I intend it to be delivered. You have to communicate over and over, but also find platforms that allow for conversations with differing levels of the organization.
I have to be cognizant that I am not a millennial and I do not think the way the core of my organization thinks so bottom up approaches are vital to engagement and innovation.
In Japan, the why is extremely important. In some of the other Asian markets, you can get away with just saying that something needs to be done, but in Japan, the why in detail, of the matter is very necessary.
While in Japan, hierarchy is respected, decision making is very collective, so it is a tricky thing to manage. You have to try and balance the different needs and different objectives of speed vs the in-depth consultation to really drive engagement in your organization.
Broad sweeping statements like Japanese dont like change are not helpful. Most people in most countries dont like change. Its about how you communicate that change without actually talking about change. Japan loves innovation, so talk less about change and more about the positive impacts of innovation.
We talk about what people do and how they do it. We want a high performing culture but not via driving bad behavior and individual agendas. Continuous two-way dialogue is necessary, it allows us to drive impact down the organization but also allows the employees to drive their voices up.
Listening is vital. Feedback in Japan is given indirectly and subtly so you have to be very clued-into the high contextual element of what is being said, because you are unlikely to get more than two chances to pick up on it before the person stops saying what needs to be said. And as an international leader, you need to hear what is being said.
There is no single Japanese playbook. Take the time to really understand people, that is much more useful than talking about doing things the Japanese way.
Take every opportunity to learn. Get out on the weekends into the country so you see new things and learn new things. Try to understand what the local topics are and what people think about them. It helps you correlate more data points about the market, the country and where your organization fits.
When you lead people, you have to lead them in a way they are going to follow. In Japan, when you teach a class, you line people up in order of seniority and you stand in front of the class. It seems very regimented but everyone is perfectly comfortable because they know their role and where they are supposed to be so that allows for performance to be maximized. In the USA, that kind of a set up would make everyone very uncomfortable and inclined to rebel. To make people feel comfortable and improve performance in the USA, its better to put everyone in a circle so there is no feeling of unnecessary hierarchy. Now, sometimes its useful to put people in uncomfortable situations as a way to challenge them but you need to do it with a specific purpose in mind and that is a call you need as a leader need to make.
A good culture is one where there is a shared sense of purpose and values, and being very upfront about tying that purpose to the actions you/your team are taking. You have to be consistent about that, because especially in Japan, that is the difference between creating a winning culture and a chaotic culture. A shared sense of purpose, professionalism and empowerment create sustainability, where your team can deal with the highs and lows.
In the Shop Japan Business, I looked at our call centre staff as extensions of the customer. They understood the customer because they spent so long speaking to them every day so they took on characteristics of the customer．VOC stands for voice of the customer but really it was at least 50% the voice of the communicator (our call centre staff). It helped us turn morale around because we actively listened and heard. Especially in Japan, if you show that the least empowered voice is going to be listened to, you create a tremendous amount of morale. It also creates innovation – if every new idea has to come from the top, then you are in big trouble.
I always caution Western leaders unfamiliar with Japan is to not fill up empty space. Ask a question and hold yourself back as the silence drags and wait for an opinion. Also try to never have the first word. Let someone else conduct the meeting and then at the end bring things together.
While the easiest way to teach in Japan is to line everyone up, the easiest way to run a meeting is to be overly attentive and give everyone the opportunity to voice their opinion．Getting buy-in from your Japanese team is really hard but when you get that buy-in, you absolutely over-perform.
Japanese employees are looking to make a long-term emotional commitment to where they work so they look for the same level of commitment from their leaders. For foreign leaders on 3 – 5 year postings, I recommend not just speaking with your inner circle. Everyone is meaningful, so have different events where you can show that you are caring about the voice of your employees and avoid being too focused on one group over others, gives you a balanced view of what is going on in the organization.
My acronym for leadership is VICES, which stands for vision, integrity, competency, efficiency and sustained success.
Poor performance and good performance are easy to deal with. It is mediocre performance that is more difficult to deal with.
Trust your people, let them know they are trusted but that it is an open process where people are also accountable.
New leaders need to be patient. The leader that will make the biggest changes is the one that listens and truly gains insight
Identify who are the biggest obstacles in your organization and remove them immediately and publicly. This is the only way that engagement, empathy and trust principles work.
Yasuaki Mori Ex-CEO Of Infineon Technologies Japan: EPISODE #1 Japan's Top Business Interviews
Yasuaki Mori is a European, Asia and North American technology growth executive in the disruptive mobility, automotive, IIoT and cyber security markets.
He has grown businesses from $200 to $700M and scaled organization from 100 to 200+ people, developed go-to market strategies and rebuilt, converted, strengthened organizations in sales, marketing, channel, system/application engineering, product quality, HR, finance. marcom, logistics and government affairs.
He is a multi-lingual & multi-cultural executive (French, Japanese, English) with professional networks in Europe, US and Asia.
Summary Points
- Joint venture sales are tough because both parties are in the same market with a focus on synergies but occasionally you end up in a competitive situation. When the joint venture parties are from different cultures, e.g. Japanese and German, you need trust and understanding, however both are exercised differently in the different countries. For example, in Japan, harmony is exercised through Honne (real truth) and Tatemae (façade), but in Germany it is exercised by people giving their true opinion, so it can be tough for employees and clients to deal with.
- We used to have meetings where only the leadership spoke. After the earthquake and tsunami in Northern Japan several years ago, we held daily meetings in order to keep operations moving, and as things calmed down, we cut the meetings down to once a week and then once a month. However, when we tried to cut the meetings out altogether, the employees asked for it to be kept on as a standard part of our procedures. It become a town hall meeting where people, not just the leadership contributed.
- Unofficial communication in Japan is superb and it would be good to be able to tap into that to make it more corporate and help shake off the communication silos.
- Middle management is what tends to the blockage point, not because they wanted to block things, but because we as senior management were not paying enough attention to what feedback they were giving about our discussions about strategy etc. What a strategy means for senior management has a totally different meaning for the lower ranks and middle management needs to be engaged and coached on how to spread the message.
- Push out as much information as possible unless it is strictly confidential, since unless you tell people what and why things are happening in understandable terms, it is never effective.
- Japanese employees traditionally ask their bosses for instructions, but I think its better to know what your value is in the company, and where you are adding value to the whole chain of the company, then you should know what you need to do – then you don`t need to ask your boss about what you should do. And by adding value to yourself, you are making yourself more valuable to the external market.
- Japan still works from a top-down method whereas foreign companies work in a matrix.
- Executives are expensive with limited time frames like 3-4 years, and because they have to get used to Japan at the beginning and settle their families, and then towards the end of their term, they need to look for a job back home, they are really only effective for 1-2 years so that is one of the problems you face by sending a novice to Japan.
- A good element of Japan is limited corporate greed in comparison to other countries. Honesty is a key strength in Japan that is a good foundation to help build a business on. Although I`m not sure how it equates to taking more risk for innovation.
- Big data and good data analytics can relieve many efficiency and quality problems but there is limited understanding in traditional management style Japanese companies of how to use AI because it is not just about technology, its about organizational change. Japan is very weak in terms of making deliberate organizational change to suit the technology. There is a reluctance to go digital because the Gemba (factory floor) is so strong, but people are getting older and there are fewer and fewer workers so digitization needs to happen. But this needs fast decisions and these are not a strength of traditional corporate Japanese cultures.
Engaged employees are self-motivated. The self-motivated are inspired. Inspired staff grow your business but are you inspiring them? We teach leaders and organisations how to inspire their people. Want to know how we do that? Contact me at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com
If you enjoy these articles, then head over to www.enjapan.dalecarnegie.com and check out our whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs. Take a look at our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules.
About The Author
Dr. Greg Story
Your Corporate Coaching And Training Guy
President, Dale Carnegie Training Japan
Author of “Japan Sales Mastery”, the Amazon #1 Bestseller on selling in Japan and the first book on the subject in the last thirty years. He is also the author of the new book “Japan Business Mastery” aimed at business people who are new to Japan and want to know more about how things work here.
In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development. Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making and become a 30 year plus veteran of Japan.
A committed lifelong learner, he publishes articles in the American, British and European Chamber journals, and daily releases his videos and podcasts.
For podcasts and videos:
Mondays THE Cutting Edge Japan Business Show podcast &
THE Cutting Edge Japan Business Show video
Tuesday THE Leadership Japan Series
Wednesday THE Sales Japan series
Thursday THE Presentations Japan Series"
Friday THE Japan Business Mastery Show &
THE Japan Business Mastery Show video.
Saturday Japan’s Top Business Interviews Show podcast and Japan’s Top Business Interviews Show video
He is a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. Dr. Story is a popular keynote speaker, executive coach and trainer.
Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate and is currently a 6th Dan. Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.
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