Is individual growth worth the risk of the success of the company?

In a recent newsletter, I highlighted how Japanese and non-Japanese cultures view leadership differently. In Japan, there is a strong culture of learning how to properly do tasks before being assigned responsibility for future projects, whereas in many Western cultures, employees with evidence of leadership potential might be assigned challenges even if they are inexperienced as these challenges are seen as “learning opportunities” that are important for individual growth.

• The Japanese value is risk-free and prevents mistakes; however, it doesn’t lead to self-motivated and proactive leaders.

• The non-Japanese value develops thought leaders, but there are risks to project results and company budgets.

Curious about what other thoughts are on this topic, I asked readers this question:

Q. Is individual growth worth the risk of the success of the company?

Here are responses from readers:

I think that it depends on the industry that the company is in. For example, in the manufacturing industry, mentoring subordinates first before allowing them to step into leadership positions can ensure quality manufacturing and employee safety. However, in the tech industry where ideas and software come and go quickly, giving subordinates opportunities outside their comfort zone might be necessary to stay competitive and keep employees motivated to perform well.

-Response from a non-Japanese reader

At present, the answer is "yes". It is risky, because there are lots of 老害 [aging workers] or おじさん [old men] people who are so conservative in Japan. As long as they like me hang around in Japan, this answer will be going on for good. They ("I") feel scary to get their feet wet. On the flip side, in the future, considering the current young generation, 5G internet and blockchain, the answer will be "not yes". After the first generation of Exodus pass away, it will be much better for the second generation. Haha. The following link might be a good tip for the above answer. [Japanese only] https://gendai.ismedia.jp/articles/-/69098

-Response from a Japanese reader

While training and workshops can only provide an image of what to expect in a new role, actual involvement in the role, I feel, is necessary in helping the individual establish his/her own “sense of balance” within the role. That said, several factors would have to be considered before the assignment: 

1. If the employee were being considered to replace a former project leader or simply being exposed to the duties involved in project leadership. (引継ぎ [taking over] vs mentoring)

2. The gravity of the project

3. The client being served, as some clients might prefer an experienced handler.

…and other factors.

Here’s another thought worth mentioning: A[s far as being asked to do tasks that are within a position (and not related to a promotion),] there is, of course, a foreign employee’s perspective on only being required to work within one’s contractual conditions vs. the Japanese ideal of 「心がける」[Note from Katheryn: in this context, I’d translate this as “showing loyalty”]. Some foreigners I’ve worked with in the past (when I used to teach at public schools) would complain that cleaning up with the kids after lunch is unnecessary because it was not clearly stipulated in their contracts. The foreigner in me understands their point, but the foreigner that’s been living/working here for more than 25 years is like, “Just do it, because it’s more than just about cleaning.”

-Response from a non-Japanese reader

I think that when a manager assigns an inexperienced employee the role of project leader, that manager must have had confidence in his/her decision that the employee can do the job based on observations about the employee’s knowledge and work capabilities up until that point. I don’t think a manager would assign it to someone if they didn’t really believe that the result would be beneficial to the company. So, my answer would be “yes”, individual growth is worth the risk of the success of the company (because we’d choose individuals to take on leadership positions who we believe won’t pose as a negative risk…hence, the opportunity for individual growth isn’t risky). Having said that, I think Japanese employees who are asked to take on leadership roles by foreign managers should trust manager’s decisions even if they might be nervous about taking on work outside of their comfort zone. That means that the manager believes in them!

-Response from a non-Japanese reader

Didn’t get a chance to chime in on this? You still can by leaving a comment!

I look forward to reading your thoughts.

Trivia: Which is NOT a way that Japanese people traditionally celebrate the New Year?

2020 is right around the corner, so this trivia question is dedicated to New Year’s celebration in Japan!

Q.

Which is NOT a way that Japanese people traditionally celebrate the New Year?

a) Giving money to children

b) Visiting a temple to pray for the New Year

c) Eating “osechi”

d) Going out to a New Year’s countdown party

A.

The answer is d) Going out to a New Year’s countdown party. While you’ll likely find New Year’s countdown parties at bars mostly filled with tourists and foreign residents, it’s not traditional in Japan to celebrate the New Year with a countdown party.

In Japan, oshogatsu (New Years) is a time to spend with family. Many Japanese people travel back to their hometowns to stay with family and eat lots of osechi (a Japanese traditional New Year’s meal), give otoshidama (New Year’s allowance) to children, and visit temples to pray for the New Year.

One other thing that some Japanese families do is go to a nearby sento (public bathhouse) to take an asaburo (morning bath). Personally, my family spent generations in the public bath house business so this is a great memory to me. It’s great to clean your body and start the New Year, fresh!

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Trivia: How do Japanese people celebrate Christmas?

Q.

How do Japanese people celebrate Christmas?

a) They line up to buy buckets of KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)

b) They buy cookies from department stores and gift them to their friends and coworkers

c) They spend Christmas the same way people do in other countries: with family and exchanging gifts

d) They go out on a date with their significant other

A.

This was a trick question as there are two answers: a) they line up to buy buckets of KFC, and d) they go out on a date with their significant other.

On Christmas Day, Japanese people greet each other by saying “meri kuri” which is a short form for meri-kurisumasu (Merry Christmas). In Japan, Christmas is seen to be a couples’ event, much like Valentine’s Day. Since it’s not a holiday in Japan, most people work on Christmas Day (if it’s a weekday) and then go out on a date after work. Many couples want to make sure they have the most romantic experience, and because of that popular restaurants can be fully booked even a month in advance. Japanese people do not have a culture of spending Christmas with their families; it is usually the last option after significant others and friends.

What’ll you do for Christmas in Japan?

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Trivia : What is the meaning of Bounenkai?

Q.

At the end of the year, Japanese workers gather for year-end celebrations that they call “Bounenkai”. What is the meaning of Bounenkai?

a) Year-end drinking party

b) Year-forgetting party

c) Year reflection party

A.

The answer is b) Year-forgetting party! “Bou” translates as to forget and “nen” means year. Coworkers and friends gather to reflect on the year and forget about the bad memories they had throughout the year by drinking. We also have Shinnenkai, a New Year’s party, which takes place in January or February. Gathering and drinking culture is very big in Japan, and it’s the best way to dive deep into the Japanese “Salary Men” culture.

Are there any special year-end work-related celebrations in your culture?

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Trivia: What should you do if you're the first person to get into an elevator in Japan?

Q.

What should you do if you’re the first person to get into an elevator?

a) Stand in the back of the elevator to avoid blocking the doors and allow more people to flow in

b) Hit the “close” button rapidly to prevent more people from entering the elevator.

c) Bow to all new passengers entering the elevator to welcome them.

d) Become the elevator operator who opens and closes the doors and selects floors.

A.

The answer is d) Become the elevator operator who opens and closes the doors and selects floors.

Elevator etiquette is pretty interesting in Japan. In general, the first person who enters an elevator becomes the elevator operator. If this is you, your responsibilities are to hold the doors open until all people waiting have entered, close the elevator, and press the floors requested by other passengers. Even if the elevator operator was the first one onto the elevator, they are usually the last person to leave because they hold the doors open. So if you’re in a hurry to get on an off the elevator, you might want to avoid becoming the elevator operator.

In some department stores, you will see department staff hired specifically for operating the elevator. Personally, I’ve seen this less and less over the years, but it’s not uncommon to see these staff especially during peak shopping hours.

In business settings, the youngest person within a company becomes the operator. Even if someone is already operating the elevator when a younger staff enters, that younger staff has to offer to take over operating the elevator. For business meetings between companies, the host of the meeting becomes the elevator operator.

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Trivia: Which of these 2018 news headlines about Halloween in Japan is true?

Q.

Halloween in Tokyo can be crazy with thousands of costume-clad partygoers gathering in the streets of Shibuya. In 2018, which of the following news headlines was TRUE?

a) Overcrowding in Shibuya blocks access for ambulances to reach unconscious drunk partygoers

b) Four men arrested for allegedly overturning truck in Shibuya during Halloween event

c) Man arrested for setting fire to restaurant in Shibuya’s crowded district

d) All of the above

A.

The answer is b) Four men arrested for allegedly overturning truck in Shibuya during halloween event

You can check out the article and see the video for yourself, here!

As for the other two? Well, it was hard for medical personnel to reach people in need, and there was a building fire… but neither of those headlines were true.

Believe it or not, Japan is the #1 destination for Halloween lovers thanks to the enthusiasm around cosplay (dressing up in costumes). What will you be for halloween this year?

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Trivia: What is the difference between a “point card” and “stamp card”?

Q.

What is the difference between a point card and a stamp card?

A.

A point is a card where you can rack up points for purchases at convenience stores and partner venues. You can redeem your points to get discounts on goods. In most cases, 1 yen is equal to 1 point.

A stamp card is a card unique to that particular shop. Each time you make a purchase, they stamp your card. Once you have reached a certain amount of stamps, you can receive a benefit such as a free product/service or a discount.

You’ll see stamp cards at a lot of different kinds of businesses, from food vendors to massage parlors and more.

This can be a confusing topic because sometimes shop workers use the words “point card” and “stamp card” interchangeably.

Which ones should you carry?

Personally, I don’t carry point cards because I find that the benefits of 1 point per 1 yen of purchase isn’t enough to make the system worth my while. Whenever I go to a conveniences store, I’m only buying a drink or snack for less than a couple hundred yen, so it takes a long time to rack up points.

I do like stamp cards, though. I find it overwhelming to collect them from all venues where I shop. So, I only hold onto a few from the places I know that I go to all the time where it will be worth having the card.

Is there a restaurant you like to go to regularly on workdays? Is there a particular store that sells a brand of shampoo you love that offers you discounts or gifts for buying from their store? Start with your routine and the answer will reveal itself to you.

How many cards do you have in your wallet?

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Trivia: Paying with Credit Card at a Shop in Japan

Q.

When you hand your credit card to a cashier at a store to purchase goods, most of the time you’ll see them raise one pointer finger and ask you a question. What are they asking? What does it mean?

A.

The cashier is asking you if you’d like to charge your card one time for the full amount of the payment.

To understand what’s happening, first you need to know about credit cards in Japan. Credit card payments are auto-deducted from your bank account in full the following month around the 27th (or following business day if the 27th falls on a weekend).

When making a payment with a credit card, you have the option to have the payment amount split into installments in case you do not have enough funds in your account to cover your full credit card bill. Typically, there are no fees for splitting your payment over two months, but fees will be added if you want to pay in three or more installments.

Most foreigners in Japan use credit cards that are connected to bank accounts outside of Japan, which means that they can pay off the card online whenever they want to. If you’re in this boat and a cashier holds up a pointer finger asking if it’s okay to charge in full, hold up one finger and say “hai” (yes).

Additional Information: Japanese credit cards can also be paid off using a system called “ribobarai”, which means “revolving payment”. This is the equivalent of making the minimum payment per month until you have the funds you need to make larger payments towards your credit card. This system can be set up online from the cardholder’s side.

Looking to get a credit card in Japan? Here's a guide to choosing a credit card. Personally, I recommend you try getting one from Rakuten as they offer the application in English and it's easier for foreigners to get a card.

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How Does Your Culture Influence Your Health Decisions?

Back when I first moved from the US to Japan, I lost 40 pounds. And the reason wasn't because I didn't know a lot about health before I moved to Japan - it was because being in Japan taught me a different interpretation of the information I thought I knew a lot about.

I was so inspired to share a new perspective with English speakers that I became a corporate wellness facilitator and wrote a book, Confessions of a Yo-yo Dieter, which was released exactly 1 year ago today. In honor of my 1 year anniversary, I want to share with you some thoughts on East/West nutritional interpretation:

Health information is universal - but interpretation and execution differ by culture.

I have always been intrigued by how cultures interpret the same health information in different ways.

For example, if you tell an American to "stay hydrated", the action he takes might be to drink 2L of water per day. But if you tell a Japanese person to "stay hydrated", she might opt for rice (cooked in water) instead of bread (water is baked out), add soup to her meal, and avoid caffeine (dehydrating). This is an example of two different methods of execution based on the same piece of advice.

In general, Westerners tend to focus on nutritional density. That means that their primary concern is to select foods and preparation methods that maximize the amount of nutrients they're putting into their body.

You'll find most Westerners concerned about nutrition-specific things like macros, ketos, gluten-free, carb-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, etc. They tend to care more about the science of what is in their food and less about how they feel and whether or not the foods their eating is seasonal or imported.

Easterners on the other hand have a strong focus on body mechanism. That means that their primary concern is to eat in a way that stimulates your body (your organs, circulation etc.) to function optimally and balance your health. The consensus is that your body knows what it's doing, all you have to do is support it. 

You'll find most Easterners focusing on eating warming foods ("warming" = items that are cooked or prepared with things like ginger, herbs, spices) that stimulate your digestion and circulation. They tend to think more about harmony with nature through seasonal produce as well as how they feel about their inner harmony. 

It's amazing how these conceptual and cultural values impact the food choices people make. In practice, a westerner might choose a big, raw salad to get in a variety of nutrients, where as an Easterner would find that the "wrong" choice as it's too cooling to the body. Instead, an Easterner would opt for a variety of grains, soup, and cooked seasonal vegetables.

When you have different cultures of people within your organization, you have different interpretations of health values and needs.

Some of your international employees might be frustrated that they can't seem to find kale in Japanese supermarkets or source fresh fruits and nuts without the costs wiping out their entire paycheck - these are all items that they consider to be crucial for them to be healthy based on the media they consume from their home country. Additionally, they might be picky eaters or have dietary restrictions like being vegetarian, gluten-free, keto, or whatever new health trend is on the market.

But sometimes, reframing the information they have by opening their eyes up to a different perspective on health can reduce worry they might have around food and help them understand the benefits that Japan has to offer. Reframing can help them become curious about wellness concepts in Japan and learn how to take advantage of local products (that won't go over their budget).

While discussing health is always a great way to learn theories, highlighting cultural values and why people make the choices they do is equally as intriguing.

What do your employees value when they hear the word "health"?

What F1 Racing Can Teach Us About Workplace Wellness

Sometimes when I talk with corporations about workplace wellness programs, I can sense a hesitation. They're wondering:

How important is it to have an employee wellness program...really?

I like to answer this question with a story:

A year ago, I visited my sister who lives in Germany and we went to the Nurburgring racetrack to see F1 racing. There were rows and rows of luxury sports cars - Porsche, Maserati, Ferrari -from every decade, design, and color. Exciting!

Out of all of the events, the most exciting to me was seeing drivers race cars from the 1970s. The rule is that you can modify and spruce up your car as long as all of the car parts are from that decade.

Two lines of classic cars sat on the starting line, revving their engines. As soon as the starting shot fired, they all clumsily sped off - all except for one car which couldn't even start! Two men ran onto the racetrack to give the car an encouraging push from behind until the driver was finally able to get the engine going.

"Go go goooo!" We all cheered. He sped down the track to catch up with the others.

The driver that had been winning the race for the first several laps started to pass us by then...BANG! Something backfired on his car and smoke started fuming out, blocking the visions of the drivers behind him. He wound up having to park on the side of the track as a emergency safety crew rushed to make sure he was okay. And the cars behind him became bottlenecked and anxiously tried to get around him to make up for lost time.

The entire race I was on the edge of my seat - no one knew what was going to happen, who was going to win, or if any of them would even make it past the finish line.

Alrighty, so what can F1 racing teach us about Workplace Wellness?

Well, your employees are like drivers - they're all talented, qualified, skilled people who have their eye on the finish line.

But once they're out there working, striving and pressuring themselves to perform well, you never know what can happen to their vehicle (mental state, emotional state, or physical state). One person might burn out, another unexpectedly falls behind, and a third loses his grip. And their issues can threaten the people around them.

Think about it: haven't you seen one popular employee leave and a couple employees in her team follow suit? Or maybe that one micromanager makes you feel like you're holding your breath, hindering you from feeling good about your work? You are easily affected by the energy and actions of the people in your environment.

Workplace wellness programs are like a pit crew

Would you bet on an F1 racer who doesn't have a pit crew when all other drivers in the race do?

Workplace wellness programs provide the tools and techniques that employees need to maintain their vehicles (mental state, emotional state, physical state) to increase the chances that:

1. they will stay in the race (stay longer in the company),

2. they will stay in their own lanes to keep both themselves and other employees focused on their own race (contribute to a positive work environment), and

3. they'll finish the race in record time (increase productivity).

So if you're wondering if you should add corporate wellness programs to your workplace, ask yourself these questions:

1. How much longer can we keep our employees in the game if we care for their mental, emotional, and physical conditions?

2. How much more efficiently can we hit our targets if we focused on improving the quality of the vehicles that get us there?

Or, you can phrase it these ways:

1. How could workplace wellness have prevented turnover in our office?

2. How much further along would our business be if we had implemented workplace wellness sooner and our employees were happy, self-motivated, and productive?

How to Know Which Trainings to Implement First Based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

There's a lot of ongoing training you can offer employees to educate and support them in the workplace - but which trainings should you start with, first? Sales? Leadership? Wellness?

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (image sourced from edimprovement.org)

When I sit down with companies to find out more about their training needs, an underlying concern I hear figuring out the best way to motivate employees.

It doesn't seem to matter how much trust they put in their workers whether or not they offer flex time if the employees aren't taking initiative or are hardly doing the bare minimum required of them.

So, one way we can approach the answer is to have a look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. If you heard of this vaguely back in college and need a recap, here's an overview:

Maslow created a classification system which reflected the universal needs of society as its base and then proceeding to more acquired emotions.

He used the terms "physiological", "safety", "belonging", "esteem", and "self-actualization" to describe the pattern through which human motivations generally move.

This means that in order for motivation to occur at the next level, each level must be satisfied within the individual themselves [1].

The safe way to put it? Start with training from the bottom of they pyramid, up. Here are trainings as they correspond to each level:

1.Physiological - Workplace Wellness (a.k.a "Self-Management Training")

Physiological needs refer to the basic needs that humans need to survive: food, water, sleep, shelter, clothes, relationships, etc.

Work offices by default are synonymous with stressful environments. You've purposely put together a bunch of people to do work that they probably wouldn't do voluntarily, and they're constantly being measured on performance. Each person is handling their work, coping skills, and personal needs in different ways.

Plus, physical, emotional and mental issues can cloud our energy and judgement - that's a tough concept to swallow when you are relying on employees to make important decisions that impact your bottom line.

This of it this way: feelings of stress = feeling of threat to survival. Since physiological needs refer to survival categories, educating employees on how to reduce stress and care for themselves is a base level necessity.

You can educate employees on how to satisfy their physiological needs through workplace wellness trainings on topics from stress management, work-life management, or even transition for new hires learning to cope with the dynamics of being in a new environment.

I like to refer to "Workplace Wellness" as "Self-Management Training". It's education that gives employees the tools, resources, and techniques to help them show up to work in their best light, and to perform to the best of their capabilities. That, and, the ability to understand how to make adjustments to accommodate their physiological needs in anticipation for foreseeable stressful situations.

Remember: once people are able to meet their physiological needs for survival, they can be motivated to take on other tasks.

2. Safety - Cross Cultural Training, Diversity & Inclusion

Do your employees feel mentally, emotionally and physically comfortable in your work environment? By comfortable, I don't mean the comfort of the cushion on their chair - I mean comfort around the relationships they have with people in the office.

You might have employees who are educated and talented in their field, but you might have trouble with retention if they feel uncomfortable coming to work.

Cross Cultural Training is a great way to engage employees on how different members of their team think and communicate, and why. Having an awareness of how we are different in our beliefs and values can set a good foundation for trusting that all employees are on the same page with work goals even if their methods are different. Plus, it can pave the way to creating a conversation on what the best method of communication can be within the workplace.

Diversity and Inclusion Training is a way to educate employees on how to work with people who come from different backgrounds. It's a great way to highlight and to combat issues around workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, gender bias, sexual orientation, etc. When people feel comfortable coming to work, they'll show up.

3. Belonging - Team Building

Once employees have their basic physiological and environmental needs secure, the next need is to have a sense of belonging.

The purpose of team building is to develop trust amongst employees so that they can work together efficiently and have stronger interpersonal relationships. This is a way for people to assimilate their role within the group and also understand the roles of others.

Many people become susceptible to loneliness, social anxiety, and clinical depression in the absence of this belonging element [2]. It would be a shame to have talented people leave your company because they didn't have opportunities to make meaningful connections with their teammates.

4. Esteem - Leadership Training

Esteem needs are more ego-driven when a person is seeking recognition, status, importance, and respect.

Leadership Training is a great way to build the self-confidence of your employees, and train them to enter management or senior level positions.

Whenever I talk with employees to find out more about what they'd like to shift within the work environment, I hear comments like, "I feel like management doesn't care,"or "I don't feel like management values my work and opinions". Employees want to feel recognized, appreciated, valued, and respected. One thing I like about leadership training is I feel it helps employees take more initiative instead of taking a back seat and expecting praise to flow to them.

5. Self-Actualization - Career Mentorship

The best way to describe "self-actualization" would be seeking and finding happiness. This is when a person feels that they are fulfilling their potential and personal desires.

While self-actualization might mean different things for different people (from being a good parent to becoming an artist, etc.), within the workplace this refers to career fulfillment.

Training seminars or one-to-one mentoring can help your employees gauge their career path, set goals, and fulfill their personal career dreams.

Time for reflection: how is your company educating your employees?

What programs do you already have available? What gaps do you see based on the pyramid that are unfulfilled?

Contact Katheryn for information on Workplace Wellness in Tokyo