In a world of political conflicts and uncertainty in work environments, understanding cultural nuances is key to success in a multicultural and remote working environment.
Here are 9 Japanese concepts that can help you understand Japanese culture:
#workplace #culture #Japan
1. Omoiyari
Omoiyari means caring and showing sincere consideration for others.
Japanese fans made the headlines in 2018 when they tidied up a stadium after the game. A display of Omoiyari.
Practicing Omoiyari helps build self-awareness, empathy, and positivity.
2. Ikigai
Ikigai is a state of wellbeing that arises from devotion to activities one enjoys, bringing a sense of fulfillment, said Japanese psychologist Michiko Kumano.
In Japan, there is a saying that people who have a purpose in life live longer.
3. Wabi-sabi
Embrace imperfection and impermanence in life.
The concept invites us to see beauty in imperfection.
For example, by learning to appreciate a broken pot, we may see the positive in an imperfect situation.
4. Mottainai
Mottainai means respecting the resources we have, not wasting them, and using them with a sense of gratitude.
Uniqlo uses “Mottainai: Old Clothes, New Life” to achieve zero waste.
The concept invites us to be grateful and be intentional about our actions.
5. Shin-Gi-Tai
Shin-Gi-Tai translates as “mind, technique, and body.”
Mind, technique, and body are the three elements for maximum performance used in martial arts.
A healthy body and a sound mind are the foundation for developing and refining any skills.
6. Kuukiyomu
It translates to “read the atmosphere.”
Japan is a high-context culture, where communication tends to be indirect. A direct ‘no’ is replaced with ‘maybe’ or ‘it’s a possibility.’
The ability to perceive the emotions and moods of others is an important skill.
7. Kaizen
Kaizen means continuous and incremental improvement for the better.
The concept of continuous and incremental improvement and development is vital to instill good habits and achieve excellence.
8. Nemawashi
Ne-mawashi translates to “wrapping up the root.” or doing the groundwork.
It is an informal consensus-building procedure that seeks the approval of a proposed idea or project.
Nemwashi helps build persuasion muscle and get you to interact with more people.
9. Horenso
‘Ho,’ ’Ren,’ ‘So,’ are each a stage of the problem-solving process; ‘Hokoku,’ meaning report, ‘Renraku,’ meaning update/contact, and ‘Sodan,’ which means consult/discuss.
Don’t fix it.
Employees are expected to report a problem first before solving it.
Understanding and appreciating cultural differences help avoid misunderstanding in multicultural workplaces.
Follow me @yhairej for more tweets about tips to manage multicultural teams, digital workplace, adaptive leadership, and digital transformation.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.