Bala S DuvvuriProject Manager| ShellBangalore, Karnataka, India
Dear All,
Please note that client is the one who is doing most of the project activities compared to our activities so would like to understand how are they progressing.
I am planning to have a monthly meeting with my Japanese client for an hour. How can I make it very productive with the following outcome.
1.I understand the project progress from their side without probing much.
2.Understand the support needed by them from our side
3.Get a summary of risks/issues without probing much
4.Anything else I can cover
They are hiring a translator so I need to make sure meeting is worth the cost/time and very productive at the end.
You need to attend my university tutorials mate, I am training students on that. LOL
The Indian culture and Japanese culture come on the same side of the spectrum when it comes to high context and distance to power, so building trust and respect of positions are embedded in both cultures in different levels.
Japanese are highly organised and they like details, so please send him in advance all what you need to discuss and what are you expecting from him well in advance, so he can have enough time to prepare and he will feel better for the language barrier.
Please follow Japanese customs, it is highly appreciated.
I read your points, you are very general and that it is not appreciated in Japanese Culture, be very specific and give details of what you want exactly. Ask for what you want in details. Please take this very seriously.
Send everything in advance and give him at least a week or two. Saving Changes...
Everything to be prepared in advance and exchanged in advance, the meeting only to build trust and exchange ideas and explain very few points. Saving Changes...
Kevin, well done I really salute your deep understanding of both cultures and I am siding with Kevin you really need to study the Japanese culture there are many differences from Indian culture they have more respect to time schedule of the meeting, be ahead of time don't be late, it is not the same like in India and if you promise them something they would expect it will be done in the given time, in general Japanese people more hard working, The Japanese don’t contradict each other, or their boss, in public, they are not argumentative so you need to develop relationship and wait to develop trust for more business, so you need to focus on these points, I do agree with our Guru Kevin that there are few similarities like both grow and eat rice and have values for family but that wont help with the management relationship one needs to be more courteous like them and not aggressive in tone.
Japanese business people like formality, cleanliness, non-confrontational, and respect. They may say yes when they mean no, so your translator needs to be able to draw this out in order to get the appropriate level of transparency you need, because the business culture is not overtly transparent. The way you receive and give a card is with two hands. They will always do it, some westerners do not always receive the card with both hands, but do it because it is a sign of respect. Voice level is constant, not loud, but not too soft either. Emotion is kept constant, dare I say almost melancholy but with a slight smile. I know it sounds weird, but what I'm saying is don't start bellowing out jokes like we do in the west, as it just doesn't go over well. Japanese are extremely clean. Turn up with a disheveled look, not brush your teeth, have a shirt hanging out, roll up the sleeves, and it won't go down too well. If you are sick, have a cold or flu, WEAR A FACE MASK. This is another sign of respect to the worker and company which in their view is morphed into one entity.
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1 reply by Riyadh Salih
May 15, 2018 1:35 AM
Riyadh Salih
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Sante, that's true points you just reminded me when I saw so many people walking the street with mask it turned to be very normal there, one more point I like about their way of thinking in the parking lot of the office the people comes earlier they parked at the far end they leave the parking space near the office to those who might come late so that they can just go inside quickly and not waste more time by walking long distance.
I like the word "clean"
Kevin, well done I really salute your deep understanding of both cultures and I am siding with Kevin you really need to study the Japanese culture there are many differences from Indian culture they have more respect to time schedule of the meeting, be ahead of time don't be late, it is not the same like in India and if you promise them something they would expect it will be done in the given time, in general Japanese people more hard working, The Japanese don’t contradict each other, or their boss, in public, they are not argumentative so you need to develop relationship and wait to develop trust for more business, so you need to focus on these points, I do agree with our Guru Kevin that there are few similarities like both grow and eat rice and have values for family but that wont help with the management relationship one needs to be more courteous like them and not aggressive in tone.
Thanks mate, you have also added great points Saving Changes...
Bala S DuvvuriProject Manager| ShellBangalore, Karnataka, India
wonderful feedback and learning so far.thanks to all of you.
Japanese business people like formality, cleanliness, non-confrontational, and respect. They may say yes when they mean no, so your translator needs to be able to draw this out in order to get the appropriate level of transparency you need, because the business culture is not overtly transparent. The way you receive and give a card is with two hands. They will always do it, some westerners do not always receive the card with both hands, but do it because it is a sign of respect. Voice level is constant, not loud, but not too soft either. Emotion is kept constant, dare I say almost melancholy but with a slight smile. I know it sounds weird, but what I'm saying is don't start bellowing out jokes like we do in the west, as it just doesn't go over well. Japanese are extremely clean. Turn up with a disheveled look, not brush your teeth, have a shirt hanging out, roll up the sleeves, and it won't go down too well. If you are sick, have a cold or flu, WEAR A FACE MASK. This is another sign of respect to the worker and company which in their view is morphed into one entity.
Sante, that's true points you just reminded me when I saw so many people walking the street with mask it turned to be very normal there, one more point I like about their way of thinking in the parking lot of the office the people comes earlier they parked at the far end they leave the parking space near the office to those who might come late so that they can just go inside quickly and not waste more time by walking long distance.
I like the word "clean"
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1 reply by Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
May 15, 2018 2:30 AM
Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Yes it makes perfect sense. I wonder why people don't always do that. One of my pet peeves is some individual coughing up Ebola and expecting people around them to be comfortable with it. And then a few days later 10 people can't work. How selfish ;-)
Sante, that's true points you just reminded me when I saw so many people walking the street with mask it turned to be very normal there, one more point I like about their way of thinking in the parking lot of the office the people comes earlier they parked at the far end they leave the parking space near the office to those who might come late so that they can just go inside quickly and not waste more time by walking long distance.
I like the word "clean"
Yes it makes perfect sense. I wonder why people don't always do that. One of my pet peeves is some individual coughing up Ebola and expecting people around them to be comfortable with it. And then a few days later 10 people can't work. How selfish ;-) Saving Changes...
