“The Japanese are perfectionists”

    Medium
    Business Spotlight 3/2016
    Japanische Mädchen im traditionellen Kimono
    © Marcoiannarel/Thinkstock
    Von Vicki Sussens

     

    After four years of living in Japan and teaching German, Ulrike Hennig (see photo right) turned her passion for different cultures into a business. She is now the owner of the language and intercultural training firm Keiko Seminare in Baden-Württemberg.

     
    Ulrike Henning


    How interested in German culture are your Japanese clients?
    The Japanese are perfectionists; they don’t want to make mistakes. And being to be considerate of sth.Rücksicht auf etw. nehmenconsiderate of other people’s needs is important in Japan. So they have many questions about how Germans to tickticken; hier auch: funktionierentick.

    As a German, what do you have to be careful of when teaching the Japanese?
    The group is more important than the individual. So I can’t praise or motivate individuals in the group. I have to give group feedback. Also, I shouldn’t be too direct.

    What problems do Germans typically have in Japan?
    For Germans, time is money. A German manager typically flies to Japan for a meeting, where he expects decisions to be made. But the Japanese don’t to commit oneself to sth.sich auf etw. einlassencommit themselves to business unless there is a relationship and credibilityGlaubwürdigkeitcredibility has been established and trust has been developed. That takes time.

    How do the Japanese make decisions?
    They see a decision like a puzzle. First, they explore each piece of that puzzle to see how it all fits together. Only when they have all the background information do they make a decision. Decisions are also always made within the group. This slows down decision-making, but once a decision is made, the group will be 100 per cent behind it.

    How should Germans prepare for Japanese meetings?
    The Japanese like to be well prepared and don’t like surprises. So send an agendaTagesordnungagenda beforehand and as much information as possible. Also, the Japanese are very visual, so their presentations have a lot of photos, pictograms and graphics.

    What did you learn personally in Japan?
    To be more patient. And I loved the way the Japanese value others. It gives you a sense of belonging to a community.

    Do you have a special tip for Germans doing business in Japan?
    In public, the Japanese are reservedzurückhaltendreserved and don’t express their opinions. In private, they are open, relaxed and funny. So if you want to know what your business partner thinks, you need to to socializegesellschaftlich verkehrensocialize after work. This is common practice in Japan.
     

     

    Good to know: Business in Japan

    • Building relationships is essential to doing business in Japan.
    • Showing angerVerärgerunganger, criticism or impatience can have a negative effect on a business relationship.
    • Never put the Japanese in situations where they might lose face, for example, by praising or criticizing them in public.
    • People are promoted based on seniorityDienstalterseniority. Older people are respected, and it helps to have older members in a business group when visiting Japan.
    • Decisions are arrived at through lengthy consensus-building.
    • Favours must always be repaid.
    • Be humblebescheidenhumble and apologetichier: zurückhaltendapologetic. modestyBescheidenheitModesty is admired, and being overlyübermäßigoverly self-confident can seem childish.
    • Don’t talk about your own skills or results. Talk about the skills or results of your organization or team.
    • Never criticize your own company or team, even as a joke.
    • The Japanese don’t like to say no or to disagree, so it can be hard to be sure whether a decision or agreement has been reached.
    • The Japanese may speak English well, but they will often say they have understood something when they have not.

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