Thought Leadership
Insights on Global Manager Readiness
Observations, frameworks, and practical thinking on what it takes to develop globally effective managers - and what gets in the way.
Japan Workplace Culture
Is “Development” Still the Right Word? Rethinking Growth for Japan’s Younger Employees
2026/6/23
A Persol Research Institute survey suggests younger employees in Japan aren't losing interest in growth, they're quietly redefining what growth means.
Read Article →Cross-Cultural Management
Beyond English: How Japanese Professionals Become Global Talent
2026/6/15
A survey of young Japanese professionals working overseas challenges common assumptions about global talent and highlights the competencies that help people succeed...
Read Article →Cross-Cultural Management
What Foreign Managers Should Know Before Managing a Team in Japan
2026/6/13
A survey of foreign managers revealed valuable insights into the strengths and challenges of managing Japanese employees, lessons that remain surprisingly relevant...
Read Article →Cross-Cultural Management
What Global Managers Can Learn from Consensus Building
2026/6/12
Consensus building is often viewed as a slow decision-making process, but when used effectively, it can become a powerful leadership tool for...
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What a Japanese Study Taught Me About Communicating With Gen Z
2026/6/8
A recent Japanese study on Gen Z communication challenged some common assumptions and offered practical lessons for managers seeking to build stronger...
Read Article →Cross-Cultural Management
Culturally Adaptive Management: What American and Japanese Teams May Be Expecting From You as a Leader
2026/6/1
What if the same leadership behavior that motivates one team quietly disengages another, simply because expectations of leadership differ across cultures?
Read Article →Cross-Cultural Management
Why Global Assignments No Longer Sell Themselves in Japan
2026/5/29
Recently, while researching Japanese “readiness,” I came across a survey suggesting that overseas assignments no longer automatically appeal to younger Japanese employees...
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Thinking About Working in Japan? What Foreign Professionals Should Know First
2026/5/25
Thinking about working in Japan? After living and working here for over 30 years, I have learned that succeeding in a Japanese...
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What American Managers Should Know About Japan’s ‘May Blues’
2026/5/18
Japan’s “May Blues” offers an interesting reminder that workplace transitions affect employees everywhere, even if different cultures experience them in different ways.
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American and Japanese New Grads, AI, and a Question for Managers
2026/1/14
This may be the first graduating class choosing careers with the clear understanding that AI will be part of their daily work....
Read Article →Manager Development
Preparing Japan’s Managers for a Global Workforce
2025/10/29
Japan’s foreign workforce hit a record 2.3 million in 2024. As teams diversify, Japanese managers must learn to lead across cultures, not...
Read Article →Manager Development
The Underrated Tool Every Manager Should Have
2025/10/7
Managers juggle constant change and often aren’t sure who in HR to turn to for support. In this post, I introduce a...
Read Article →Employee Engagement
Gen Z Is Rethinking Work in Japan. Are We Ready for That?
2025/7/22
Gen Z in Japan is leaning toward seniority over performance-based promotion. This shift challenges common engagement models and may signal a new...
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Is Low Engagement Baked into the Japanese Employment System?
2025/7/11
Low engagement in Japan is rooted in systemic issues, and meaningful change will take time. Still, we have to start somewhere to...
Read Article →Employee Engagement
What’s Your Company’s Ikigai? How a Global Brand Found Its Purpose in Japan
2025/7/2
To launch successfully in Japan, a global brand needed a mission statement that truly resonated. I guided their leadership team through a...
Read Article →Employee Engagement
Rebuilding Engagement in HR: What Happened When We Rolled Out a Virtual Water Cooler
2025/6/27
We adapted the “virtual water cooler” concept to boost engagement in our HR team. The result was a simple, low-pressure initiative that...
Read Article →Japan Workplace Culture
Rethinking Employee Engagement in Japan: What Surveys Might Be Missing
2025/6/11
Japan ranks lowest in global employee engagement surveys, but is the workforce truly disengaged? Based on my years in corporate learning and...
Read Article →Manager Development
Coaching Conversations: A Smarter Way to Lead One-on-ones
2025/5/1
Many 1:1s between managers and team members focus on updates and quick fixes, but what if they could drive real growth instead?...
Read Article →Cross-Cultural Management
Leading the Next Generation: What 2025 Grads in the U.S. and Japan Are Telling Us About Managing Global Teams
2025/4/9
What are 2025 grads in the U.S. and Japan telling us about the future of work? The latest new grads surveys reveal...
Read Article →Employee Engagement
What You Can Do Now to Develop Team Engagement and Why You Should
2025/3/21
Looking for a simple way to boost team engagement without spending a dime? Discover how knowledge-sharing sessions can spark motivation, support growth,...
Read Article →Japan Workplace Culture
Cracking the Nut of Low Engagement in Japan
2025/3/7
Why is employee engagement so low in Japan? Cultural norms, indirect communication, and low assertiveness play a key role. Learn how self-awareness...
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Inspiring Leadership: How We Encouraged Japanese Employees to Step Up
2025/2/26
Many Japanese employees hesitate to pursue management roles, seeing them as burdens rather than opportunities. This article explores a global initiative that...
Read Article →Cross-Cultural Management
Managing Across Cultures: Understanding Japanese and American Workplace Expectations
2025/2/6
Workplace expectations vary based on culture and economic conditions. This article compares the priorities of Japanese and American new graduates and explores...
Read Article →Manager Development
Collaborating with managers to create win-win learning initiatives
2025/1/24
Discover how collaborating with managers and aligning training to real-world challenges led to impactful learning initiatives that empowered teams and enhanced organizational...
Read Article →Manager Development
How I Applied My JLPT Study Strategies to Real-Life English Study Projects
2025/1/9
Studying for the JLPT taught me valuable strategies for long-term learning. I applied these lessons to create an English Learning Program, emphasizing...
Read Article →Manager Development
What I learned from studying for and passing the N1 Japanese Language Proficiency Test
2024/12/5
Studying for the JLPT N1 taught me the power of clarity and perseverance, skills that not only led to success but also...
Read Article →Employee Engagement
Unlocking Leadership Potential in Japan: Overcoming Engagement and Communication Challenges
2024/12/5
Navigating Japan's challenges, non-native English-speaking managers face rising demands: low engagement, declining English proficiency, and minimal managerial aspirations. Empowerment strategies are essential...
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