Japan - US Business News

The Interpreter's Corner: Your Worst Nightmare, Mr. S (What do you say when….): Part 2

In an attempt to teach and instill good manners in me, my parents read me two books (repeatedly) as a child.  One was What Do You Say Dear, by Maurice Sendak and the other was Manners Make People Nice To Know.  The latter, a much older book contained drawings of well-behaved children showed the perks that came with being good.  Evidently the manners I was taught through these books stuck.  I always knew to thank my host who paid for expensive lunches and dinners.  I was polite.  I smiled a lot.  My parents would be proud.

Mr. S., our temperamental Japanese consultant from last week was evidently not read such books.  I realize etiquette differs from country to country.  I respect this.  Differences aside, I firmly believe manners and etiquette are crucial in business success whether the issue at hand is knowing local customs when dining out or being mindful of certain gestures.  It was the latter; a certain gesture Mr. S. used frequently that got him in hot water.

It started innocently enough.  When pointing to a line on a balance sheet, Mr. S. extended his long middle finger to point out a number.  Eyebrows shot up among the Americans and they looked at me quizzically.  I knew what they were thinking.  The collective question on everyone’s mind was, “is this guy flipping us off?” 

Happy Holidays from Japan-US Business News and all the best in 2011!

The Interpreter's Corner: Your Worst Nightmare, Mr. S: Part 1

  
We’ve all had one, I’m sure.  A client who pays well, offers steady work, pays on time but is truly a horrific person—nasty, mean, offends all who cross his path and yet is so brilliant his presence continues to be requested.  You cringe when the phone rings and it’s his number.  You dread the assignments when you interpret for him.  You still go though.  It pays and you need the work.  Is it possible you consider the assignments with him a challenge?  Is it a slightly twisted personal quest where you promise yourself “this time I won’t let him get under my skin”?  My nightmare was Mr. S.  Here’s part 1 of my story:

Twice a week he asks to be taken out to dinner.  We go.  The restaurants are always expensive;  the best sushi in the area, high-end steak, gourmet Italian, lobster.  He loved lobster.  So much so he would insist someone do research into the best lobster/seafood restaurants within a 50-mile radius (“I want the best of the best”).  He ate lobster once a week until he returned home and his children laughed at his weight gain.  On his next trip back to the U.S., he promptly announced to the client, “I’m sick of lobster.  No more lobster.”
 
This comment drew stares.  Those who heard his words later looked at me with a combination of sheer anger and a “is this guy serious?”, the latter in total disbelief.  Those who would accompany him to dinner would have to put up with his grandiose stories about his amazing profit-making ventures (“no shortage of ego there!” one executive said to me) and his guzzling of the most expensive wine on the menu.  The perk, however, was they got to eat this food, too.  “There’s nothing quite like eating well on the company tab!” I heard this over and over.
 
When the announcement came Mr. S was no longer eating lobster, those who were suddenly denied good wine and “free” lobster were angry.  I tried to play peacemaker, suggesting maybe we have lobster every other week as opposed to never.  “No worries.  We’ll find better seafood,” was Mr. S’s reply.  Better seafood than lobster?  Okay.  Indeed.
 
The frustration over the lack of lobster meals (eaten on an expense account) was exacerbated when Mr. S tried to file a complaint against a young server at one of the new, four-plus star restaurants chosen to replace the seafood restaurants.  Our server, a woman in her early twenties, a college student perhaps was certainly nice, polite, accommodating and professional.  Her mistake, according to Mr. S came, when she replied “sure!” in response to another helping of their fresh-baked bread. 
 
“Sure?” Mr. S looked at the young woman.  “Yes, I’ll bring it right over,” she said.  “Sure?!” Mr. S said again.  He then looked at me and told me to tell her to get the manager.  “For what?” I asked.  “No waitress in Japan would ever say ‘sure’ in response to a customer’s request.”  That’s true.  “Seriously?  You want to speak to the manager because you didn’t like her choice of words?”  I push back.  I’m not happy about this and the executives at the same table are looking bewildered as to the rather heated exchange Mr. S and I are having.  “It’s bad customer service,” he says.  “Sure means ‘yes’.”  I snap.  “No,” he says.  “Yes,” I repeat.  This is getting ridiculous.  I look away.  I did not call the manager over.  Mr. S took another gulp of his very expensive red wine.  I feel just the slightest bit victorious.
 
There’s a lot more to this story.  There’s a lot of background.  In the next two weeks I will introduce you to Mr. S in more detail and show you why I felt compelled, nay, entitled to push back.  Had I not worked with him over the years and gotten to know him well I would not have taken the liberty of picking a fight. 
 
I wouldn’t normally, and I wouldn’t recommend any interpreter take it upon him/herself to correct a newly acquired client’s manners or words.  Mr. S, however, as you will soon see, is one of those people who finds peoples’ buttons and then pushes them.  Sadly, I am full of horror stories that even my active imagination could not make up.  On a happy note, fast-forward several years later, I have managed to lose Mr. S’s number.  Some clients are worth letting go of.

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Amya Miller lives near Boston, Massachusetts and is the President and CEO of Lupine and Co., which offers Japanese interpretation, liaison services, business etiquette training, consultation on successful negotiation techniques and problem solving. 

Amya also founded the Gaijin Group; a group for gaijins all over the world.  She was born and raised in Japan and spent time in Tokyo and Hokkaido.  She has worked as an Interpreter and behind-the-scenes liaison in Japan-US business for 20 years.  You can reach Amya at amya@lupineandco.com and find out more about at http://www.lupineandco.com/ and http://www.gaijingroup.com/.

 

自己紹介 Please Allow Me To Introduce Myself: Amya L. Miller - " The Interpreter's Corner "

Let me borrow a line from Mick Jagger and the boys - Please allow me to introduce myself. 

Simply put, I am one of those interpreters who should never have been hired. A small Japanese company in the Midwest hired me right out of college. I was no interpreter.  I was only bilingual. With no training as an interpreter, they thrust me into meetings and conferences.  I could sink or swim.  I swam.

Fast-forward 18 months.  I married and had a child during this time.  After much teeth gnashing, I left the full-time position and became a freelance interpreter.  I stayed with the freelance lifestyle for the next 18 years.  Picking and choosing assignments, locations, people—this suited me well.  I liked the freedom. 

Over twenty years I have made grave mistakes, experienced events I will never forget, met people I love as well as strongly dislike, traveled on other people’s dimes (the best way to see the world!), grew personally and professionally, and was fortunate enough to participate in many opportunities I am proud of and grateful for. 

This blog is about interpreters.  Specifically, Japanese interpreters.  I have more stories than I know what to do with.  I will share many of these with you and open it up for discussion.  In a world of globalization, Skype, teleconferencing and video-conferencing, travel and wonder, the juxtaposition of language and culture continues to play a key role in the success of many. 

Between my stories, questions and thoughts on interpreting and your comments, feedback and suggestions, I have high hopes for the evolution of Japanese interpreters. 

I argue among those of us who interpret for a profession, the active and ongoing discussion over when to repeat everything versus when to become a cultural conduit is the most heated debate that has been taking place for the past several decades. 

Both sides hold true to their arguments.  Rightfully so.  How are we to know what the speaker really means to say?  Then again, is it our job to repeat words we know will cause a law-suit?  These topics and more will be discussed in great detail on Thursdays over the next several months.  I welcome your input, feedback and opinions.

Join Japan-US Business News and Amya Miller every Thursday for 'The Interpreter's Corner'.

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 Amya Miller lives near Boston, Massachusetts and is the President and CEO of Lupine and Co., which offers Japanese interpretation, liaison services, business etiquette training, consultation on successful negotiation techniques and problem solving. 

Amya also founded the Gaijin Group; a group for gaijins all over the world.  She was born and raised in Japan and spent time in Tokyo and Hokkaido.  She has worked as an Interpreter and behind-the-scenes liaison in Japan-US business for 20 years.  You can reach Amya at amya@lupineandco.com and find out more about at http://www.lupineandco.com/ and http://www.gaijingroup.com/.

'Women in Japan-US Business' series: Interview with Kimberly Wiefling - Part 2

Part 2 of our interview with Kimberly Wiefling, President of Wiefling Consulting, and Executive Editor of the Scrappy GuidesTM and Author of “Scrappy Project Management: The 12 Predictable and Avoidable Pitfalls Every Project Faces”, continues below.  
 

Japan-US Business News: What are the most demanding conflicts you face?

Kimberly Wiefling: Conservatism mainly. Some companies are too conservative to overcome their resistance to change. On the individual level—fear of failure, shame, and aversion to making mistakes hampers the professional growth of global business leaders. My teaching definitely involves a ‘reframing’ of the Japanese way of thinking to encourage people to embrace mistakes and failure as stepping stones to success. We teach that when you feel uncomfortable, it is a good thing because it means that you are changing. That means you are getting your money’s worth from our programs!

In group situations involving people from different countries, we need to overcome assumptions, beliefs and stereotypes about others - Americans think this way, or the Japanese think that way. In stereotypical fashion, for example, Japanese think Americans are all cowboys; European thinks Japanese are too conformist.  We cannot use stereotypical generalizations to judge the individual. In the groups I teach, I ask them to look at each person individually and they will often be very surprised to see that an American can be conformist and a Japanese can be the lone cowboy in the room.

Changing mindsets is always difficult.  At the organizational level—it is sometimes hard to find a sponsor to support these types of efforts - one who knows the value in truly creating global leaders and is willing to make that investment. It is a huge investment yes, and it is an ongoing process that requires support from managers and long term accountability. But it is invaluable. When our workshop participants return to their regular jobs they need the support of a sponsor and their managers to sustain the changes we help them achieve.

Japan-US Business News: What things do you find personally rewarding and satisfying?

Kimberly Wiefling: I get a feeling of elation when I see people’s face change when they realize that they are capable of achieving more than they ever thought possible, that they can do the impossible. They realize that they have the power to achieve, make their dreams come through. To see the businessmen and women in my programs blossom and throw off self-imposed limits, and create, dream, fly, thrive is a real thrill for me. When I see that change, I sometimes cannot even believe it is the same person. I am a part of unleashing people to their greatest potential. Now THAT is EXCITING!

Japan-US Business News: What have been the rewards and trade-offs?

Kimberly Wiefling: Of course there are trade-offs as there are in any business really. I travel a lot—I am in Japan about 1 – 3 weeks a month. I sometimes do not have enough time to spend with family and friends etc. I’m in hotel most of the time, and sometimes it does get a bit lonely even with all of the Facebook, Skype and Twitter action. 

But there are great rewards and that gives me balance. Being a part of Japanese society and learning about this amazing culture and its people has been quite an education. Traveling, learning a bit of the Japanese language, getting to know people by visiting their homes—being a part of this society that is so wonderful has been a real treat for me!

'Women in Japan-US Business' series: Interview with Kimberly Wiefling - Part 1

We continue our "Women in Japan-US Business" profile series today with Kimberly Wiefling - Founder and President of Wiefling Consulting, and Executive Editor of the Scrappy GuidesTM and Author of “Scrappy Project Management: The 12 Predictable and Avoidable Pitfalls Every Project Faces”, growing in popularity around the world and published in Japanese by Nikkei Business Press. 

"Scrappy Women in Business: Living Proof That Bending the Rules Isn’t Breaking the Law", a compilation of a dozen women’s stories, was published this past summer.

Read Part 1 of Kimberly's interview below. Part 2 will appear tomorrow.

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Japan-US Business News: What was your educational experience? Was it helpful in getting you where you are now?

Kimberly Wiefling: My dad was a welder, my brothers were both welders, and, if I had been born a boy, I probably would have been a welder, too! But, as luck would have it, I grew up in a time when girls weren't encouraged to be welders.

So I went to college instead, earning a B.S. in chemistry and physics and an M.S. in physics. But don't be so quick to write me off, 'cause I've got marketable skills, too! For example, I earned a marksman's ribbon while in the U.S. Air Force right after high school (I used my GI Bill money to pay for college), where I learned to repair electronics equipment.

Japan-US Business News: What were your professional experiences?

Kimberly Wiefling: A physicist by education, and a successful business leadership and project management consultant for the past 10 years. I began my professional career working for a decade at HP in product development project management and engineering leadership.

My motto was, "When it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed overnight—bring it to me! I spent ten years working at HP in various engineering and technical jobs, including one that involved a long stretch of explosion testing and other destructive testing of lovingly handcrafted one-of-a-kind R&D prototypes.

I got bored with all of the stability and job security of HP, so I quit and joined a series of failed startups (not all my fault!).  I spent 5 years in the wild and wacky world of Silicon Valley startups, including a Xerox Parc spinoff where I was the VP of Program Management.  I helped to start, run and grow a dozen small businesses.  Several of the startups that I co-founded are still in business and profitable. 

One of the keys to the success of these start-ups was a focus on not only a winning strategy, but a winning culture. Culture transformation lies at the heart of all of my work.

In 2000, I rose from the ashes of the dot-com bust, launched my own consulting practice at what was not exactly the most hospitable environment in which to launch a business and never looked back. I wanted to associate with other women entrepreneurs and intended to extend my business globally.

I lurched fitfully forward for several years before my big break came—a chance to work in Japan with my Japanese "sister" Yuko Shibata of ALC Education, Inc. starting up their Global Management Consulting Group.

Yuko was doing work with NTT DOCOMO – UC Santa CRUZ Language institute and was searching for someone who could do a program with the Japanese. Yuko spoke with me and we decided to collaborate. We started writing proposals and trying to figure it out.

We created it from scratch really. Other institutions were doing this similar kind of learning and teaching on a large scale. There wasn’t anything at this price point, or this kind of experimental approach— focused on highly interactive, engaging and exciting “Action Learning.”

Japan-US Business News: Did you have a start-up business plan of any kind?

New Weekly Column starting this Thursday: "The Interpreter's Corner" with Amya Miller

Japan-US Business News is starting a new weekly column on Thursday, Dec. 16th.

 'The Interpreter’s Corner’ weekly post will feature Amya Miller, a Japanese-English interpreter with 20 years of experience. She will be writing about the Interpreting field and the Japanese interpreting industry specifically.
 
Join Japan-US Business News and Amya Miller every Thursday for The Interpreter's Corner .

"Women in Japan-US Business" profile series re-launch onTuesday, Dec. 14th

Japan-US Business News blog is doing a yearlong “Women in Japan-US Business” interview series.  In the past and still to too large a degree today, Japanese women are not utilized anywhere near their full potential in a Japanese company.

This is of course changing and although slowly, there are successful Japanese women out there in high level positions who deserve to be spotlighted and recognized as trailblazers in business in a society that doesn't traditionally support or encourage working women to reach their full business potential.

Over the course of the coming year, Japan-US Business News blog will be telling the stories of some of these remarkable women, both Japanese and American, who are successful in the Japan-US business arena in spite of the odds against them.

The series began officially on July 6th with a 2 part profile of Yuko Shibata, Executive Director, ALC Education Inc. in Japan. Ms. Shibata trail-blazed a new path in Global Management training through hard work,  determination and the willingness to try “something new” and achieved great success.
After a hiatus, the series begins again with a new profile this month and will run each month throughout 2011.

For years, a great number of  Japanese women who have wanted to expand their horizons beyond the limits that their culture inherently imposes have left Japan’s shores to seek out freedom in other countries, namely the U.S or have gone to work for foreign companies in Tokyo where they stood a better chance at gaining meaningful opportunities.

The ones who have stayed in Japan knew that the road would be filled with obstacles and battles that would be fought constantly if they wanted to rise above their traditionally regulated roles of house wife and office lady. Yet they were willing to fight the obstacles.

They knew the tradeoffs would be hard, that the sacrifices would be great and that the term “Christmas Cake” that takes the place of the western biological clock would wind down on them rapidly.  But no matter, these sharp career oriented women never wanted to be cake.

Japan has a large pool of talented women waiting for a chance “to show their power” as Yuko Shibata stated in her interview with us in July, from which to pick and develop to help address the country’s increasing labor shortages among other things.  Time to get started.

As I stated in July and will re-state again, my goal for the series is to:

1.) Spotlight talented women in Japan – US business and give them the recognition they deserve

 2.) Show that the path to success is varied but achievable

3.) Let the determination and success of these women inspire and encourage other women, and Japanese women in particular, to keep striving for the corporate success or any form of success that they seek in any field.

Let me know what you think of the series at yburton@japanusbusinessnews.com.

 

The New Hammer in Japan

Japan is facing the serious problems of declining birthrates, an aging population, shortage of working people, and  a largely apathetic younger generation to name a few.

These factors are converging like a perfect storm of economic woe that will be catastrophic for Japan if not seriously addressed and solutions put into place starting now.

What are possible solutions? Incentives to have more children? Tricky. Inspire young people so that they feel they have at least the hope of promising future? It won’t be easy.

But one way to address the labor shortage: Women! It's time to start utilizing fully a pool of talent that is already abundantly available in country. They are already citizens, speak the language, trainable and many are willing to work hard and have been waiting forever for the opportunity.

I think of the Second World War and how the U.S. was forced to call on women to join the workforce and take on the traditionally “male” jobs while men were overseas fighting. Although not war time, the Japanese will face similar male labor shortages and one of the potential ways to deal with this shortage is to utilize the other half of the population more in “un-traditional” ways.

I am sure that the government has been putting into place plans to deal with these problems and although I do not know what those solutions are, I want to throw my support behind the idea of opening up the Japanese mindset and giving qualified Japanese women more positions of substance in corporate Japan.

The harsh glare of light on these tough issues makes it impossible to hide any longer or to claim the “we the Japanese” card of difference. Japan is not so much different anymore as in danger.

The educational system that supports rote learning and graduates “conformists” mindsets from even prestigious universities has run its course. Its time has come and gone. It is time for evolution and innovation. New solutions to address the new conditions.

The New Hammer
The phrase that described how Japan handled differences and individuality in the past, “the nail that sticks out must be hammered in,” is outdated to say the least and seriously unwise.

For Japan going forward, the nail that sticks out MUST become the new hammer.

A blunt tool to stamp out conformity, unwise consensus building, promotion based on age instead of merit, generally under-utilizing the intelligence and power of women on a nationwide scale by placing them in lesser roles than which they qualify, an apathetic younger generation, lack of support for small businesses on an appropriate national scale, the list goes on.

The New Hammer is small companies that are innovators in need of government support in terms of funds, advice and promotion.

The New Hammer is the individual with the new software idea that needs help to incubate their product.

The New Hammer is the housewife who has run a household for years who has an idea to create a niche health care business to do her part in assisting the aging population.

The New Hammer is the young woman who went overseas on her own to gain international experience and foreign language fluency who wants a position in a Japanese company that will fulfill her and challenge her to keep learning and growing.

The New Hammer is the teacher who wants to employ a new method of teaching based on action learning to stimulate independent thinking and creativity.

The New Hammer is the 1 person company with a website selling globally.

The New Hammer is the young salary-man who actually speaks his mind in a company meeting.

The New Hammer is using technology to build a new efficient business model.

The New Hammer is a major corporation thinking like a hungry start-up.

The New Hammer is the Japanese company that institutes English as the language of their international business.

The New Hammer is embracing change.

The New Hammer is all around the country. It is the government’s job to start programs to help them, guide them, support them and help them grow. They are the future of Japan.

To support these types of companies and individuals, Japan-US business News will start a new feature in January, 2011 called “The New Hammer”. In it, we will spotlight the new thinkers, the innovators, and the doers that we find in Japan-US Business each month—Japanese or foreign. We will promote them. We will give them a forum to talk about their businesses so they can "Hammer On".

Send along your recommendations of a company of any size or an individual and we will put the spotlight on them. I already have a few in mind.