If you are about to embark on your assignment in Japan or have already arrived, there are a few common pitfalls to avoid. Over the last decade working in Tokyo, I have had the opportunity to partner with many expats who have all had varying degrees of success in Japan. Here is what I learned from their successes and their shortcomings. 

Overvaluing English Language skills

To put things into perspective, the average English skill in Japan is lower than one might expect. Looking at two common tests, with an average of 516 out of 990 points for TOEIC Japan ranks 41st out of 49 countries and with an average TOEFL score of 67 out of 120, 29th out of 30. 

With very few exceptions, most expats in Japan do not speak Japanese and they rely on the English capabilities of the local team. Therefore, it can be very tempting to overvalue English skills. But, there are two common misconceptions when it comes to English language skills.

Firstly, assuming that someone who speaks English well is also “bi-cultural”. Some people are great at speaking English and foreign executives often feel closer to them or that they can relate. However, they might still be very conservative or traditional Japanese in their views. Language and culture are related but not interchangeable.

Secondly, judging people’s ability and skill by their English ability. Just like there are people who speak excellent English, there are many great people out there with a high level of skills and valuable experience but they might struggle to express themselves in English. It is important to distinguish between their actual skills and their language skills.

English is often the main tool for communication but by keeping an open mind even if someone does not speak English is key. You can start by asking other local stakeholders about team members you cannot communicate directly with to get their local perspective. 

In addition, be mindful when communicating with people who speak great English. You still need to assess their actual skills and accomplishments that go beyond their language skills. In addition, even if they speak great English, keep in mind there are many aspects of pop culture that they are potentially not familiar with. That includes TV shows, movies, food and more.

Underestimating Culture Shock

When moving from one culture to the next, most people go through some form of culture shock. This most obviously applies to people moving from one country to another but can also happen when moving within the same country. For example, when moving from an urban area to a rural area or when moving companies (company cultures!).

Initially when moving to a new country it is very common for people to have a good time. Everything is exciting and new, the people are friendly. You move into a new place, you get set up, you meet new colleagues. In the beginning there is usually also enough time for sightseeing and some tourist activities. That is the honeymoon phase.

After this wears off, people often start encountering more and more inconveniences, and differences between their home country and the host country. This is usually the time when the expat is trying to get things rolling at work and make initial progress. However, that is often slowed down or completely stalled by the local team – for various reasons. In many cases, relationships also do not develop the way they expected. This phase is characterized by feelings of worry, confusion and anger. These are typically the first signs of  culture shock.

From that low point people usually adjust and start feeling more comfortable. They get used to the new environment and the new rules to play by. They might come to a place where they really enjoy themselves again or where they are still feeling a lot less comfortable than in their home country.

After the adjustment phase, people go through a few more ups and down, usually never as deep as the initial shock. From there they feel more and more comfortable with their new life and enter the mastery stage

How long the honeymoon phase or how bad the culture shock is depends on the individual and how well prepared they were. Some people do get home sick while others cope with the situation a lot better. This can lead to friction when family members have different experiences. It is important to keep communication open and address issues early on to work through it together.

It is important to keep in mind it is absolutely fine to enjoy the honeymoon phase but what I can highly recommend is adding cross cultural training at that stage at the latest. That way you are prepared once the welcome phase has worn off.

Going Too Fast

Most expats are sent to Japan to get the business off the ground, to turn the business around or similar reasons. The expectations from HQ are high and results are expected quickly. That often leads to expats trying to change or implement things, start projects and initiatives fairly quickly.

However, it is extremely important to understand the current situation first, the relationships with customers, suppliers and also internal stakeholders. There is often a reason and a history behind it and there’s more to it than the local team not being able or not willing to make a change in line with HQ’s expectations.

To provide more context, Japanese culture values patience and persistence very much as can be seen by the saying 石の上にも三年 – ishi no ue nimo sannen. Directly translated as “sitting on a stone for three years” implying that even a cold stone will warm up if you sit on it for three years. It refers to the virtue of patience and how it will lead to success. It matters in this context because the faster you try to go in the beginning, the more push back you most likely receive. However, that push back will be very subtle and come in the form of smiles and nods but no actual progress being made.

Therefore, it is important to understand where the other person is coming from and that is only possible by spending time with each other and carefully listening.

Here are some starting points:

• Take your time to understand how things work and why they are the way they are
  • even the most seemingly illogical & inefficient processes and situations have a history and it’s important to understand
  • meet as many people as possible, internally and externally, clients and vendors
  • focus for the meetings is on relationship building, understanding the other person and what their expectations of the client are
• Empathize
  • understand how your assignment to Japan might be perceived locally and how it makes the local team feel
  • identify what your strengths are and also understand what your weaknesses are. Especially if this is your first assignments in another country, it’s important to note that what has worked in your home country, might not work in the new country

Both aspects can be explained by how trust is formed across different cultures. Erin Meyer breaks down trust into cognitive trust and affective trust. In countries like the US, the UK or Germany we prioritize cognitive trust which is based on confidence you feel in another person’s accomplishments, skills and reliability. It is coming from the head.

In Japan (China and Brazil are also good examples) affective trust is more important. This form of trust is build from feelings of emotional closeness, empathy and friendship. Instead of coming from the head, it is coming from the heart.

On a side note, empathy is one of the key skills in leadership. Regardless of the cultural context you are in, empathy is a key skill all leaders should develop.

There are many pitfalls out there and it is important to avoid them as much as possible. They certainly do provide great learning experiences but some can also cause long lasting damage and throw back your relationship and business. 

Have you been to Japan already or worked in another country for a few years? What has been your experience? Have you experienced any of the above or are there any other pitfalls to highlight?