Leadership has as much to do with moral courage as culture
Foreign executives parachuting into Tokyo for their three-year stints can feel like they are dropping behind enemy lines. At a recent Economist Corporate Network event, the CEOs of Le Creuset Japan and Burton Snowboards Japan, as well as the CFO of McDonald’s gave some interesting insights into how to start exerting leadership the moment you arrive.
One approach, exemplified by the female CEO on the panel, was that of the Warrior Princess. This is essentially a war-like role, whereby the leader wins victories through toughness. The same quality also permits her to attract the loyalty of her staff, since she binds them to her by fiercely sticking up for them. “It’s my way or the highway” was the motto of this formidable lady, but mingled with strong two-way loyalty once trust had been gained.
The Philosopher King approach is more personal and value-driven. The CEO taps into the desire of Japanese staff to stand close to the foreign but attractive lifestyle represented by the brand. The ice is broken through breakfast meetings and informal gatherings. This CEO had also introduced bike racks, and tweaked office life. Dress, for example, was more casual than for other companies, and staff were encouraged to leave early.
The third approach on display was that of the “grade school teacher”. The executive in this instance found that he had to work closely with his team to ensure they retained focus. He identified “managing up” as a problem – trying to please the CEO at all costs. It can be good, but can also lead to discarding strategies which have been worked out in detail over many months.
Several amusing war stories emerged as these CEOs cast their minds back to their first months on the job. “Beware the colleague who is too friendly, just as you would naturally be wary of the too-friendly kid on the playground,” said one CEO. “Admittedly, it’s important to find allies who can tell you what is happening in the ‘parallel universe’ formed by the non ex-pat staff,” he said, “but be selective.”
Language was a preoccupation for everyone, with several “knowing enough Japanese to get into trouble”, as one CEO put it. Most agreed that investing in a top-notch translator and interpreter is crucial, and that the idea of deploying language as a business tool is too ambitious for any but the most linguistically talented executive.
Japanese leadership, which tends to be bottom-up, versus the Western top-down approach (or so goes the cliché), was expounded on. Some executives saw this as a false distinction: “Senior Western and Japanese executives both need to consult with their colleagues. It’s not unique to Japan, despite what the Japanese often say.”
This led on to discussion of the role of the top executive in integrating outside hires, a process which frequently attracts fierce internal opposition. While some executives argued against numerous ex-pats and mid-career hires, the Warrior Princess hit the nail on the head: “If you hire people from outside, they will invariably run into a lot of opposition internally. The key is to stay away from the politics, and assess the hires only on their performance. You also have to ensure that everybody knows you are backing them up, and stick up for them!”
Indeed, while management theories abound, sometimes it pays to rely on old-fashioned moral courage. Stand up for what you believe in, and the people you believe in. That should get you respect, wherever you are.