Re:Advice on Bridging Cultural Gaps?
by PragmaticPulp on Tuesday January 25, 2022 @01:44PM
(#30076056)
Find someone at the company who has spent time in both Japan and your country. Befriend them. They will be your best reference, by far.
If you’re struggling to find someone who fits that definition, don’t hesitate to branch out of your department. Often you can find someone in sales or other roles who has experience seeing both sides of these interactions.
The books and guides can be okay for learning specific faux pas to avoid, but they’re not as useful for learning what to actually do.
In general, it’s hard to go wrong with a focus on simply being a good coworker (being on time to meetings, respecting others’ time, following through on everything you say you’ll do) and also remaining more formal (minimize joking around, friendly smiles are good but don’t get too casual too quickly, dress appropriately for business even if you’re on a video call).
If you’re struggling to find someone who fits that definition, don’t hesitate to branch out of your department. Often you can find someone in sales or other roles who has experience seeing both sides of these interactions.
The books and guides can be okay for learning specific faux pas to avoid, but they’re not as useful for learning what to actually do.
In general, it’s hard to go wrong with a focus on simply being a good coworker (being on time to meetings, respecting others’ time, following through on everything you say you’ll do) and also remaining more formal (minimize joking around, friendly smiles are good but don’t get too casual too quickly, dress appropriately for business even if you’re on a video call).