Can you adapt to other cultures?
Things considered “normal” in Japan are considered “abnormal” in the rest of the world.
If you are born, raised, and do business in the extremely unique country that is Japan, you may never have the opportunity to experience rare, unusual, and special situations.
But the first step is awareness.
That is the beginning of intercultural adaptation.
Introduction
In many overseas countries, the consensus is that people are born evil by nature, and Japan’s typical way of thinking that people are intrinsically good is rare to encounter.
Of all the stages on the roadmap, the one which either makes or breaks international expansion is intercultural adaptation, and it is by far the most difficult to accomplish.
For example, if you lack knowledge and experience on other cultures, even if you proceed with international expansion, questions such as those below may accumulate in your mind, you will have difficulty understanding, and feel a sense of helplessness.
- At first it seemed negotiations were going smoothly but now things seem to be gradually fraying at the seams. They said it isn’t due to price, deadline, or product specifications…so what could the reason be?
- We entered a contract with this company because they assured us “No problem, we can do it,” but now they only give excuses and the project is at a standstill. On top of this, we’ve been charged some additional fee. Is this some kind of joke??
- The company was really praising our product at first, saying things like “Wonderful!” and “Great!” but now they are getting slower and slower at responding. What should I do if they stop replying all together??
- When I sent a reminder email about payment, I was told the original contact person had resigned from the company, or they say they have no records of ordering such a product therefore don’t need to pay. I trusted this company because it’s large. What should I do?
In actual international expansion, constantly making decisions, even if done unconsciously, based on business customs and unspoken agreement such as that practiced in Japan may lead to a situation where your mind is filled with question marks.
What is intercultural adaptation skill?
“Intercultural adaptation skill” is the ability to correctly understand that many things differ depending on the country or region (such as the examples provided below under “Examples of differences”).
Intercultural adaptation skill is a combination of the ability to scrutinize your company’s business development based on an understanding of differences, implement measures in advance, and gain an advantageous position, as well as the ability to swiftly devise improvement measures to apply the next time unpredictable circumstances arise in intercultural transactions.
One is considered to have high intercultural adaptation skill if they can reduce the distrust, dissatisfaction, and inconvenience between different cultures each time a problem is solved.
Examples of differences
Work, money, and self-actualization
- It’s okay to frankly express your opposing opinion even to your superior – Your superior’s instructions are practically final
- Once your work is done, you go home – You can’t be the only one to go home if your colleagues, etc. around you are still working
- Don’t go to work if you’re unwell. Rather, take time off to rest as working when unwell would not be efficient – Feel bad suddenly taking a sick day so go to work even if feeling unwell
- You worry about yourself and don’t particularly concern yourself with those around you – You worry that if you inconvenience those around you, your reputation will suffer so you are concerned about how those around you think and feel, rather than what you think
- Even if you complete expensive training as an executive candidate, you leave the company without hesitation if there are better conditions somewhere else – You don’t feel comfortable changing jobs in such a short period and not contributing after being trained as an executive candidate
- Everyone knows what each other’s’ salaries are and if you aren’t satisfied, you boldly ask the company managers for explanation – It’s hard for an individual to directly negotiate improvement of employment terms with the company and if it seems like there will be disagreement, you will find another job elsewhere
- It’s common for items and money to go missing during work – Theft at the company in broad daylight is rare
- Work is entirely for yourself and for the sake of earning money – Work is for the sake of self-actualization and supporting your lifestyle, however, in reality the level of self-actualization is low, it’s hard to save money, and if you think about it rationally, you’re actually working for the company’s sake
- It is practically unthinkable to work yourself to the bone to the point where it is fatal – As you constantly work with no end in sight, you sense that misfortunes could happen to anyone
Religion, love, family
- Nothing is more important in this world than religion and family – Don’t really understand religion and, while family is important, you leave home early/return home late, eat meals separately, and practically never talk to your family members
- If a marriage is void of love, you divorce without a moment’s hesitation – Even if there is no love in a marriage, a family is still effective as a system if there are children, however if there is domestic violence, debt, additions, etc. you will divorce
- If close family is experiencing hardship, you would give them land, a house, money, anything they needed and take care of them entirely for an unlimited period of time – You especially don’t want family members to know if you’re experiencing hardship as you don’t want to trouble them
- Take time off work for your child’s birthdays – Wait to a weekend to celebrate child’s birthday, or, even if you do take a day off to celebrate your child’s birthday, you don’t tell the company the real reason
- Keep a family photo on your work desk or bring your pet dog to work (IT industry) – Don’t proactively bring personal items to work
So, speaking English is not necessarily the same thing as having intercultural adaptation skill?
If you can speak English, then it’s safe to say you are over half way toward gaining intercultural adaptation skill.
This is because, in a situation where you’ve had to translate a custom or expression unique to Japan (or the other country), you have experienced the task of substitution by asking yourself “What’s the closest thing?” or passed judgment that there is no suitable substitution to facilitate understanding.
For example, in Japan we often use set phrases for business emails such as “Itsumo osewani natteorimasu” (You are always taking care of me) or “Kongotomo yoroshiku onegaishimasu” (I ask you to continue being good to me) for which equivalents are not used regularly in English-speaking countries, however there are set English phrases such as “I hope things are going well,” “Thank you for your business,” and “Thank you for your continued cooperation.” (The point is that, even if directly translated, the meaning of such phrases would be lost in translation).
However, why is being able to speak English well not enough to be perfectly capable of intercultural adaptation?
As is often said, English is merely a tool and not the goal. Your goal is to do business. And doing business is all about sensing each other’s intentions and finding common ground.
Even if you can understand what someone is saying in English, it is not necessarily the case that you can naturally decipher their intentions, business-wise.
Even if you are apt at English, unless you accumulate business experience to the point where not just the palms of your hand perspire, but also your entire body and mind work overtime, it would likely be difficult to accurately surmise points of compromise, etc. when negotiating with an overseas company.
What’s the easiest way to become capable of intercultural adaptation?
Although business experience to the point your entire body and mind works overtime is something that comes with time, the below two points can help you acquire intercultural adaptation skills.
(1)Know the background behind the other party’s actions
(2)Communicate with the other party while predicting their actions
Ways to know the background to the other party’s actions, in order from most to least costly, are as follows;
- Learn in the locality
- Work in the locality
- Live in the locality
- Work with a native of the locality
- Go to the locality
- Make friends with a native of the locality
- Read books on the locality in general
- Watch a TV programs from the locality
- Do online research about the locality
Ways to communicate with the other party while predicting their actions, in order from the most effective, are as follows;
- Force yourself to share the same environment and perspective with the people from the overseas locality and work together to produce results
- Travel to the locality for business purposes with a Japanese person who is apt at intercultural adaptation and spend time together. However, do not rely on that person to act as an agent for intercultural adaptation, rather only ask them for explanations.
Explanation example 1
He said what he said that time because he wanted to know XX but you misunderstood that for YY so, ultimately, you didn’t answer his question satisfactorily.
Explanation example 2
When asked “What’s the agenda for today?” you didn’t really assert your requests so for the whole two hours of the meeting, proceedings went at the customer’s desired pace, but because you said in the last 5 minutes “Let me wrap up,” the tables were turned.
- Frankly explain your observations about miscommunication concerns to a local and watch their reaction (except, choose the person wisely if business-related).
Overseas exchanges and overseas posts are a shortcut to intercultural adaptation because they force a person to adapt to another environment or customs for the sake of academic or professional performance. Despite being forced, such opportunities help a person accumulate many new perspectives on the different ways in which others see things.
However, as explained in detail below, people for whom intercultural adaptation takes time may fail to take advantage of this golden opportunity and return to Japan without even realizing that they never achieved intercultural adaptation.
This may be due to the fact that, after all, a person’s perceptions and personality may not necessarily change naturally by simply living in a different environment for a few years; rather it may only be when willpower is added to the equation that such a feat can be accomplished.
Below lists the typical characteristics of people for whom intercultural adaptation goes relatively smoothly, and for whom intercultural adaptation takes time.
People for whom intercultural adaptation goes relatively smoothly
- Likes oneself to a fair extent
- Doesn’t care if people don’t acknowledge their efforts
- Finds joy in learning and accumulating more new knowledge
- Likes the spirit of fairness
- Is quite curious and inquisitive
- Can accept change
- Doesn’t often become attached
- Doesn’t meaninglessly compare themselves to others
- Doesn’t judge people based on set criteria
- Is not overly proud
People for whom intercultural adaptation takes time
- Likes themselves conditionally (likes the parts of themselves praised by others)
- Feels down if their efforts are not acknowledged
- Their approach doesn’t change much even after learning something new
- Feels their position would be disadvantaged somehow if they acknowledged fairness
- Are okay with the status quo if there is too great a risk involved in change
- Feels troubled if they can’t predict a situation and even more troubled if there are no fixed plans
- Have been told they are stubborn
- Feels a little blue after acknowledging another person’s happiness
- Believes it is difficult to accurately judge a person without a resume
- Becomes frustrated if their opinion is rejected
Let’s elaborate a little on the above points.
People who like themselves don’t sense any value exists in making mere comparison with others. They are able to put preconceptions and prejudice aside. They are accepting, tolerant, and empathetic toward people who differ from them and have no objection to fairly considering the other person’s approaches with perceived notions left out of the equation.
Unlike the kind of confidence that comes from liking oneself based on reasons such as a strong academic background or gaining employment at a prestigious company, this kind of person has confidence just by being themselves and does not excessively react to gray areas that they cannot understand.
Rather than rejecting a certain approach to doing something, first they give the approach fair contemplation and ask for more details, then shift toward the option of reaching an alternative approach that is neither theirs nor the other person’s, but somewhere between. This kind of person tries to reach the goal by talking about the points that need to be addressed. Even if their efforts are not acknowledged, they merely end the interaction with the other party, thinking it unfortunate, but accepting the outcome.
Meanwhile, people who like themselves conditionally and look to others to evaluate their own worth do not feel very comfortable when presented with a “different view” to their own or a situation they cannot understand with their current capabilities. They feel as though their beliefs are being rejected, their confidence falters, and they become frustrated.
In such situations, this kind of person tries to turn the tables by explaining in greater depth their own perspectives and interpretations. They want to defend against what they see as an attack on themselves early on in the game and “correct” the other person’s understanding because they are mistakenly anxious that things will be too difficult if the other person presents a different theory to them. This will result in them losing the opportunity to fairly consider the other person’s approach to the matter at hand.
Alternatively, the below could be the case.
Although it is obvious that major intercultural differences exist in the perceptions and feelings between this person and the person they are doing business with, this type of person completely avoids acknowledging such circumstances and, indeed, is not interested in this fact at all. Rather, he or she smiles and plays along with the other party on a superficial level, but never compromises on the Japanese way of doing things.
In such cases, most likely the further along the business between these parties progresses, the more obvious the points where the respective understandings are inconsistent will become, and the harder it will be to adjust. Almost certainly, such a transaction will end with nothing being accomplished and the person, due to not really knowing what went wrong, will simply blame the other party and draw the conclusion that international business is too risky.
Intercultural – It’s Just Differences, After All
Ultimately, this is merely a matter of the people of the world doing what they believe is right. In some cases, the “right way” in one country is the completely opposite of Japan, however if both parties have the mindset to find each other’s point of compromise in order to make progress for business purposes, then intercultural differences are simply that – differences.
People capable of intercultural adaptation are good listeners. They are also able to clearly convey what should be said at the right timing. Whilst saying such things, they thoroughly observe the other person’s reaction. They are listening and talking in this way not because they want to force their approaches on the other party, but because they want to deepen their understanding to reach a better goal.
Intercultural adaptation is highly difficult for Japanese people to accomplish and a very complex topic, however just like when all the black pieces in a Reversi game are flipped to white, that moment when you suddenly understand each other clearly, or the moment that your understanding of the other party widens out as though you’ve reached the top of a hill and are looking out over the horizon; while rare, these moments do exist.
That is the real joy of international expansion that only the person actually doing it themselves can savor.
We encourage you to have confidence and give intercultural adaptation your best shot so that you may enjoy such moments firsthand.
I really look forward to that moment when my overseas business associate and I suddenly understand each other clearly.
I would love to be able to experience such a situation!
I am sure you can.
It’s something for you to look forward to while continuing to develop your capabilities.
Next, it’s time to talk about formulating and implementing strategies.
A framework for selling, right?!
Precisely!
The perspectives you collect here will help you make new discoveries in domestic business too.
Now, let’s formulate concrete strategies for overseas markets!
