MEMORIES OF A JAPANESE BUSINESS MEETING

One of my most vivid memories of doing business in Japan comes out of our weekly Project meetings with our Japanese subcontractor in Omuta, Japan during 1983 and 1984. It changed my perspective on how business could be done differently, than my hereto experience dictated. We were an American based contractor, contracted by the government of New Zealand and in turn had contracted a Japanese company to help us complete one part of the project work. We were headquartered at our Japanese suppliers head office and fabrication yard. They were performing the work, we were directing the work, monitoring it, and paying them based on progress. We in turn were being paid by the government of New Zealand. My memory goes something like this.

In my experience, a weekly progress meeting was usually a round table of finger pointing, accusations and excuses. When brought up in this type of work “process” you begin to think that it is normal. And further, that all of the world responds to the stress of project work in the same manner. You prepare your attacks and defence well, for each and every meeting. You go in to these sessions hoping you will come out the other side with your butt intact. Sometimes you did, sometimes not.

Now in extreme cases some of these meetings turned into squabbles. A famous old Project manager (the same as that asked if I would accept an assignment in Japan with one of his compatriots) put it in the best terms. One day in a meeting, that had started out from the git go as a major pissing contest, he finally lost his cool. He turned a brilliant red, it appeared that apoplexy might be setting in, and stood up slamming the table with his fist and yelling. “You guys remind me of a pack of dogs! When you throw a rock into a pack of dogs, the one that yelps is the one that you hit”! Enter the Japanese into our business process.

Each and every week, our leader called for a progress review that included all of our management team and the management team of our Japanese subcontractor. It included engineering, procurement and construction managers or leads. My first exposure to our weekly meeting came 2 weeks after my arrival. I had, by that time, gained a bit of insight into the work and the difficulties of joining two opposing work philosophies together. Our mantra was progress at all costs, theirs progress only when everything was in line to complete 100% of the task at one time. Well it was obvious to me, that us being the management team and them being the subcontractor, that we had to prevail. So in good company approved practice, I armed myself with my defence and a righteous anger. Let me at em!

The meeting starts on time in a very subdued manner. Each person shaking hands, bowing or otherwise acknowledging everyones’ presence. Ok, now the fun is about to begin. We needed progress, progress, progress even if only part of the tasks could be completed. HZ needed to keep us from forcing them to work on things that they could not possibly complete, at that time. Jobs that they would subsequently need to dig out later, and finish. Oh, let the “free for all” begin. Well promptly, most of the Japanese bowed their heads and for all intents and purposes fell asleep. I am astounded, who am I going to vent my rage on if they were asleep. Not fair says I.

The meeting continues with our site manager proceeding as if nothing has happened and appearing quite at peace with the world. At one particular time, one of our people was directing a comment to or about one of the Japanese managers. Like a Phoenix out of the fire, this guy sits upright and without hesitating, starts on his response to the issue. He nails it and without further word, he bows his head against his chest and goes back to sleep. The meeting continues. Each and every time that anything was raised, that needed specific response. That manager’s head popped up, and the response was forthcoming, clear, concise without nary a yawn. The meeting was calm, no screaming, went very quickly and addressed every issue raised. Nobody was asleep, they just listened with their eyes closed and heard every word. Truly amazing. A memory I will never forget!