A Chat with Amélie Geeraert

Q1. What was your first encounter with Japan and how did you feel about that? Please also
mention your initial reactions.

Like most French kids of my generation, I grew up watching Japanese animation that was heavily broadcasted on TV at the time. However, it is only as a middle schooler that my interest in Japanese pop culture grew and led me to be interested in the country and its culture in general.

Much later, in 2005, I came to Japan for the first time as an exchange student. I studied for about a year in Fukuoka and made lasting memories. I made great progress in the Japanese language and got used to the local way of life rather quickly. After going back to France, I finished my studies and worked a few years in education, but I was missing Japan and came back at the end of 2011.

Q2. Do you speak Japanese? If yes, how did you learn, and if not, what have been your experiences with Japan without Japanese language skills?

I started learning Japanese as a hobby when I was in high school. There were no Japanese classes in my hometown at the time, so I used self-teaching books. Upon starting university, I became friends with students from Japan and learned a lot by talking to them. Although I took a few classes here and there, most of my knowledge of the Japanese language is either self-taught or learned on the go. Some more difficult things, such as keigo, really came into practice once I started working in Japan.

Now, I can work in a Japanese-language environment: I participate in meetings and seminars conducted in Japanese, and I exchange emails in Japanese with clients. However, my handwriting is terrible because I never had to learn it academically.  

Q3. Would you like to talk about your motto in life and why you have chosen it?

I do not have a motto per se, but if I had to, it would be “Keep learning.” I make sure to learn new things on a constant basis, either related to work or to my hobbies. Apart from work-related skills, I think it is important to learn things for the sole purpose of enjoyment—you will have a good time and you may discover qualities you did not know about yourself in the process. And I’m not only talking about reading book and taking classes: it can be practicing a sport, cooking, gardening, etc.!

Q4. Over your career, what achievement are you the proudest of? 

Lately, more and more people are reaching out to me to say they appreciate Kokoro Media’s editorial quality and vision. I’m happy that the team and I were able to build a website with a coherent and distinct identity. 

Q5. What changes did you bring into your working style to fit in and be successful in Japan? 

One thing I had to learn to do is “nemawashi.” In the West, employees are often rewarded for being proactive and taking the initiative. However, things are a little different in Japan. Rules are rules, and it is difficult to suggest changing ways of working that have passed the test of time. When you want to bring new ideas, it’s better make some allies first: you talk to several people individually, you consult your manager, etc. Only after that, you might try something new—and you should bring up the topic in a meeting first. “Nemawashi” refers to that whole process.

Another thing that I am still learning is attention to detail and how to present things. When Japanese people buy a present, they will make sure it is wrapped very carefully in beautiful packaging, and put in a solid, nice bag for you to bring it back home.

The same spirit applies to business: a lot of care is placed on making a good impression. That means doing things by the book, presenting documentation nicely and communicating every detail of a project to the client in the early stages. In France, we tend to prioritize the core concept of  project – details can be adjusted on the go. Although I have spent most of my working career in Japan, I feel like I am still adjusting to that way of working.

Q6. What wisdom, advice, or tips can you give to people to people who are new to Japan or are planning to come to Japan? 

It may sound obvious, but make sure to read a few things about business manners and the Japanese working style in general because it will be very different from what you have known so far. Identify someone you can question when something is not working or when you don’t understand what is going on. A Japanese person who has spent some time outside of Japan, or someone from a culture close to yours who has been in Japan for some time, are usually good allies because they have been through similar experiences. Also, even if your job does not require you to speak Japanese, I really recommend learning it. Doing so will make it easier for you to bond with the locals, and you will understand Japanese culture better, even at beginner’s stage. For example, one of the first words I learned was “kirei,” which means both “beautiful” and “clean.” That fact alone says a lot about Japanese culture! 

Q7. Any tips and advice for Japanese professionals who work in multicultural teams?  

Do not expect your colleagues to understand how you think or feel if you remain silent. What is obvious to you—such as strictly respecting deadlines—may not be obvious to people from other cultures. If something goes wrong, you will have to talk it through.

If you can, I recommend reading “The Culture Map” by Erin Meyer. It will give you a good idea of the kinds of cultural differences you can expect in the workplace, and a few tips on how to solve problems

Q8. Micro-management of the tasks is one of the very common points raised about working in Japan. The second is strict quality expectations. What do you say about these? 

Micro-management is probably the most frustrating point for foreigners working in Japan because we are used to more freedom. A friend recently told me that in her company, her manager checks all of her emails before she sends them. Not because she is a foreigner: the manager checks all her Japanese colleagues’ emails too! My friend feels like she is not being trusted with her quality of work, while her manager is probably very anxious about making every detail perfect. As I mentioned earlier, in Japan, quality is in the details.