Working in strong honor-shame cultures should make us rethink assumptions about leading others. For example, here are a few quotes from this BBC article:
“If you don’t hear from your Japanese manager, you’re doing well.”
“If you go around and keep telling your employees ‘terrific job,’ they’re going to wonder what’s wrong. Because, they’ll think, what’s terrific about doing your job? That’s what you’re supposed to do.”
For foreign managers, the temptation may be to reply with accolades, congratulating them on finishing 32% of the project. But don’t, Schweitzer cautions. “If you reply and tell them good job, you will lose face and they will lose face. Just say thank you or don’t reply at all.”
After reading the article, I’d be curious if anyone else has similar experiences. Drop a comment if so.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In