Episode #2: Management Smoke And Mirrors In Japan

Why do Japanese employees say “I don’t understand” so often?

In 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-owned companies) in 東京 (Tokyo), managers often hear: “I don’t understand.”
On the surface it sounds simple. In reality, it can hide fear, doubt, or quiet resistance.

If you take the words literally, you may misjudge performance, lose speed, and damage trust.
If you read the hidden meaning, you can coach better, assign work smarter, and keep your best people.

Mini-summary: “I don’t understand” is often not about information. It is about psychology, culture, and risk.

Sometimes employees truly do not know what to do.
They lack knowledge, experience, or context. But they are afraid to admit it.

What you can do:

• Ask: “Have you done this task before?”

• If no, do not show off your own expertise and take over the work.

• Give clear steps, examples, and guardrails instead.

Mini-summary: If they lack knowledge, reduce fear and give simple, concrete instructions, not lectures.

Hidden Meaning 2: Do they know what, but not how?

What is obvious to an experienced manager can feel like a foreign language to staff.
Your logic may be clear to you but not to them, especially in Japan where people avoid asking direct questions.

What you can do:

• Break the task into 3–5 simple steps.

• Check understanding: “Can you tell me in your own words what you will do first?”

• Support with プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) so they can explain tasks and issues clearly.

Mini-summary: If they lack method, simplify the process and confirm understanding in their own words.

Hidden Meaning 3: Are they afraid of failure?

Many people in Japan carry a mental “Big Black Book of Failure” — a memory of every mistake noticed by HR or bosses.
So, they think: Better to do nothing than to fail. This fear is rebranded as “I don’t understand.”

What you can do:

• Ask: “Is there anything about this task that feels difficult or risky?”
  (In Japanese this is often expressed as “muzukashii” which means “difficult / almost impossible.”)

• Share examples where trying and learning was rewarded, not punished.

• Use リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training) and エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching) to shift mindset from “no mistake” to “learn fast.”

Mini-summary: If the issue is fear, change the risk story: safe effort is better than safe silence.

Hidden Meaning 4: Do they understand the task, but not the “why”?

Two silent questions may be running in their head:

1. “Why should I do this?” (job-description mindset)

2. “Why should we do this at all?” (value and priority mindset)

If their personal risk seems high and the business value seems low, they hide behind “I don’t understand.”

What you can do:

• Explain why you chose them:
  “I chose you because I trust your judgment, even though you are busy.”

• Explain why the project matters:
  “This is important because it affects our client renewal and future revenue.”

• Connect to their growth: sales skills → 営業研修 (sales training), influence skills → プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), cross-cultural collaboration → DEI研修 (DEI training for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).

Mini-summary: If they lack purpose, explain why this task matters to the business and to their career.

Hidden Meaning 5: Do they simply not want to do it?

Sometimes they understand the task, know how to do it, believe they can do it, and even see the purpose.
But still they think: “This is a bad idea.” or “This will only cause trouble.”
They cannot say that directly, so they protect themselves with “I don’t understand.”

What you can do:

• Use a “trial close”: “Are you happy to do this task?”

• If they say “No,” stay calm. Ask: “What makes you uncomfortable about this?”

• Listen. Their answers may reveal real obstacles in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) culture or in your process.

• Suggest: “Let’s bring a few team members together and see how we can remove these barriers.”

Mini-summary: If the issue is disagreement, invite honest input instead of forcing silent compliance.

Leaders in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-owned companies) in 東京 (Tokyo) need both IQ (logic) and EQ (emotional intelligence).

A simple sequence helps:

1. Check knowledge — “Have you done this before?”

2. Check difficulty — “What might be hard or risky here?”

3. Check purpose — “Let me share why this matters and why I chose you.”

4. Check willingness — “Are you happy to do this task?”

Link this with リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training) so managers at all levels can handle these situations with confidence.

Mini-summary: Use structured questions plus people skills training to decode “I don’t understand” and turn it into action.

• “I don’t understand” in Japan often hides fear, doubt, or disagreement — not just lack of information.

• Simple, structured questions help you identify whether the real issue is knowledge, method, fear, purpose, or resistance.

• Explaining why you chose the person and why the task matters increases buy-in and accountability.

• Dale Carnegie’s global methods, adapted for 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-owned companies) in 東京 (Tokyo), help leaders handle these subtle situations through リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training).

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.