The New Leadership Challenge in Japan — Why Middle Managers Are Struggling to Communicate Post-COVID

Corporate Japan is facing a silent crisis: middle managers can’t communicate effectively with their teams.
At Dale Carnegie Tokyo, we see this first-hand in client discussions. In our recent Sales Consultants Forum, one pattern dominated — companies are no longer asking for sales or presentation training, but for leadership communication skills.
Why this sudden shift? Because the very nature of leadership changed after COVID.

During COVID-19, companies downsized teams to survive. With fewer employees came fewer managers.
Now, as businesses rebuild, those managers are being rehired or promoted into leadership roles — but the environment has changed completely.
Remote work, hybrid schedules, and dispersed teams have redefined what it means to “lead.” The informal communication once common in offices has vanished, leaving leaders struggling to stay connected.

Mini-summary:
COVID didn’t just disrupt business — it broke the communication habits that held organizations together.

The shift to home offices exposed weak leadership.
Clients told us that once “everyone went home,” it was like the tide went out, revealing the rocky seabed — suddenly, the flaws in management became visible.
Leading a remote workforce demands new skills: trust-based management, digital communication mastery, and proactive connection.
Leaders now face questions like:

• “Are my people really working?”

• “How do I measure productivity when I can’t see them?”

• “How do I maintain engagement without physical presence?”

Mini-summary:
Remote work exposed leaders who relied on proximity rather than purpose.

Poor time management amplifies communication failures.
Many bosses lack structured daily planning — and a disorganized leader can’t manage a dispersed team.
Some employees exploit this weakness, “hiding” behind remote work. The boss’s lack of structure becomes their shield.
At the same time, labor shortages make it harder to discipline underperformers — employees can easily find new jobs.
The result: leaders are trapped between overcontrol (which drives people away) and undercontrol (which destroys accountability).

Mini-summary:
Without time discipline, remote leadership collapses into confusion and frustration.

We’re seeing a surge in requests for manager retraining programs.
Organizations realize that old management techniques don’t work anymore. The balance between autonomy and supervision is delicate — too much pressure, and employees quit; too little, and productivity erodes.
Leaders must rebuild communication systems, learn hybrid leadership strategies, and practice modern coaching techniques.

Mini-summary:
Retraining managers is not optional — it’s a survival strategy in Japan’s new work era.

Einstein’s definition of insanity applies here: “Doing the same thing and expecting different results.”
Companies that ignore these shifts will pay a heavy price — high turnover, lost institutional knowledge, and constant rehiring.
Replacing staff is expensive and disruptive. The solution is simple: train managers to lead the workforce they have today, not the one they had yesterday.

Mini-summary:
Refusing to evolve leadership practices guarantees higher costs, lower engagement, and declining results.

• Leadership communication, not sales, is the top corporate training need in Japan today.

• Hybrid work has made leadership exponentially harder.

• Time management and trust are now core leadership skills.

• Retraining managers is the only way to retain staff and sustain performance.

👉 Request a Free Consultation with Dale Carnegie Tokyo to design leadership training that builds communication, trust, and accountability in today’s hybrid workplace.

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, continues to empower both Japanese and multinational corporate clients to develop human-centered leaders for the modern era.