Thought Leadership

Authentic Leadership in Japan — Why Congruence Between Words and Actions Defines Modern Bosses | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

There has never been a more intense time to be a leader.The power dynamic has flipped — applicants now intervi...

OJT Is Dead — Why Japan’s Middle Managers Need Real Leadership Training Now | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

When I first arrived in Tokyo in 1979, Japan had a strong corporate education system.Universities produced gen...

Building Teams That Last — The Leader’s True Job in Modern Japan | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

Teams are fragile organisms. They don’t self-assemble; they require constant leadership attention.A “team of s...

The Power of Regular Leadership Meetings — Why Small Companies in Japan Can’t Afford to Skip Them | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

Large corporations in Japan have the advantage of scale: many skilled people, deep resources, and established ...

Avoiding the Leadership Disconnect — Staying Close to the Action in Japan | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

Leadership advice often says: “Get off the tools. Focus on strategy. Let the team execute.”That’s fine—until i...

Controlling the Staffing Narrative in Japan — How Leaders Can Prevent Rumours, Misperceptions, and Brand Damage | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

Staffing is never just an internal matter.To outsiders — clients, competitors, and potential partners — it’s a...

Leading Invisible Teams — Teaching Holistic Time Management for a Healthier, More Productive Workforce | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

Leaders today are leading invisible people.Many team members are no longer in the office full-time—some appear...

Kokorogamae — The Japanese Mindset Behind True Leadership and Sales Success | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

In Japan, skill without mindset is incomplete. The word Kokorogamae (心構え) captures this truth.It combines koko...

From Phase One to Phase Three Thinking — How Japanese Leaders Can Make Smarter Decisions | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

In most leadership meetings, ideas fly fast. Busy executives share quick opinions, decisions are made, and the...

Executive Presence and Zanshin — How Japanese Leaders Can Radiate Authority and Confidence | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

Clients often ask how to help Japanese executives develop more “presence.”In Japanese martial arts, there’s a ...

Leading Remote Teams in Japan — Managing Middle Managers, Coordination, and Mental Health | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

Japan’s traditional management model revolved around visibility. The Middle Manager’s desk—placed at the head ...

Leadership Competencies Part 2 — How Others-Focused and Strategic Leaders Drive Real Results

In Part One, we explored Self-Awareness and Accountability as the foundation of leadership.Now we turn to the ...

Empty Your Cup — Why Great Leaders Must Unlearn to Learn Again

Tokusan, a brilliant scholar, once visited Zen Master Ryutan to learn about Zen.As Ryutan poured tea into Toku...

Why Meeting the President in Japan Doesn’t Mean You’ve Won — Understanding How Decisions Are Really Made

Western businesspeople assume the President holds total power — setting direction, approving budgets, and driv...

Beyond Harvard — Applying Real Leadership Principles in Everyday Business

Harvard, Stanford, and INSEAD — world-class institutions shaping global leaders.I was fortunate to attend exec...

From Command to Collaboration — How Modern Leaders Inspire Action Instead of Giving Orders

Ordering people around used to work in the command-and-control era — hierarchy was clear, obedience was expect...

After the Crisis — When Should Leaders Loosen Control and Reignite Innovation?

During Covid-19, many companies tightened expenses, froze investments, and centralized decision-making just to...

Why Time Is the Enemy of Great Leadership — From Macro Management to Micro Mastery

Leadership takes time — time to listen, coach, and connect with each person.Like a conductor harmonizing an or...