"Hands-Near" is the way Sada Honda, WIN President, describes the relationship of a parent company in Japan to its subsidiary or branch in the US. While sheer distance prohibits "hands-on," the Japanese headquarters maintains very close ties with its interests.
If you’re an American manager working for such a company, your ability to communicate with the Japanese parent company may hold the key to your success. Following are 10 guidelines to help you on your way.
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Keep in mind that the executives working at the parent company are your internal clients. They will appreciate and respond to being treated as such.
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Submit reports and letters on time. Establishing trust in your communications with the parent company is essential. Once interactions are established the relationship will be easier and freer. |
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Discuss and understand the communications system process vis-à-vis Japanese executives and managers, including the following details: |
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- How often?
- Approval procedures
- A common filing system for communications and reporting
- Copy distribution
- Who gets which official documents?
Unless you have been on the job for a while and developed freedom and friends within the company, don't exclude anyone on the parent company's list from communication. |
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It's safer to assume that everyone knows nothing. Avoid finding yourself in the position of having to say ". . . but, I thought you knew." |
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If asked to clarify, reply quickly. Immediately let the other party know when to expect your response. If there will be a delay, send a fax or e-mail communicating that, but steer clear of lengthy details on reasons. Even if the delay is caused by the slow decision-making process, don't shift the blame to your managers. You might want to talk to your mentor for advice on how to handle a specific delay if it concerns you. |
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Establish confidentiality of reports with parent company, but don't expect that confidentiality to be honored the way it is in the U.S. |
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Borrow your formats for reporting and communications from typical company documents. |
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Consider milestone or update reports when communicating clarifications and progress. |
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Keep communications short and to the point. |
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Use easy-to-understand English. |
