Going Long on the ACCJ

Investing yourself in the chamber is a great investment in Japan

In keeping with this issue’s theme, I’d like to highlight an alternative form of investing in Japan that is uniquely available to members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ): taking on a leadership role at the chamber.

As Japan’s most active and influential international business community, the ACCJ plays a vital role in improving the country’s business environment. As an ACCJ leader, you can put your experience to work to create lasting benefits that extend far beyond the scope of your present role.

With more than 60 active committees and a broad, best-in-class advocacy program, the ACCJ’s true strength is the expertise and engagement of its members. Serving as a leader in an organization with such bench strength and influence is an investment that can pay meaningful dividends.

For younger executives, it is a way to develop leadership skills and networks to help build your career. For mid-career executives, it can be a great stepping-stone toward future board engagements, career advancement, and professional fulfillment. For senior executives, it’s a chance to give back to the communities in which you’ve flourished, leverage your skills in a more diverse environment, and help mentor the next generation of leaders.

Continuity

This year, the ACCJ board and I have launched a new focus on the resilience and sustainability of the chamber. We appreciate our active leadership and want to strengthen it by encouraging development opportunities in which others—including new members—get involved as leaders. We’ve asked committee chairs and vice-chairs to develop succession plans and to create openings for more members to take on leadership roles.

We believe that having a pipeline of leaders and encouraging rotation will lead to a more dynamic and vibrant chamber. The ACCJ has long been a leader on the diversity front, and we’re challenging ourselves to energize our organization with even greater diversity at all levels. Both these initiatives create tremendous opportunities for interested members to invest their time and expertise in the future of business in Japan.

Payoff

Having a leadership role in the chamber can provide a different experience compared with one in the private sector, as well as opportunities to hone your skills or develop new ones. The ACCJ is much less hierarchical, and more consensus-driven, than many private-sector organizations. As a volunteer body, the chamber can provide a refreshing change of environment as the use of persuasion more than authority is key when navigating the diverse opinions and priorities of the membership.

For many, the ACCJ represents a great opportunity to fine-tune the type of management skills required to meet the needs of today’s workforce. For others, it offers a “mental gymnasium” in which to focus on something outside the usual routine. And for all, it’s a great way to expand your network, get involved in meaningful change, and broaden your professional experience.

Get Started

How do you get involved? A great first step is to speak to members who are in leadership roles today. Ask them about their experience and seek their input on areas where your skills might be put to best use.

For committee roles, speak to the ACCJ programs team or the current leaders of the committees in which you are interested. For Board positions, the Nominations Committee launched their self-nomination campaign in July and is seeking members who would like to put forward their name. We highly encourage self-nominations and welcome anyone who would like to contribute their time and energy.

I have been involved with the ACCJ in various capacities for the past six years, was a member once before—when previously living in Japan—while my parents were both governors in the 1980s. I can tell you that it has been a very rewarding and productive relationship for me, and I know that my parents were proud to be part of the positive changes the chamber has helped to foster in Japan. I want more members to have that experience, and I invite you to take on a leadership role. It’s an investment with a guaranteed high rate of return.

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Finding Success through Diversity

Outside directors can play a key role in your business and personal lives

It’s annual general meeting (AGM) season in Japan. I will participate in a few for the boards on which I serve as an independent director and anticipate that this year will be quite exciting, because the calls for greater independence of corporate boards are more insistent than ever. Indeed, some activist investors are setting the table stakes at 30-percent independent outside directors—in line with proposed changes to Japan’s Corporate Governance Code regarding Prime Market companies—before they will even consider voting in favor of a company-sponsored resolution.

Independent outside directors help to broaden the perspective of the board and hedge against the risk of insiders simply following the company position out of self-interest, loyalty, or groupthink. Studies have shown that companies with boards that include independent members tend to outperform those with boards comprising only insiders. As we seek reform in important areas—such as environmental, social, and corporate governance, as well as diversity and inclusion—it is believed that boards with greater independence will push for more rapid change.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) has been advocating for Japan to improve corporate governance, so we are pleased to see, in the proposed changes to the Corporate Governance Code, a greater focus on sustainability, a recommended increase in the number of independent directors, and a call for companies to present a policy and targets for diversity in senior management.

Many Voices

At the ACCJ, we’re fortunate to have a diverse board that could be viewed as being made up entirely of independent directors. While all ACCJ board members are members of the chamber, our positions are voluntary and not paid, and—except in rare cases—we have no other business relationships with the chamber. As such, we could fall within the meaning of outside—or independent—directors.

As an organization, the ACCJ benefits from this tremendous diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and expertise, and the quality and range of the ACCJ’s white papers, statements, and events are a direct result of the diversity and depth of our membership. Having been involved in many ACCJ committees, and in the development of our papers and positions, I can tell you that divergent voices are the engine that drives our ability to effectively advocate on behalf of all members.

These experiences and imperatives got me thinking about the role that diversity, inclusion, and independent voices can play in our own lives and careers. When we look at our personal networks of peers, colleagues, mentors, family, and friends, how often do we see a mirror of our own experience and how often are we benefiting from a truly outside perspective?

Broaden Your Network

In the corporate world, consultants and coaches are paid to deliver their independent viewpoints and advice. But beyond these formal arrangements, there’s much we can do as individuals to broaden our perspectives. It’s comforting to be in the company of like-minded individuals, but staying inside your established circle can sometimes lead to an echo-chamber effect—and that’s not fertile ground for the type of innovation and constructive change we need to feed our energy as business leaders.

This month we’ve launched a revamped ACCJ Membership Directory and we’re piloting Wai Gaya—a new platform designed to facilitate informal conversations among members. Both initiatives offer opportunities for discovery and connection to broaden your network within the chamber.

I hope you’ll take this opportunity to get in the spirit of AGM season by not only expanding your ACCJ network, but by actively seeking out those with different views. Instead of simply connecting with people across your professional or industry sector, make a point of reaching out to people whose resumes and experiences look nothing like your own. Bring a few outside directors into your life. If the model holds true, you might just realize the same kind of performance benefits in your own career that we hope to achieve by pushing for more independence in corporate Japan.

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