The Four Types of Strategic Leadership that Japan Needs to Embrace
Written by Timothy Connor
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For years Japanese companies looking to go global and foreign capital companies looking to grow in Japan have struggled to attract and retain the appropriate leadership talent-linguistically competent, culturally intelligent, with an agile growth mindset-within the context of the traditional Japanese employment ecosystem. The COVID pandemic hit and shed a bright light on the enduring issues surrounding employment flexibility, the talent gap, and particularly that of executive leadership in Japan.
The need for quick action and flexibility also exposed the rigidness of traditional employment models and leaders who were not able to adapt and grow. It brought to the forefront the immediate need for more flexibility in how all companies approach leadership and employment in Japan.
The limits to traditional “permanent” leadership are not new, but Japan has been unable to effect or accept change. But now the lack of “global” level talent in the traditional employment system has reached the point that both Japanese and foreign companies are losing the ability to compete in both the Japanese and global economies. Attracting executive leadership talent that can lead and grow a business whether on site or remotely should be every company’s top priority now.
There is clearly a need for new strategic leadership solutions in Japan. There are two distinct types or approaches to strategic leadership that Japan needs to embrace to become more flexible and competitive in the global economy. The labor market in Japan overall needs to embrace more flexibility, and change should start at the top.
Interim Leadership
Perhaps the most obvious need is for an interim leadership solution when there is an unanticipated “gap” in leadership. Hiring a C-level permanent leader is a time consuming and important process and HQ is right to take their time to get it right. In the meantime, the business needs a leader. A seasoned Japan experienced leader can often step in to take the reins of an existing business to ensure continuity, maintain team morale, and preserve the all-important trust relationships with business partners in Japan.
Two potential benefits of an interim leader are one, that leader can parachute in and provide HQ with a fresh, third party view or even analysis of how things have been going on the ground. Being the new eyes and ears of HQ can create a deep level of trust between HQ and the Japan leader and shed light on the kind of leadership skill set that is needed. Two, the interim leader may end up being the best final choice for the permanent C-level role, once they have been on the ground, seen what might need to be done, and gained the trust of the teams.
Transformation Leadership
Transformation leadership can be an extremely compelling solution in certain circumstances. One of the aspects of the gap between HQ and Japan that is enduring and perhaps the most frustrating is the speed of change in Japan. As much as people read about it, hear about, even witness it, change in Japan can take three times longer than anywhere else. This is even more difficult for a new expat to effect. An experienced Japan leader can often parachute in with a specific mandate, and if that leader has the cultural intelligence and linguistic skills, effect change in a Japanese business environment faster than an existing leader or new expat from HQ. Change will still take longer than most other countries, but a seasoned transformation leader with Japan expertise can speed things up.
Another form of transformation leadership is when there is a special or new project that needs to be implemented. The existing CEO or Country Manager probably already has their hands full running the existing business. A transformation leader can come in and on an interim basis, launch a new project or initiative without straining existing leadership resources. This could also be termed “change” leadership in terms of implementing a new business project or driving a digital transformation that needs to be handled by a “third” party.
The Flexibility of Strategic Leadership
The beauty of strategic leadership is its flexibility. These strategic roles can be non-exclusive and for a specific term, such as one year. Moreover, they can be structured to suit the needs of the Japan business. This is particularly attractive to SMEs who cannot afford and do not need a full time C-level, such as CFO or CMO, but desire to have that kind of deep expertise. Many new and growing businesses would benefit greatly by having a C-level executive for only two or three day a week over a specified period. Additionally, these non-exclusive and potentially non-full time engagements allow you to access a much wider pool of experienced executives with deep Japan experience.
The Japanese market is like no other and thus leadership solutions also require out of the box thinking. There is a vast experienced pool of executives who may have been sidelined in the game due to rigid hiring practices or organizational thinking that remains traditional and inflexible but who have the kind of experience or entrepreneurial talent that traditional employment policies do not recognize. It’s time for Japan to embrace these types of strategic leadership to bring more flexibility to the labor market and tap into the deep pool of market experience to ramp up productivity and develop a new layer of young leaders.
