Connecting Japan with the World
I didn’t realize until late in life the degree to which certain childhood experiences and influences molded my worldview. Goes without saying, parents, teachers, and community had a big hand in it. But beyond these influences, at an even deeper Continue reading
Generations have been talking shit about each other since cavemen started grunting. Full disclosure: I still grunt. Boomers are now the generation that the youngsters love to hate. And they have legitimate gripes for sure. But the fact remains that Continue reading
Age discrimination is real. I’ve got some extremely talented friends who are experiencing it firsthand right now. But you ll never hear me complaining about it. Not because I think it’s okay. But because I believe changing the mindset of corporate Continue reading
Have you ever tried setting up an online chat only to be directed to the other person s online calendar? And how did that make you feel? Join me in today s curmudgeonly rant, as together we unravel my unfiltered feelings about Continue reading
“Some might say the most important function of an interpreter is not the translation of a foreigner’s remarks, but the judicious laundering of them.” ~Robert Whiting, You Gotta Have Wa Before I became a certified curmudgeon, I made a career Continue reading
One profound truth I’ve learned over the years is that high-stress situations bring out people’s true character. Some folks rise to the challenge, some are downright heroic. Others scramble to save their own asses, while yet others crumble under the Continue reading
Since the late 1980s, I’ve spoken with countless North Americans and Japanese employed by Japanese-owned subsidiaries in the U.S. and Canada. Common gripes by non-Japanese managers include the high turnover rate at their companies; how Japanese management struggles to grasp Continue reading
Are you the master of your domain? (To all the Seinfeld fans out there familiar with the reference, please get your minds out of the gutter!) This is about the Holy Grail of self-improvement: self-discipline. Outside of organized sports, I Continue reading
An ad recently scrolled across my Facebook screen that jumped out at me. It was a company peddling Ikigai coaching certifications. For those unfamiliar with the Japanese term, it translates as one s reason for living. Nothing exotic or even Japanese Continue reading
A LinkedIn connection of mine, a talented book editor, recently posed the following question on her LinkedIn post: “How would you write love in your book?” Specifically, the challenge is to convey love without verbally expressing it. As someone who is Continue reading