A Japanese Lesson

This happened about two decades ago. I had just passed out from IIM and had taken up my first job. I was sent on an assignment in a group company that was a joint venture with a large Japanese company as a part of the “new projects” team.

One day I was asked to prepare a request for approval about a new idea we had developed. Using all the ‘fundas’ that I had learned in IIM and all the creativity that oozed out of every pore, I prepared the approval request. I was asked to forward the same to the Japanese headquarters.

This meant that I had to forward the same through the Japanese Director who was based in our office (Let us call him Shira San; San is the word the Japs add to your name when they addresse you with courtesy and respect).

Shira san was a quiet, elderly, soft spoken gentleman who always kept a dictionary handy with him. He often referred to the dictionary during conversations to ensure that he got the right meaning. Especially when we cracked some jokes it was funny to see him laughing with a time delay on account of this need to refer to the dictionary.

He looked at my note and shook head and told me.

‘Koshy San, this is not correct’

‘What? How can this be wrong? Then Show me how do it correct” Pat came my reply with all the haughtiness that matched my age and temperament.

Shira San quietly took a piece of paper (PCs were not so common then) and recast the whole approval note.

One look at what was made and I realized that it was a different presentation of what I had made.

With a chest full of pride about my brightness, I quickly showed him how both these approvals were the same and how my way of presentation was even better.

He looked at me with an indulgent smile and told me.

‘Koshy San, you are very intelligent like many Indians I know. But you see I not so intelligent. When we know we have to deal with people not so bright, our company has standard forms for presenting such approvals. If you present your request in this format, I look at it and in two minutes I can decide if I should recommend this. Then I sign here and send to Singapore to my regional boss. He looks at it and in two minutes decides whether to forward to Japan. If he forwards this, Japanese boss will approve as per the norms”

“What happens if you forward my proposal. With the more powerful presentation that I have made, this has a better chance to clear” I was eager to point out.

“ No Koshy San, I would take one hour and your help to understand this first. You my friend and I may actually do it for you. But my Singapore boss may straight away throw it in dust bin, as he will surely won’t think it is worth his time to understand this.”

“How can you be so stiff? This really straightjacket the employee and kill whatever creativity he has” I was ready to give my free advice.

“Koshy San, Our company has systems in place to handle such creative minds like you.” He took a format and gave it to me.

“Bright boys like you can give your suggestions on how to improve any system using this format and forward to the specified department. They will evaluate all such great ideas and if they find them good, will make it the company standard. Then ordinary people like me will follow this like bible. If your ideas are accepted you will even get money award”

The lessons sank in to my mind.

You need to use your brightness to add value and not to show off your smartness. If you establish standard practices you can avoid waste of lots of time; especially when you are working as a team.

It has been two decades since this happened. I have worked in a number of assignments in number of positions. I still see enormous waste of time on account of lack of well defined systems and processes. But I realize that this is a learning that is difficult to come by. Still I try hard because I believe it is worth it.