How Ne-mawashi Builds Real Leadership in Japan with Rina Sakuraba

Описание: Getting to “yes” in a Japanese company is rarely a straight line and sometimes, “yes” doesn’t mean yes at all.
In this episode, we welcome Rina Sakuraba, Founder and CEO of Coaching Leaders Japan executive coach and leadership development expert, to explore the powerful but often misunderstood practice of ne-mawashi Japan’s informal process of building consensus behind the scenes.
Rina breaks down how leaders can use coaching and cultural fluency to foster emotional safety, draw out real opinions, and avoid costly communication breakdowns inside Japanese organizations.
She also shares:
How to build psychological safety so team members actually speak up
What causes ne-mawashi to fail, even when intentions are good
The gap between Western directness and Japanese indirect feedback styles
This is an essential listen for foreign managers, HR professionals, and leadership teams navigating cross-cultural communication in Japan.

AIM B2B – Integrated Marketing & PR in Asia
This episode is sponsored by Custom Media, Tokyo’s leading integrated marketing and PR agency since 2008, helping global brands expand across Japan and APAC.
They can help you with:
Localized storytelling to build trust in Asian markets


Strategic performance marketing for measurable growth


Account‑based marketing (ABM), paid media, GEO, and SEO


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Data‑driven implementation with cultural expertise


🔗 Learn more about AIM B2B

Show Notes:
00:00 – Introduction
03:00 – Why Ontological Coaching is Important
07:55 – What is Ne-mawashi
15:02 – Purposes of Ne-mawashi in Japanese Culture
25:05 – How to Set a Comfortable Environment for Sharing Concerns
30:00 – Challenges Leaders Face with Ne-mawashi
39:27 – Techniques for Better Practice

SCALING JAPAN PODCAST – GROW YOUR BUSINESS IN JAPAN
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✨Guest Appearance:
Rina Sakuraba – Executive Coach and Facilitator
🔗 LinkedIn:   / rinasakuraba  

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Produced by:
Scaling Your Company & SmartStart Japan
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