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You think Nemawashi exists only in Japan ? Think again

Do you think that consensus building is just a Japanese thing? Where Western bosses decide everything or argue a lot in meetings ? (read a Linkedin article written by a Japanese consultant).

Let’s look at it in a new way.

In Japan, there’s a thing called “nemawashi,” which is all about getting everyone’s input before making big decisions. Nemawashi refers to the process of preparing the ground before planting a tree. In business, it means talking to everyone before making big decisions.

In this week’s video, Marie and I talked about our experiences with nemawashi, and also what happened when we didn’t do it.

Remember, even if you’re not super experienced, doing nemawashi can help you understand how leaders think and if you’re on the same page as them and the company.

It might not be called Nemawashi but it exists, outside Japan too !

Keep in mind that doing nemawashi especially for less experimented managers is also an opportunity to build an understanding on how leaders think, what they value (and if you’re still aligned with them and the company).

So, don’t think nemawashi is only for Japan. It happens everywhere, especially when people might disagree.

👉 Have you ever done something like nemawashi at work ? Share your stories ! Let’s learn from each other. 👈

So, what’s your experience with Nemawashi or similar ideas in your work ?