Understanding Japanese-German Business Cultures. Unlocking Your Strengths.
About Me
Sayaka Kitamura
Cross-Cultural Business Coach
Working across cultures is also a journey of self-discovery.
Through my years of working in Germany, I have experienced firsthand how differently Japan and Germany can approach communication, ways of working, leadership and teamwork.
“Why isn’t my intention getting across?”
“Why did they make that decision?”
“How much should I adapt to others, and how much should I stay true to my own way of doing things?”
Working across cultures can bring moments of uncertainty and frustration like these.
I have experienced the pressure of being expected to deliver results while navigating different cultures and values myself. This is why I believe it is important to look beyond cultural differences as simply a “communication issue” and explore them in the context of each person’s values, strengths and aspirations.
My Experience in Japanese and German Business Environments
Through my professional background in both Japanese and German companies, including management experience in Germany, I have experienced the challenges and opportunities of working across different cultures.
As a manager in Germany, I experienced firsthand how communication, decision-making, leadership and teamwork can differ between Japanese and German business cultures.
This has taught me that, rather than asking “Which approach is right?”, it is more important to understand why people think and act the way they do.
In a cross-cultural environment, I believe it is important neither to simply adapt to the other culture nor to insist on doing things your own way. Instead, by understanding both perspectives, you can develop a way of working that is truly your own.
Why Coaching?
I decided to study coaching because I saw great potential in the process of helping people discover their own path.
I received professional coaching training at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, where I learned how coaching can help people organize their thoughts through dialogue, gain greater awareness of their own values and strengths, and turn their insights into action.
Coaching creates an opportunity to reflect, explore your thoughts and find your own answers.
I believe this process can help people working across cultures find their own way of working while staying true to who they are and exploring how they want to be in a cross-cultural environment.
Bridging Japan and Germany
One of my dreams since I first came to Germany has been to build a bridge between Japan and Germany.
Japan and Germany have different cultures and values. These differences can sometimes create challenges and conflicts in the workplace, but they can also open up new possibilities by bringing different perspectives together.
I want to use my own experience of working across Japanese and German environments to support Japanese professionals who are navigating cross-cultural challenges, helping them leverage their strengths and values while finding their own way to thrive in their environment.
For me, coaching is also a way to turn my long-held dream of building a bridge between Japan and Germany into reality, using the experience I have gained in Germany.
I want to support each person in finding their own way of working across cultures and building better working relationships. Through these individual connections, I hope to contribute to greater mutual understanding and collaboration between Japan and Germany.