Servant Leadership
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Using Japanese Values to Thrive in Global Business
Japanese companies have unique cultural, communication, and operational challenges. But they also have values that have led to remarkable longevity. Check out this seminar to hear how these values help earn trust from overseas head offices and develop employees.
Everyone wants to work in a safe space. As companies strive to incorporate DEI policies and create more inclusive workplaces, it’s important for individual employees (not just leaders) to do what they can to help. That means becoming visible allies to the LGBTQ+ community and creating a work environment with psychological safety.
Servant Leadership
There's more to leadership than driving a team to profit. In fact, there's a word for looking beyond self-interest to prioritize individual growth: servant leadership. Try this course for a quick breakdown of what that is, how it works, and how it can lead to organizational success.
Non-profit organizations and employee resource groups certainly have their value, but they aren’t present day to day. Fighting workplace discrimination and promoting diversity and inclusion (or DEI, as it’s more commonly known today) requires everyone to step in.
And there are simple ways to do that.
GLOBIS Insights spoke with Masakazu Yanagisawa of Deutsche Securities at a G1 Institute event about his experience coming out in the workplace. He also shared some tips on how to be an LGBTQ+ ally at work. Below is a transcript of the conversation, edited for clarity.
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What was the process of coming out like for you?
Masakazu Yanagisawa: When I was twenty, I was dating my first boyfriend at the time. When I talked to my parents, I mistakenly said boyfriend rather than girlfriend, which is what I [referred to him as] at the time.
So the dinner table became silent, and I said to my parents “I’m gay, and I hope you accept that.” That was my experience when I was twenty.
What was your experience of coming out in the workplace?
Yanagisawa: When I came out to my boss in the office, I was the only one. Actually, I was the only one in APAC. So I was determined to change this workplace, to make it as comfortable as possible and make sure that other people feel safe to come out.
And that’s what I have been doing in my workplace, as well as Japanese society to make sure that things are much better than where we are now.
Using Japanese Values to Thrive in Global Business
Japanese companies have unique cultural, communication, and operational challenges. But they also have values that have led to remarkable longevity. Check out this seminar to hear how these values help earn trust from overseas head offices and develop employees.
What can people do to make the workplace a safe space for LGBTQ+ professionals?
Yanagisawa: I’ve been asking my boss, my colleagues, and everybody else in the office to come out as allies. So rather than putting the pressure on LGBTQ+ workers to come out, actually asking the non-LGBTQ+ people to come out as supporters [creates a safe space].
And that is so effective for helping us to feel that we feel safe, and that when we need to, when we want to, we can come out to our bosses or colleagues.
What’s your “starter” advice for those who aren’t sure how to be an LGBTQ+ ally at work?
Yanagisawa: Yeah, there are multiple ways to do that. Like, on Facebook, you can put a rainbow on your profile picture. You can put logos on your laptop or your office door.
There are multiple ways, but the most common way is to use a rainbow. The rainbow is a symbol of the LGBT community and our allies. It’s an effective way to visualize your friendliness towards the LGBT population.
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