Workplace Culture of Japan & How We Can Apply It

In the service industry learning how companies in other countries work is beneficial in gaining greater value in your own work.  The Japanese workplace culture can help us be better in our industry.

Not the Individual, but Member of the Family:

            Employees in Japan view the company as a whole organism, everyone’s job is important. Their mindset is on how I can help the company rather than any single individual. The best way to understand this mindset is to borrow from John F. Kennedy. “Think not, what can (my company) do for me, but what can I do for (my company).”
            Cooperation in the workplace is essential to being successful. All members of the company are part of “the family.” Everyone in the company shares the same fate. When the company does well, we are all successful. When the company loses an account, we have all failed. Often, we (as Americans) are too concerned with who is to blame. “Whose fault is it?” If we stop looking for a person to blame, we will start solving the problem and fix it faster. Americans tend to believe that the person who failed must “fix the problem.” In Japan, they believe that “we both failed," so we both have to fix it.”
            Maintaining a family attitude about the company will help retain employees. Akio Morita, former CEO of Sony explained the Japanese logic in hiring. Morita makes it clear that when a person is hired, they are being hired for 20 to 30 years. The new employee will be with us for their whole career. “Be very careful in choosing the right employees.”
            As the CEO, Morita would personally speak with his new hires. In his meeting with the new employee he is very clear what the agreement is between the company and employee. New employees are not drafted into the company. “We did not draft you; you chose to come to Sony. We selected your application. Make this the brightest time in your life for 20-30 years. No regrets being with us.” With all new hires, the new employee has a 3-month test period to make sure they fit with the company before being hired on full-time.
            Morita states to have the best results with all employees is to, “Treat all people as a human being.” The employee is not a disposable commodity, they are your selected family member.

Think of the Long Game, Never the Short Game:

            While Americans generally have a hyper-focus on the bottom-line. Japanese embrace a long-term average. As a cleaning service company, we maintain a long-term view on keeping a building clean. We promise quality. We clean every day. We do a great job most days, however, in every building we’ll make a mistake. We will miss an entire bathroom or a floor won’t get cleaned because a piece of equipment breaks down. As a company we look at the average. Is the building cleaned correctly most of the time? In the service industry most every job is repetitious by design. Without the right mindset, this kind of work can be boring, and failure will occur. In the Japanese workplace they use a word in which they base their work ethic on - Kaizen.
          
            Kaizen means to be continuously engaged in activities that improve all functions. Repetition, attention to detail, and care are the predecessors to efficiency. Appreciate the value in even the smallest amount of improvement. An improvement that isn’t evaluated by its degree is an incentivized routine.
            Think of your job for the long game. Avoid thoughts like, “I’m only cleaning till the next best thing comes along.” Rather, “I’m going to be the best at this so I can become a manager. I’m going to use these skills and gain greater value for my value, for my peers and for my company.”

Chain of Command:

            Every decision goes through a chain of command and must have approval from the Boss. In the Japanese workplace the word is: Horen-so = Report – Contact – Consult
            If a building facility manager wants you to do a job you’re not approved for, talk to the boss. Most importantly, report any problem immediately, before you try to fix it.

 Japanese Business Etiquette Basics:

            Embracing another culture’s business etiquette can greatly increase the first impression others have on you. Here are a few Japanese business etiquette's, if practiced can help improve how clients and colleagues see you.

Business Card:
Japanese see business card as an extension of themselves. Treat them with respect. Read card carefully in front of the person. Place card into holder or in a pocket above the waist.
Give your card as well. Exchanging business card at the beginning of the meeting works as an introduction and icebreaker.

Be Prepared: Show Effort/ Respect Is Valued:
Bring Pen, or something to write on (tablet). In meeting make notes to show effort. Never come to a meeting open handed. Come with something in your hand.

In Meetings:
Be very careful asking “Direct Questions.” Do not force client to make a decision on the spot.
Be careful with direct eye-contact.

Entertain:
Japanese people love to be entertained, so do most people. Take clients out to lunch or dinner. Take them to a restaurant where you can help suggest items from the menu. In Japanese culture it is bad luck to pour your own drink or to have an empty glass. Pour the drink for client or request the server to fill the glass.

Making a Hero: Simply Right Superhero

Production Year: October 2013.

I love Superheroes.

Any time I can mix my passions with my career, I do it.

Outside of the United States people choose a career and they stay with it. They find pride in whatever job they choose. A job is about filling a need and providing for a family. In the United States we often see a most jobs as a stepping-stone to "stardom". Being a in the service industry many people see this field as a stepping-stone. I can’t really blame my peers for this. Creating content on cleaning is cooler than actually cleaning.

How does one brand a janitor as an important job? The person who cleans your office toilet is considered "less-than", "low-level employee". Anyone can clean so why so we show any importance to a person who cleans? The keyword to gaining more respect for a janitor is SERVICE. Cleaning is service, much like a police officer or firefighter is a service job, so is a janitor. Janitors don’t save lives on the same level as a public service. However, they do prevent illness, they provide a clean and safe environment to work in. Janitors provide a day to day service of mundane duties so you can focus on your job.

Janitors are very important. A person who'll come and empty the trash or clean a public restroom is valuable member of the workforce.

To express the importance of a Janitor is to turn this valuable worker into a Superhero.

Simply Right's Superhero booth.

Simply Right Superhero is a simple story. It follows a standard Saturday morning serial theme. No back story, just right into the heart of the plot. In the fictional world of Simply Right Superhero, movie theaters have Day Porters. The Day Porter Danny turns into a superhero when the world gets too dirty. The General Manager who called Mr. Manager is Danny’s trusted advisor/parental figure. The two keep the theater running smooth.

Danny The Janitor (Danny Kilgore)

In the video Danny is seen wearing the Scrub Master’s coveralls. Our real Day Porters wear vine polos and khaki colored pants. The glasses are in reference to Superman.

Dr. Suczz (Johnny Call)

Johnny Call (the real actor among everyone on cast) played the villain, Dr. Suczz.

[Pro Tip: When casting for an indie movie put your best actor as the protagonist. This way the "straight man"/hero comes off better]

The rest of the cast was played by friends of the director (Jeoff Howe), employees of Simply Right and Carmike Cinemas.

Jeoff Howe (Director, Editor, and Co-Writer)

The script was co-written by Jeoff and I. Many of themes and jokes are in parody of comic book movies. The scene of Danny crying in the Janitor’s Closet is a blend of Man of Steel and Batman Begins. Jeoff also wore the hat of editor.

Every superhero needs a power. I wanted Danny's power to be cleanliness. In order to see Danny's power's in action I created two devices. First Dr. Suczz brainwashes an audience into "Dirty Zombies". The Doc does this by switch the film with a mind-altering video.

This is clip of brain-washing video.

A horde of Dirty Zombies attacking Carmike Cinemas's staff.

The "Dirty Zombies" wouldn't eat flesh but turn others into mindless mess-makers. Danny must use his powers of clean to undo the brainwashed victims. His fist deal a powerful cleansing punch. Basically, he KOs all the Dirty Zombies to clean them.

Simply Right Man standing over the victims of Dr. Suczz.

The second device used was the clean water mop bucket. Superman gets his power from the sun. Simply Right Man gets his powers from cleaning solutions. When Danny puts his hand into a clean mop bucket it restores his powers.

Simply Right Man's powers are renewed with clean water mop bucket.

After defeating Dr. Suczz, the metaphor of the janitor comes up circle. Janitors literally take out the trash every day. A person who cleans a facility is not a "low-level employee". They are vital employee who helps maintain a clean and positive workplace. If we can remember a Janitor preforms a service, it can help change our perspective on the importance of their job.

Volunteers of Simply Right Superhero at work.

After Thoughts:

Sometimes I direct a project if the budget requires it of me. However, I've learned I enjoy producing far more. The producer stays onset to help control the budget and maintain a standard for the project. The stress of getting the shot or making sure the actors perform is on the director's back.

Making indie films are fun, exciting and at times extremely stressful. Simply Right Superhero was early in my career and the I missed the opportunity to really thank the many volunteers who showed up for the late hours of shooting. Hopefully on my next project I can take more time to show my appreciation for those who help.

Management 101 "People don't leave Companies - They leave Leaders

Management 101

“People don’t leave companies – They leave Leaders”

Lead by Example

As a manager, your leadership style is going to define your employees. There are seven common leadership styles. Recognizing your leadership style of will help you to improve and expand as a leader.

1.      Coach

            -Quickly recognize your team members’ strengths, weaknesses and motivations.

            -Set smart goals and then provides regular feedback with challenging projects to promote             growth.

            -Set clear expectations.

Coaching leadership is one of best, but also most underutilized styles because it requires the most time.

2.      Visionary

            -Powerful ability to drive progress.

            -Usher periods of change by inspiring employees.

            -Establish a strong organizational bond.

3.      Servant

            -“People first” mindset.

            -Want employees to feel personally and professionally fulfilled.

            -Strong emphasis on employee satisfaction and collaboration.

4.      Autocratic

            -Focused almost entirely on results and efficiency.

            -Often make decisions alone or with a small, trusted group.

            - Expects employees to do exactly what they’re asked.

            - Military Commanders.

This leadership style is effective in areas where strict guidelines or compliance-heavy industries. Also useful for employees who need a great deal of supervision.

5.      Laissez-faire/ Hands-Off

            -Opposite to autocratic.

            -Focused mostly on delegating many tasks to others.

            -Provides little to no supervision.

            -Does not spend their time mainly managing but with other projects.

This style of management only works with a team of highly experienced, well-trained employees.

6.      Democratic

            -A blend of autocratic and laissez-faire leadership styles.

            -Asks for input and considers feedback from their employees before making a decision.

            -Employees feel their voice is heard and contributions matter.

            -Fosters higher levels of employee engagement.

7.      Pacesetter

            -Most effective for driving fast results.

            -Focused on performance.

            -Set high standards and hold their employees accountable for hitting their goals.

When developing your management (leadership) style, think about the things you appreciated most and least in your managers you had when you first starting working. You can even ask friends what they admire and resent in their bosses.

What message are you giving your employees by your actions. Do you send them an email over the weekend, when it could have waited until Monday? Or if you insist on your team eating skip lunch and keep working? Be thoughtful about all the little decisions you make, because they really add up to create a more (or less) positive working environment.

Their Success is Your Success

As a manager, you cannot be successful without your team.

Keeping them excited and supported, while making sure they have room to grow professionally, is essential for getting the best out of your employees. Complimenting them in front of a more senior boss or giving them a chance to present an idea to the executives can really make a difference to your employees. Doing so will convey you appreciate their work and have their back.

Are you self-aware of how your employees see you? Find out how others see you:

1.      Create an environment where employees can give feedback to you.

2.      Have a 2-Way Feedback conversation

3.      Incorporate 360 degree feedback.

                        Self – direct reports – boss – Peers (Full Circle)

4.      Utilize company-wide surveys.

Invest in your Employees Development. 87% of millennial's said that development opportunities are important.

When promoting employees determine who is management material. Consider where your Manager is located. Assess the average tenure of your manager. Important characteristics to look for our desire, aptitude and traits.

Great Management Tips:

Focus on the strengths of individuals.

Set clear paths to Victory.

Serve their Employees.

Hold people Accountable.

Study up on how to handle difficult conversations.

Understand & encourage diversity.

The Story of Scrub Masters

The year was 2014.

I was still getting my feet wet in the world of business to business marketing. Watching people clean a bathroom is boring. I was tired of taking before and after pictures of stains being removed. Rather than continue with the same old marketing tactics I convinced my boss to make a hip-hop music video. His only condition was, he wanted to be in it.

We give out a limited run of Scrub Masters t-shirts.

It was my second year working in marketing. Most my skills involved video production and radio. My boss, acting CMO Danny, wanted to be a viral internet star. I wanted a viral video. We were on the same page. The idea I shared to Danny was to make a music video of our industry. Not just any music video, a hip-hop music video. Danny's head exploded and the project was green-lighted.

Writing a hip-hop song is not something they teach in college, however, college taught me how to network. While I was at Weber State University I worked for the college radio station KWCR Weber FM. My work at the time was as the Production Director. I made radio ads for sponsors. The Program Director was my friend, Billy Bomber Jr., he was also studying audio production and was a real musician. He could write, play, record and produce music. (Not to mention he sang and played the saxophone).

Billy Bomber Jr. performing with "Shaky Trade"

I still had Billy's contact info, we re-connected. Then Musical Magic happened. Billy took my really crumby "first temp" at the song, used his Bomber art and transformed it into a real song. Here's an excerpt from my original notes to Billy.

Warning:  I do not have a talent for writing hip-hop.

"Listen up to hear how you gonna  get your biz spit-and-spam

Pull out that phone and Just call us up and we’ll come clean

Are your restroom messy and musty, halls flooded with popcorn and cheese

Gum all stick up in your seats, candy meltin’ in the cup holder

Does your lobby look like a rummage sale on a Spring day

"If you ain’t there don’t mean we don’t care

Nighty janitorial is a sandman tuckin’ you in, sweet dreams

Our peeps go in and pull an all nighter make it shiny

Sweeping, mopping, dusting and taking out the trash

Backpack or upright vacs get that dirt all sucked up

Every new dusk a brand new mess waitin’ for us

We’ll be there, put us to the test and lean on us"

The Scrub Masters were modeled after the theme of The Beastie Boys. In the song each MC would rap a line about Simply Right. The three dudes in the music video were employees of Simply Right. The Scrub Masters were made up of Jason Kilgore (now the CFO/owner), Danny Kilgore (Now the CEO/owner), and Erick Gomez (Regional Supervisor, he's now moved on to a different company). They all actually rapped their parts, which were recorded in Billy's basement studio.

Jason Kilgore, Danny Kilgore, and Erick Gomez made "The Scrub Masters."

If my memory serves me correctly, we filmed the entire music video in two days. Two locations in Ogden, Utah were used in the video, Marketstarr and Newgate Cinemark. Ben Sent a local photographer allowed me to rent his equipment and two of his trusted co-workers to film the project. 

As for video productions go, it was a fast and easy shoot. The hardest part of the whole production was figuring out what our rappers were going to wear. Simply Right uses the color “vine green” on all our branding. Finding a passable “green color” was a challenge. Outside of Ogden is a well-known country/ military surplus store called Smith and Edwards. I was able to find olive drab green coveralls. All the overalls where size large. Therefore, the suits would look baggy on the rappers. The polos used are the official shirts used in the company.

Once everything was shot, I was then tasked to edit. Editing a music video is a time sucker. You have to really enjoy the art of editing. I had about 5 hours of footage I had to cut down to 3 minutes and 32 seconds. All the video also has to sync-up to the music.

After all the edits were completed, I ended up with two cuts of the music video. The original owners did not like my first cut. They told me I had to remove any scenes deemed too sexual inappropriate. I had to make three major cuts. These removed cuts were also made into teasers. I was going to use the teasers to campaign the release of the music video. The owners buried the whole online video campaign. That was a major bummer.  

Removed Danny Teaser: A scene of Danny having popcorn poured onto his face.

Removed Jason Teaser: A scene of Jason walking on all fours acting like a cat while toilet paper rained down on him.

Removed Erick Teaser: The scene that made the owners really upset was Erick removing his coveralls in a dark movie theater being misted by water. The owners said Erick's tattoos were "too gang-related." This statement makes me laugh now due to the fact almost every other person today has a tattoo. 

Not everything about the campaign was cancelled. During September of 2014 we premiered the music video to the entire Carmike Cinemas company. The next day we used the Scrub Masters as our trade show booth. The booth was simple, we had the rappers signed posters, t-shirts and CDs for employees of Carmike Cinemas.

This simple campaign of premiering our music video, then hosting a signing as our booth turned out to be one of the greatest branding attempts, I've ever worked on. Carmike Cinemas never forgot who Simply Right was after this event.

However, the story of our relationship with Carmike Cinemas has a bittersweet ending. The Theater company was purchased by AMC Movie Theaters, AMC moved all their facility services in-house. Many of the general managers still run their theater and the Scrub Masters poster still hangs in their offices. 

I was really hoping to get approval to do a similar booth at CinemaCon 2015. All the logistics were worked out but in the end the owners shot down this trade show campaign as well. 

Now in 2019.

Working on Scrub Masters taught me a brand is most effective if you can connect with a customer on a personal level. We gave them something off-the-wall, something they could talk about. We gave them a little bit of magic. Scrub Masters was Simply Right at it's most fun and creative. With more experience in branding, I'm hoping to re-create the same magic again.

EXTRAS:

Here are the behind Scenes to the Scrub Masters's What'cha Wanna Clean music video.

 

Making Better Business Decisions

In order to get the most out of training, Simply Right will be sharing links to help increase your personal development. As supervisors, you have to make tough decisions with uncertain outcomes. This is the nature of our business.
 

Quick Tips:
Making Better Business Decisions

Keep Track of what is going on in your industry
Know the facts. Subscribe to industry news sources, attend demos by vendors, get involved in industry conferences or trade shows. Don’t make the mistake of waiting for Simply Right to tell you where to go. We encourage our supervisors to find new opportunities to grow and learn what happening in our industry.

Sources We Use at Simply Right:
LinkedIn – Follow our vendors, sponsors, theaters, and facilities we service.
Clearlink.com – Home of Sanitary Maintenance, Contracting Profits, and Facility Cleaning Decisions Magazines.
CMMonline.com – Cleaning & Maintenance Management.
BoxOfficeMojo.com – Database on film performance and predictions for big blockbuster movies..

Expect the Unexpected
You cannot predict the future. Things happen. Keep plans flexible enough that you can adapt to the unexpected, without getting frustrated.

Focus on What Really Matters
Carefully think through the situation and ask yourself does it align with Simply Right’s strategy. Create a plan for your responsibilities and then act on it.

Avoid Isolation
Do not solely rely on a few trusted insiders to get your facts. Talk to customers, vendors, partners, employees and even competitors. Force yourself to find possible solutions.

Be Decisive, but Not Hyper-reactive
This is probably the hardest of all. You don’t want to over-react and make a bad situation worse. Everybody makes mistakes. You can limit the damage by following some of the suggestions provided here.

Smart decision making, whether it's who to hire or what strategy to play, is a skill that sets you apart personally and professionally.