no 23

Have you accidentally looked into the sun or bright light, and then looked away, the image burned into your eyelids? That’s an afterimage.

Here's what I saw, heard, or sensed that has stayed with me in the past week. Let’s begin.
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Message from My Body: Feels Electric

Listening in on sound-bytes of the inner voices of leaders of big companies, and getting them to tell me more: that’s my job.

On Wednesday, I worked with senior leaders from a global pharmaceutical company to explore the idea of intelligent risk-taking in their organization:

• what is it?
• what does it mean for them
• why it’s important
• how do they experience it (or don’t)?
• what gets in the way?
• how to navigate it for themselves, their teams, and throughout the organization

There’s a fascinating internal tug-of-war in pharma companies: the tension created between safety, reliability, and regulatory standards drugs are expected to meet (risk-averse), and the innovation and R&D required to meet patient expectations (requires taking risks). I get to hear their collective Jeckyll and Hyde, and help mediate the voices. I love my job.

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​Hello, My Name Is

When I work with new teams, I usually have a very simple introduction:

“Hi, I’m Akiko Mega. I’m an Organizational and Leadership Devevelopment Consultant working with global leaders to help solve (client’s problem here). Today, we’ll explore this together through (workshop/coaching/presenting findings in a keynote).”
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On Wednesday, for whatever reason, I went off-script and introduced myself to the participants in a way I hadn’t before. I saw the little rectangles and saw an array of locations.

“Hi, I’m Akiko. Good morning / good evening / good day! Thanks for making time for us to meet– so early/late for some of you- from so many parts of the world.

Very happy to join my colleague Neil in the UK, to be with all of you today. I’m calling in from the northern tip of Japan.

I’m a Leadership Development Consultant, but. (pregnant pause) My real speciality and focus is leadership (slowing down) and geo-culture. I look at how geoculture impacts the way we work, and work together.

Our discussion today is meant to help us uncover what might get in the way of intelligent risk-taking here in your organization. In addition to your findings, I’m curious as to how cultural difference might help or hinder this endeavor. Excited to dive in with you all!”

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A Single No

The geocultural piece is often important for my clients, since I work with multinationals, often with cross-functional teams straddling geographies. We’re taught about difference, we’re L&Ded on and diversity, inclusion. But has anyone looked into what a single “no” and how it’s delivered can do for a meeting? What it can mean for different people in that meeting?

Think about it for a second. What could a single no do, or mean? I know that in Japan, a single “no” can shut down an exploratory conversation, and is regarded as rude; don’t expect to be invited back. In other cultures, (often younger multi-ethnic, multi-lingual cultures), the “no” is seen to give direction and is clarifying; it’s encouraged.

I love this space and can nerd out on it from both experience and from studies and models. INSEAD a professor Erin Meyer researched this extensively. She gave language to what I’ve so frequently observed and experienced in business situations over the years.
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What I Do, What I Love

I gained something vital from the workshop last week: it wasn’t the opportunity to deep dive on one of my favorite consulting areas. It was knowing this new intro fits.

Geoculture matters. It rang more true to me than ever. How did I know? I saw people calling in weary. I acknowledged it. I gave it voice. Saying it felt electric in my body. I heard myself and something clicked. It echoed in my body and it felt good.

It seemed to click for the participants as well; they regularly referenced it in the workshop. They recognized instances where difference in cultural takes felt treacherous navigating; it seemed to heighten the felt sense of risk. Not knowing how to navigate hindered them. They gained new awareness into what gets in the way. Geoculture wasn’t supposed to be a part of the conversation. But it mattered for the team. So my colleague and I listened.

Yes, I’m a lot of things (consultant/advisor) solving challenges (retention of talented women leaders, shifting cultures, making workplaces more psychologically safe). I’m also a coach (for leaders leading outside of their cultures of origin, newly promoted leaders who are underrepresented etc etc etc). But when there’s too much information, I’m everything and nothing, a Jill of all trades.

The ad-libbed intro gave me a focus that cut through the blur: geoculture. It was always there. I’ve been too close to the trees to see the forest.

After the intro, I handed the imaginary mike over to my colleague. I was stull buzzing from how true the word geoculture felt when I said it. I thought I’d better capture my intro. And there it was:

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Nothing sums what I do and what I love, better than this.

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​Question for you: What’s your tagline and how did it come to be?

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Your thoughts fuel mine.

Tell me what you're thinking about. Dreaming about. And what exactly you're doing about the thing you've been dreaming about.

Capture some images. Savor afterimages.

Have a great weekend.

Akiko

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