Here's something I want to share to those of you wanting to start or already in the web hosting business.

Here are the 25 lessons:



1. NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH SOMEONE YOU DO NOT LIKE. If a Japanese

businessman dislikes someone, he will not meet with that person

or sign a contract--no matter how favorable the deal. Why?

Because you will never do your best if you are working with

someone you dislike; the process will drain your energy, and

you may very well end up losing respect for yourself. No amount

of profit is worth that price.



2. NEVER DISAGREE OR ARGUE. If a Japanese businessman disagrees

with you, he will never tell you--in actual words. You must

learn to listen for the words that are not spoken. You must

also learn to "hear" the symbols of disagreement: "Let us wait

and see," the Japanese will say. (You'll soon understand what

he means.) Why do they avoid confrontation? Because it's

likely to exacerbate rather than solve, the problem.



3. WORK TOGETHER WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES. Unlike American counter-

parts, who continue to embrace the U.S. tradition of individua-

lism, the Japanese are team players. Every decision is dis-

cussed within the team. Each member has a special responsi-

bility. Therefore, when the team combines its efforts, the

whole is greater than the sum of its parts.



4. NEVER ADMIT YOU ARE TIRED. I spoke with dozens of businessmen

while in Japan, but none of them had anything negative to say

about himself, his country, or his company. Never did I hear

that anyone was tired, sick, bored, or unhappy. Why? When you

suppress these feelings they might go away. When you express

them, you might make things worse.



5. DO NOT MAKE QUICK DECISIONS. The Japanese believe that a de-

cision should be reached only after every alternative has

been considered. And once they've settled on a choice, every

aspect must be debated. Team members must be in agreement--

which suggest the decision-making process is rather slow,

compared with U.S. business practices.



6. IF A CO-WORKER MAKES A MISTAKE, GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO

CORRECT THE ERROR WITH A MINIMUM OF FUSS. Since the team is

all-important, everything must be done to preserve it.

External threats should be downplayed and diminished.



7. LET THE BEAUTY OF LIFE COME BEFORE BUSINESS. The Japanese

start their business conversations with a comment about the

beauty of nature--the lovely flowers on the table, the gentle

music playing in the background. Beauty and tranquility calm

the mind in preparation for decision-making.



8. TREAT YOUR CO-WORKERS AS MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY. LET THEM KNOW

YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR WELL-BEING. Because the team is

all-important, anything that brings the members closer together

must be considered a positive experience.



9. ALWAYS LOOK YOUR BEST. The Japanese are formal to a fault.

Taxi drivers wear a shirt and tie (often a jacket and suit).

Why? Because people who look their best are likely to do their

best.



10. BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE. The Japanese businessman

always looks his best, acts his best, and denies the existence

of problems. Is this approach out of touch with reality?

Perhaps. But the Japanese would say that they create their

own reality.



11. ALWAYS SHOW RESPECT FOR PEOPLE--FROM THE MAN WHO SHINES YOUR

SHOES TO THE PRESIDENT OF YOUR COMPANY; IT SHOWS YOU RESPECT

YOURSELF. The Japanese may deny this, but they are probably

the proudest people on earth. Yet they are the least arrogant.

A contradiction? Not really. The Japanese place their pride

where it matters: in themselves. The "respect syndrome" is a

key element of the Japanese national personality.



12. WORK WITH TOTAL DEVOTION. The Japanese pour themselves into

their jobs. They work weekends, take work home, and skip vaca-

tions. Anything less than total dedication is considered an

insult to the team.



13. A MISTAKE BY A TEAM MEMBER IS A MISTAKE BY ALL MEMBERS.

Success--and failure--are shared, and the team members must

work together to correct errors. It may seem that this way of

thinking goes a long way toward the destruction of indivi-

duality, but the "sharing" philosophy also releases a great

deal of pent-up energy that could interrupt the creative

process.



14. IF YOU DO NOT FEEL THAT YOU CAN ACT YOUR BEST, DO NOT EXPOSE

YOURSELF TO OTHERS. A Japanese businessman rarely cancels an

appointment. When he does, it's usually because he feels he

is unable to function with maximum efficiency. Rather than

risk disgrace, he postpones a meeting or asks other team

members to fill in for him.



15. KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR SUBJECT. The Japanese are meticu-

lous researchers and superb students.



16. IT IS BETTER TO SERVE THAN BE SERVED. This "rule" is an aspect

of the Buddhist faith that has become a tenet of business

practice. Many Japanese will deny they are religious, but

their surroundings tell a different story. You will find a

Buddhist temple everywhere you turn in Japan; Shinto shrines

appear with equal regularity. Why do the Japanese deny their

religion? Because they fear it might be offensive to Westerners.



17. NEVER SHOW EMOTIONS. The Japanese are polite and calm. They

never cry or fight in public. Do they show emotions in private?

Of course.



18. IT IS BETTER TO BE EXCESSIVELY POLITE THAN TO RISK BEING CON-

SIDERED IMPOLITE. The Japanese penchant for formality stems

from this rule. While in Tokyo, I saw a man talking on the

telephone--bowing as he spoke. Obviously, the person on the

other end could not see all that bowing. But the sense of

politeness, I am sure, was not lost.



19. ALWAYS ARRIVE EARLY FOR APPOINTMENTS. This is merely an ex-

tension of the Japanese emphasis on politeness and respect.

A late arrival is a sign of disrespect and is unforgivable.



20. USE SUBTLE SIGNS TO INDICATE THAT YOU WISH TO CONTINUE A RE-

LATIONSHIP. When a Japanese businessman takes a client to

lunch, he usually picks up the check. Why? Because the client

is now under some obligation to the businessman. If the client

insists on paying, it means he does not wish to be obligated--

and, consequently, does not wish to continue the relationship.



21. NEVER FORGET THE FAVORS OF A FRIEND. During my stay in Japan

last summer, I met hundreds of people with whom I spoke for

five minutes or less. But in keeping with Japanese tradition,

we always exchanged business cards. When I returned home, I

was astonished to find hundreds of thank-you notes, and I

received another flood of correspondence during the Christmas

holidays.



22. NEVER SAY NO. A Japanese businessman will never tell someone

that an idea is rejected. It is considered more polite (and

kind) to simply delay any action. After a few days or months

or years, you get the message that the idea is not acceptable.

The hope is that you will feel less offended than if your idea

had been rejected immediately.



23. DO NOT BE THE FIRST TO TRY A NEW IDEA. A Japanese businessman

would never want to be out of step with his colleagues; nor

would he wish to appear superior (a sign of bad taste).



24. HONOR YOUR TEACHERS. In all probability, the most honored

person in Japan is the teacher. If a teacher makes a request,

it is considered a command. If a teacher visits a home, work

stops, and all attention is focused on sensei. This consider-

ation reflects the respect the Japanese have for learning in

general. And the ultimate consequence of this "chain of

respect" is the current success enjoyed by the Japanese.



25. STABILITY, RELIABILITY, AND IMAGE ARE OF PRIME IMPORTANCE.

Indeed, these three qualities are heavily promoted by Japanese

businesses when they advertise to one another. Mr. Sohei

Wakamatsu, president of a Tokyo-based clothing factory, told

me that he never makes a decision without considering the

impact that it might have in three areas: the stability of

his company, his relationship with his employees, and the

image that his decision might project in his industry.



These 25 "lessons" have worked well for the Japanese--but they can

be limiting, too. On the one hand, the Japanese revere their teach-

ers. On the other hand, ideas that run contrary to those of the

teacher are discouraged, and sometimes that results in a loss of

originality and creativity.



What is the end result? The Japanese have taken the best of Amer-

ican technology and made it work for them. They are masterful stud-

ents and have learned much from us.



Now it's time for us to learn from them.



------------------------------------------------------------------------

This resource is (c) by, and compliments of Robert W. Bly,

President of the Center for Technical Communication.

Bob specializes in business-to-business and direct response advertising.

Contact him at (201) 385-1220, fax (201) 385-1138 or in writing to

22 East Quackenbush Avenue, 3rd Floor, Dumont, NJ 07628

------------------------------------------------------------------------

That was interesting reading, Dynasty. I dint know that the Japanese followed so many rules when doing business. :)

Actually I "TRY" to practice all of that..

Im not fully Japanese :)

but a DYNASTY!! :)

Very good stuff indeed, for the most part. I see a lot of this in my study of Taijutsu.

IF A CO-WORKER MAKES A MISTAKE, GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CORRECT THE ERROR WITH A MINIMUM OF FUSS.

Unless the mistake was to be late, because:

A LATE ARRIVAL IS A SIGN OF DISRESPECT AND IS UNFORGIVABLE.

----

LET THE BEAUTY OF LIFE COME BEFORE BUSINESS.

But only briefly, then get back to business, because:

WORK WEEKENDS, TAKE WORK HOME, AND SKIP VACATIONS. ANYTHING
LESS THAN TOTAL DEDICATION IS CONSIDERED AN INSULT TO THE TEAM.

----

DO NOT MAKE QUICK DECISIONS.

To do so would be dangerous, because...

NEVER ADMIT THAT YOU ARE TIRED.

...you probably haven't been getting enough sleep.

----

While in Tokyo, I saw a man talking on the
telephone--bowing as he spoke.

While in Little Italy, I saw a man talking on the telephone--gesturing with his hands as he spoke.

----

NEVER SAY NO. It is considered more polite (and
kind) to simply delay any action. After a few days or months or years, you get the message that the idea is not acceptable.

This is a particularly effective approach when you are billing by the hour.

----

DO NOT BE THE FIRST TO TRY A NEW IDEA.

Fortunately not everyone in Japan lives by these rules. Otherwise we'd have no Tamagotchi. Not to mention Pokemon.

----

But my favorite point:

IF YOU DO NOT FEEL THAT YOU CAN ACT YOUR BEST, DO NOT EXPOSE YOURSELF TO OTHERS.

I think we can all agree that, in business situations at least, it's always best not to expose yourself.

LMAO@JAYC!!

GREAT.. I got you thinking

There's much that I've admired about the Japanese work ethic and philosophy. However, some of it is very contrary to the American ethic, and perhaps should be so. As you said, their beliefs can be limiting.

In an unusual break from that philosophy, the late Akio Morita, when he was chairman of Sony, over rode the board of directors to give the go ahead for a product he thought was worthwhile. Thus was born the Sony Walkman.

At Toyota, only one person has a reserved parking spot. It happens to be the company nurse. Most of the people in the plant wear a blue smock. This indicates that no matter what job they perform, that they are important to the company and that, to an extent, they are all equal.

Also, the typical Japanese corporation has 5 levels of management, The typical American corporation has 17 levels. Even with their decision by committee ethos, it still gives an edge to the Japanese for responsiveness.

Many people prefer directness to the Japanese subtleties. It makes for more honest, open communication with far less chance of misunderstanding.

There is much to be learned from the Japanese way of business, but it is not translatable en masse to the American way of life.

The big problem with all that can be summarized with the japanese concept of ringi.

What is "ringi"?

Ringi sort of translates into consensus, but implies that one must strive for group decisions and not stick out. This is major holdback on entrepreneurial dynamics in Japan. A typical scenario is bring up the subject as a carefully posed question, year 2 (never bring up a subject that has not been agreed upon beforehand)discuss it, year 3 possible decision. Does not work too well in a world of six month product cycles which is why the Japanese have invented Shibuya Bit Valley, the SBV where everything goes - young entrepreneur (which in Japan is under 60), no suits and general defience like public cussing. All this is actually great fun.

I think we can also look at Chinese business. Now they are evolving faster than Japan.

By the way, Americans now look very much like Japanese (they also not always tell "No", always tell that that feel good, work much time at weekends, at least few of them whom I know :) ) But they are more individualists.

>1. NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH SOMEONE YOU DO NOT LIKE.
I am not sure I agree here. Shouldn't the interests of a company come first as opposed to personal feelings. A great example is how Microsoft overtook IBM. Executives on the IBM team did not like Bill Gates and thus did not buy his technology.


>2. NEVER DISAGREE OR ARGUE. If a Japanese businessman disagrees
I think disagreement is healthy, that way you get to see both sides of a discussion. Unless of course people are not coming in good faith.

>3. WORK TOGETHER WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES.
Complete group think with no individualism is not a good thing (IMHO) a combination of the two is extremely productive

4. NEVER ADMIT YOU ARE TIRED.
I do not think that is very healthy. If someone is tired to the point of dropping they need to let their team mates know and get some rest. On the long run that tactic can lead to bad decisions etc.

> 7. LET THE BEAUTY OF LIFE COME BEFORE BUSINESS.
I agree with this. Life is beautiful :):):)

> 9. ALWAYS LOOK YOUR BEST.
True how you feel sometimes reflects in how you appear.

>13. A MISTAKE BY A TEAM MEMBER IS A MISTAKE BY ALL MEMBERS.
Very true. Never sell out your team member ... after all your are in the team together ;)


>14. IF YOU DO NOT FEEL THAT YOU CAN ACT YOUR BEST, DO NOT EXPOSE YOURSELF TO OTHERS.
Contradicts the "never show weakness" rule. Because when you are sick or tired you cannot by definition be at your best


>15. KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR SUBJECT.
yup preparation preparation preparation!

>17. NEVER SHOW EMOTIONS.
I guess it depends on the settings. But again complete repression of emotions does not seem very healthy to me.

>20. USE SUBTLE SIGNS TO INDICATE THAT YOU WISH TO CONTINUE A RE-LATIONSHIP.
I like direct ... but we have to learn to do business in different ways ...

>22. NEVER SAY NO.
Buuut this can almost be construed as leading the person with the bad idea on. And wasted energy can be expended with following up, and refining the already rejected idea.

>23. DO NOT BE THE FIRST TO TRY A NEW IDEA.
This sounds like an innovation killer to me


Thats my 0.02cents of feedback on the rules. ;)

David