In Japanese culture, there is a cultural practice to avoid causing others to lose face. In business meetings, this often means that objections are not raised, and decisions are made apparently without a thorough discussion. While this is what appears to an outsider, the reality is far different.

The Japanese have a concept called Nemawashi. This is the process of laying the foundation for consensus by addressing issues one-on-one before the group meeting. The group meeting, then, becomes a final validation and the venue for public “buy-in” from the meeting attendees. When western-style meetings might end decisively, there may not be full buy-in. At the worst, bad feelings may cause participants to passively sabotage the goal. Time then must be spent monitoring progress/addressing new concerns.

While we may socialize an idea before a meeting, becoming a Nemawashi master means much more: It means the ability to develop the “right” solution by addressing the issues and requirements of key stakeholders beforehand. The meeting is then focused on the nuances of execution.

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