A Japanese Engineer's Journey in a Global Team

In this presentation, I'll explore how I adapted to and thrived in a global team environment as a Japanese engineer with no study abroad or international business experience. I hope my journey offers insights for those considering similar career challenges.

Transcript

1. Yoshifumi Kondo, August 2024 A Japanese Engineer's Journey in a Global Team Navigating international teams without overseas experience
2. About Me Had a baby last June Working as an engineer in Commune Want to live in Finland (someday) Interested in DDD Special skill: Memorizing the order of 52 cards (used to) Bought a Vision Pro
3. My Background No study abroad experience No international business travel Capable of reading and writing English Struggled with spoken English Strong desire to work in a global environment
4. Global Team at Commune 4 engineers from various nationalities 1 QA specialist 1 Product Manager (PdM) All communication in English Team members across different time zones
5. Key Insights from Working in a Global Team
6. 1. The True Meaning of "You have to talk to learn to speak." (話さないと喋れるようにならない) Emotional responses to daily conversations drive learning Both successes and struggles fuel motivation equally Self-reflection on communication attempts is key Continuous improvement through persistent engagement
7. 2. The Value of Asynchronous Communication Helps overcome language barriers Improves work efficiency Respects individual work rhythms Enhances team communication
8. Global Teams in Japanese Companies: An Overlooked Opportunity
9. Advantages of Global Teams in Japanese Companies Understanding context in the native language More tolerant environment for English learners Supportive atmosphere for mutual growth Stepping stone to international careers
10. "The key is not rapid change, but steadily accumulating small steps."
11. Globalization: A Journey of Growth and Adaptation
12. A Difficult but Necessary Path More challenges than benefits initially Our company’s bold choice Japanese corporate globalization: A personal interest My commitment to this journey
13. The Human Element Majority lack overseas experience Change is necessary but challenging Full globalization may not be realistic My Role in This Transition Improve my own global work capabilities Encourage colleagues with similar backgrounds Share experiences to inspire hope Continuous self-improvement in English
14. "Be the change you wish to see in your organization"
15. My Personal Journey and Lessons Embraced challenges as opportunities for growth Found motivation in daily communication attempts Leveraged asynchronous communication tools Recognized the value of a supportive environment
16. To All English Learners Your efforts are worthwhile - keep pushing forward!