Gemstones in the Boardroom: The Four Facets of Female Leadership in Japan

Known as Women-in-Leadership, this series focuses on the tools top executives can use to advance women into Japan's top management. In particular, we have examined Japanese subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs). Through thoughtful dialogues, we have heard from senior executives from Japan who have worked there in the past, are currently working there, and represent a range of genders.

In earlier articles, we've dissected the systemic and cultural barriers that often impede Japanese women's upward mobility within the corporate echelon. It is important to acknowledge that these systemic barriers are not something we can quickly remove. As a result, we have focused on the sphere of influence the top management of subsidiaries in Japan has.

Our first step was to recognize the power - and the opportunity - CEOs have to shape a corporate culture based on inclusion and a legacy centered on people. This extends to their ability to innovate and experiment with novel organizational structures. We urge CEOs to embrace their authority as transformative forces within their organizations. In our article, "The CEO Effect: Women Leaders' New Dawn in Japan," we discuss this in more detail.

Next, we explored how leadership teams can actualize a legacy of people-centricity and inclusivity. Our research shows women are frequently over-mentored but under-sponsored. As a result of this revelation, we advocated empowering executives to become sponsors, thereby accelerating the ascent of women to the C-suite. We discuss sponsorship in our article, "Sponsorship: The Secret Weapon for Women's C-Suite Ascent.".

In this article, we're excited to delve into the four distinct archetypes of women that emerged from our research within MNCs in Japan. Our goal is to shed light on the potential these women possess, and how they can shape their careers to achieve their dreams. Discover the sparkling, raw, broken, and hidden gems of Japanese women's leadership. Let's begin this fascinating journey.

Ascending to Power: The Indomitable Duo of Grit and Determination

Setting the context is essential before diving into the unique challenges and triumphs of women in business. As we seek potential contenders for the C-suite, we are focusing on women who have already established themselves as professionals.

Women's equality is a cause we strongly support. However, it's critical to take a step back and examine the inner workings of organizations and what is expected of those at the top. Our discussion and recommendations aim to address the glaring underrepresentation of women in executive roles. Our focus will be on actionable steps executive leaders can implement to foster an environment conducive to women's success, and conversely what women can do to enhance this environment.

Our focus is on women who have distinguished themselves in their professional journeys. Thus, the following discussion pertains to what equips a woman to be a formidable contender for an executive role.

It's widely acknowledged that executive roles are fiercely contested. In the race for these positions, it's not just men vying against men; it's about individuals aspiring to these roles, irrespective of their gender. Women aspiring to leadership roles must embrace this reality. Executive positions require inherent determination, resilience, self-confidence, and self-efficacy. Our interviews revealed that some women, like their male counterparts, have displayed this drive from an early age, often receiving early support and encouragement to lead.

These women, sometimes referred to as 'natural leaders,' are fearless, compassionate, and eager to assume responsibility. Occasionally, the seed of leadership is sown by someone who identifies their potential and nurtures it. As one global female executive in the life sciences industry aptly put it, “I want to take charge. I get inspired by responsibility.”

The performance of women aspiring to executive positions needs to be consistent. This is a basic requirement. In addition, they must demonstrate potential, which is a function of a growth mindset and learning agility.

In essence, we are discussing professional women who have consistently been high performers throughout their careers and are identified as having high potential. High performers at the upper middle management level typically think like leaders. They exceed performance goals, flourish in complex organizations, demonstrate self-control, and are comfortable with ambiguity, risk, and uncertainty. Added to this high performance, they display high potential when they embrace a growth mindset. They exhibit excellent agility in learning, people management, change management, and results delivery.

For younger women embarking on professional journeys with leadership aspirations, the primary task is to establish a reputation as a consistently high performer. This includes delivering business results, exceeding expectations, being reliable, trustworthy, and resourceful, and demonstrating managerial skills along with an emerging leadership brand. To be considered high potential, these women must exhibit a growth mindset and agility.

Redefining Horizons: The Manager-to-Leader Mindset Shift

A Leader Mindset

Our coaching experience with women at different career stages reveals a pivotal transition in leadership: moving from an individual contributor to a manager who achieves results through others. Mastering this mindset shift is often the most challenging yet essential step toward effective leadership.

Example of a Fixed Mindset

Alice represents the fixed mindset. She believes intelligence is static, and so she desperately wants to score 100% to prove her intelligence. She studies with the goal of perfection and views and any score less than 100% as a failure or a reflection of her limited intelligence. This mindset puts a lot of pressure on Alice, which can lead to heightened stress and anxiety. If she encounters a difficult topic she may avoid it, fearing that struggling with it indicates she isn’t smart enough. If she doesn’t achieve the perfect score, she may become defensive, blaming the test’s difficulty or the teacher’s unfairness, rather than considering how she could improve her study methods or understanding of the material.

The Cornerstones of Leadership: A Genuine Growth Mindset and Robust Learning Agility

As there is often a misunderstanding between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, let's clarify the difference. The perception of oneself can be skewed; few people would admit to possessing a fixed mindset. Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck popularized the 'growth mindset' concept. The belief is that abilities and intelligence can be developed and enhanced through effort, resilience, strategic experimentation, and learning from failures. Failures are viewed as springboards for improvement, and effort is viewed as the primary catalyst for success.

As opposed to this, a 'fixed mindset' believes that abilities are immutable and innate. Through adopting a 'growth mindset,' individuals gain a passion for learning and resilience, enabling them to achieve their full potential.

Sounds desirable, doesn't it? Yet, the crux of the matter lies in the fact that education and reward systems have conditioned many women - and men - into a fixed mindset. Their unyielding perspective can become their second saboteur, obstructing their progress as leaders.

Diverse Brilliance: The Four Gem Types Illuminating Japan's C-Suite

The Four Types of Gems Evolve

Ideally, we all start as hidden gems, unaware of the nuances of leadership. As we gain experience and encouragement, we evolve into raw gems, grasping leadership but still uncertain. Even sparkling gems can face setbacks, temporarily becoming broken gems when challenges arise. Remember, these stages are fluid and dynamic, and it's common to experience them multiple times throughout a career.

During our journey through Japan's corporate landscape, we come across four unique 'gems'. Each of these women has been regarded as a high performer or a high potential at some point in their career. They are influenced by two critical dimensions - their self-confidence and the level of sponsorship they receive. 

Let's explore these gems:

• The Sparkling Gem: Radiating with self-confidence, she's navigated her career successfully, supported by a robust network of internal and external sponsors. She's amassed invaluable experiences, and with her forward-thinking attitude, she's not just dreaming of a bigger role - she's ready for it.

• The Raw Gem: With a solid career and extensive experience, she's still hesitant about scaling the heights of leadership. She needs validation, mirroring the 65% of women CEOs who ascended only after encouragement from mentors or bosses (Korn Ferry 2020). She shines brightly but still needs to be polished to her full potential.

• The Broken Gem: Once a star in her career, she's now mired in frustration. Her high-performance trajectory stalled, causing her self-confidence to plummet and her sponsorship support to wane. Particularly prevalent among mid-career hires who struggled to shine in new roles, these gems are dulled but not destroyed.

• The Hidden Gem: Young, ambitious, and motivated, she's eager to prove herself. Though she's still learning the ropes of the corporate world and building her self-confidence, she's showing promise. Her challenge lies in developing her support network and securing sponsorship.

Both in Japan and abroad, these gems can be found in every organization. It is our belief that many of these women can be transformed into 'Sparkling' gems by implementing tailored development strategies. Our next installment will explore these four gems' unique characteristics and developmental paths. Look out for more!

Investing in Excellence: Kay Group Services for Identification and Development 

"Are you eager to uncover and polish the hidden gems within your organization? At Kay Group, we're passionately committed to identifying potential leaders, especially among women, and helping them sparkle. Our services focus on cultivating excellence within your team, fostering the rise of 'Sparking Gems' within your leadership ranks. Here's a snapshot of our distinctive approach to the identification and development of your organization's gems:"

Cultivating a Manager’s Mindset: In this one-on-one coaching or intimate group workshop, we leverage personality assessment results to illuminate and bridge the gap between individual contributor and managerial thinking. The output? A personalized development plan, tailor-made to guide your journey.

Nurturing a Leader’s Mindset: This one-on-one coaching or small group workshop utilizes personality assessments to identify the disconnect between your current management style and the leadership mindset needed to inspire at an enterprise level. The result is a bespoke personal development plan to elevate your leadership approach.

Crafting Your Leadership Brand: Through personalized sessions or small group workshops, we guide you in developing a unique leadership brand. This includes creating a comprehensive roadmap for implementation, which not only boosts your visibility but also enriches your leadership experience.

Primed for Leadership: Working collaboratively with sponsors, we identify and assess high-potential women at the early stages of their leadership journey, as well as those poised to fortify the C-suite. The outcome? Customized development plans and coaching are designed to cultivate well-rounded leaders who possess a unique voice and a distinctive approach to leadership.

With Kay Group as your ally, the journey towards revolutionizing your leadership approach and boosting women's representation in the C-suite is not only achievable, but it's also exciting. Let's develop exceptional leaders and drive diversity at the highest levels of your organization.

Embark on a transformative leadership journey with Karin Wellbrock. Whether you're eager to shape your unique leadership brand or a mentor looking to catalyze emerging talent, Karin's personalized approach will elevate your impact and enrich your leadership experience. Connect with her at karin.wellbrock@kaygroup-asia.com and join the exciting quest to develop exceptional leaders and champion diversity at the highest echelons of your organization.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karin Wellbrock, Partner and COO at Kay Group K.K., anchors her expertise in a Tokyo-based consultancy specializing in leadership and organizational development. A certified Leadership and Team Coach, Karin is dedicated to propelling both seasoned and emerging executives to leave a significant imprint in their respective industries. Her 'Four Gem Model' assists in identifying the development needs and she helps the leaders in striking an optimal balance between their personal ambitions and the practical demands of their professional roles, often guiding them into senior leadership positions. Beyond individual coaching, Karin extends her influence through her work with NGOs and startups, and through her writing. She delves into the journeys of 'Exceptional Leaders in Japan' and dissects complex leadership scenarios, thereby enriching the managerial toolkit for leaders striving for peak performance. Contact: karin.wellbrock@kaygroup-asia.com