Episode #112: Hans Werner Burg, Representative Director, Leschaco KK, Japan

Hans Werner Burg is currently the Representative Director for Leschaco KK in Tokyo Japan. Originally from Germany, Mr. Werner Burg describes himself as a working-class kid raised in Western Germany close to the French border. He went to university to study Business Administration and that was when he had the opportunity to do an internship at a subsidiary of a car parts manufacturing firm in Hokkaido.

Mr. Werner Burg explains his leadership style and the way it evolved over the years. He claims that in the beginning he was trying to get his team to improve by finding faults in everything they did, and this did not work well. He says he did not like that approach himself. So, he slowly changed overtime. He mentions that in Japan, an apology can be seen as a cultural way to admit that you may have caused the client inconvenience and will rectify for the next time. In comparison to Germany, an apology may be seen as an admission of guilt. As apologies are typically made for larger mistakes in Germany, the company may be taken to court for that admission.

Mr. Werner Burg says he tries to encourage engagement by keeping an open-door policy and trying to speak with people in smaller groups for around 40 of his staff in Tokyo and Osaka. He understands that people in Japan are less forthcoming with ideas and engagement than in the West, and it takes more for them to open up and share their thoughts and ideas. He says he tries his best to be approachable and is calm by nature and doesn’t get upset with anyone who disagrees with him. Once they have good engagement with his team, Mr. Werner Burg encourages innovation and good ideas from his staff. In the past he has tried to have a limited agenda at meetings to keep it open for ideas. Mr. Werner Burg notes, engagement and sharing of ideas have become harder as most people are still working from home due to COVID-19.

Mr. Werner Burg explains that Japan is a country where trust is very important. He emphasizes the importance of being authentic and transparent to earn the trust of his staff. Additionally, Mr. Werner Burg says that he shares credit with his team. For example, if Head Office congratulates him on a target that was achieved well, Mr. Werner Burg will make sure his staff members who were involved in the project are acknowledged as well. On the contrary, if there is a problem, he tries to tackle the problem together with his staff, by admitting the mistake to clients as needed and taking responsibility for the company.

Mr. Werner Burg says that knowing the Japanese language can be helpful, as it is a useful tool, though he has seen people succeed without it.