ADP changed who I am as a person

Hiroko Tada, Deputy General Manager, Research and Business Development of Japanese conglomerate Itochu Europe plc, completed the Accelerated Development Programme (ADP) in two stages; in November to December 2019 and January to February 2020. We asked her what she gained from the course and how she implemented what she had learnt back at work.

What does your job entail?

Itochu is a huge multinational trading company, a bit like a Japanese version of Jardine Matheson. My role at the London office is to research the environmental sector and the circular economy in Europe, gather market intelligence on the potential role that ammonia might play in a hydrogen economy, and identify local partners in Europe and the UK with whom we can develop solutions for the Asian and Japanese markets.

What are the specific challenges?

Japan lags far behind the UK and Europe in this area, especially in hydrogen/ammonia – everything that contributes to decarbonisation. We need alliances and friends to develop solutions. That is why my company joined the European Commission Clean Hydrogen Alliance [a new industry strategy launched in March 2020 designed to help Europe lead the transition to climate neutrality and digital leadership].

Why did you choose to do the ADP programme at London Business School?

The company offered me a choice of many business schools all over the world. I chose LBS for several reasons. First, I had lived in the US for some years and my husband is French, so I wanted to expose myself to something different. The calibre of the cohort was also a big attraction. I wanted to learn how other leaders were tackling problems at their own organisations and I knew that being exposed to a broad range of perspectives would help me do this.

But the main reason was the School’s global reputation. As a Japanese person, I am very shy at expressing myself, and LBS is an incredibly diverse environment, so I thought I would be less inhibited at expressing myself in that environment. That was really the biggest reason for choosing LBS.

Did anything about the programme surprise you?

Yes – the physical side! There are three elements in the ADP: the mental/emotional side, the academic study side, and the physical challenges. I found the physical side – rock-climbing and running in Regent’s Park – extremely challenging, but it really toughened me up. It gave me the confidence to believe I could do anything after enduring these very tough challenges.

How did you apply what you learnt to the workplace?

In Japanese companies it’s very rare for young and especially female employees to express their opinions publically. In my culture, people are not supposed to stand out. But the ADP made me question that approach and learn how to get beyond its limitations. I now have the confidence to influence and drive change, and now I strongly encourage my colleagues and juniors to express their opinions freely – even the very youngest. Especially the youngest! This has really helped change the atmosphere and the whole culture in the workplace. Of course, it’s only one office but I believe it’s the start of a culture shift that is potentially quite game-changing for the company.

You can apply this insight [about the significance of different cultures] directly to business strategy. For example, in the ‘Leading Change’ elective, Professor Eliot Sherman explained how things are interpreted differently in the US and Japan. I learnt that local behaviours and cultural differences are key to succeeding in a global market. Identifying why a customer-oriented supermarket like Tesco has been successful everywhere in the world except Japan helped me rethink my organisation’s strategy in domestic markets.

The programme also taught me to trust my intuition when it comes to decision-making. Before, I tended to think that a leader is someone to be followed and that leadership is all about authority. I now know it’s much more about using your capabilities to your advantage and encouraging others to contribute using their own areas of expertise.

Were there other insights in terms of workplace culture?

The workplace culture in Japan is very inward-looking. Culturally, it is very important to build consensus. We value collective agreement very highly and taking decisions is very consensus-oriented. Because of that we spend a lot of time negotiating within the group and within the company, so it takes a great deal of time to arrive at an answer or a decision.

And there is a stigma attached to failing to get a decision right, or even to suggesting a new idea or approach that is not adopted. But the ADP really changed my perspective on the notion of failure. For example, before I did the course, if I emailed an idea or proposal to my CEO and he rejected it, it felt like it was the end of my career! But now I don’t care – I freely send information and new ideas to the CEO and the board directors without fear of failure. Overcoming personal fear of failure was a huge development for me and I took that into my workplace – and the all-round level of communication was greatly upgraded as a result. The ADP has really changed not just my approach, but my whole mindset around work and workplace norms and expectations.

How would you describe the programme to someone who was thinking of doing it?

You really feel as if you are in the United Nations! You see the whole world and get a feel for what is going on globally. You learn a lot of things and acquire new perspectives that were not available to you before.

Did the course help you deal with the issues that Covid has raised in any way?

Yes – the mental toughness I acquired has really helped me survive during lockdown in London. Before, I think I would have just given up [my job in London] and gone back to Tokyo! Now I have the mental strength to deal with adversity. That came through learning the capacity for self-reflection, so I was much more able to put my situation and my family’s in perspective.

What impact did the programme have on your personal development, outside the workplace?

It changed who I am as a person. It literally changed my life. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me think differently. I became much more open to absorbing new information and, as a result of overcoming my innate Japanese inhibitedness, I was able to forge good relationships with an international group of classmates. I became a new and improved version of myself – and if I can change, anyone can!