Sometimes the best part happens later

Over the past few months, I've had the opportunity to facilitate several workshops for Japanese companies in the U.S., as well as organisations that work closely with Japanese clients. Interestingly, a number of these clients specifically requested longer sessions, typically four or five hours rather than the more common two or three-hour format.

Reflecting on those experiences, a few things stood out.

The first was that the value wasn't in covering more content. In fact, we often covered less.

Instead, the additional time created space for deeper conversations.

In a typical two or three-hour session, there's enough time to introduce concepts, share frameworks, and run a few activities. Participants leave with useful ideas, but just as the discussion starts becoming really interesting, it's often time to move on.

In these longer sessions, participants had time to reflect before responding, ask questions they might not have felt comfortable raising at the start, and connect the content to the challenges they face in their own organisations.

What I found particularly interesting was that even though these workshops took place in the U.S., many of the participants approached discussions in a very Japanese way. People listened carefully, thought through their perspectives, and took time before contributing. Some of the most insightful comments emerged well into the session, after participants had had a chance to process the ideas and become comfortable with one another.

Another thing I noticed was how much more bespoke the sessions became.

Every client has different priorities, business challenges, and goals. While there is always a framework behind the workshop, the most valuable moments often come from exploring issues that emerge during the discussion rather than simply moving from one slide to the next.

When a group wanted to dive deeper into a specific challenge, we could. When participants brought up real situations from their business, we had the time to work through them. When a discussion headed in an unexpected but relevant direction, there was enough flexibility to follow it.

That level of customisation is difficult to achieve when every minute is tightly scheduled.

I also noticed a different level of engagement. Participants weren't simply receiving information. They became active contributors. Ideas were challenged, examples were shared, and the workshop evolved into a collaborative working session rather than a traditional training programme.

Perhaps most importantly, participants had enough time to move beyond understanding a concept and start thinking seriously about how they could apply it within their own teams, customers, and business environment.

These recent workshops reminded me that while a four or five-hour session might look like a larger investment on the calendar, it often produces richer discussions, more tailored learning, and outcomes that are far more relevant to the client's reality.

Sometimes the biggest benefit of a longer session isn't covering more material.

It's having enough time to make the material meaningful.

Want to learn more about Japanese business practices and how to succeed in global environments?

Join one of JCO’s programs and gain practical insights into Japan’s unique business culture, communication styles, and strategies for collaboration. Together, we can create more opportunities for global success.

If you want to learn more about bridging language and cultural gaps in Japanese business, why not join one of our sessions! Here’s the link to upcoming sessions (make sure to select your timezone)