Patience, or That’s the Sound of My Foot Tapping

Wednesday
Most of you probably realize that Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of the east coast. So, when the New Yorkers are finally nodding off, I’m in the middle of a communication lunch. I’ve already lived through the day that some people are just about to wake up to. One of my friends emailed me late today to say: “Let me know if Wednesday is worth dealing with. If not, I won't bother getting up for it.” To which I replied, “Wednesday is kind of boring, I’d skip it.”

I’m one month into my 4-month trip and I have to come to terms with something. This job is mind-numbingly dull. Part of it is that I really don’t have enough work to do; part of it is that I’m given way more time than I need to complete the things they need me to do. I’ve had meetings with the management, talked to them about what I could be doing to help them and the company, things I’d like to do because I think it would be interesting or I could learn something. They nod and smile and say, “Really? Great!” So, I follow up with my notes from the meeting and suggest action steps (and complete some of my own action steps, thankyouverymuch). But then, somehow, these projects and ideas don’t go anywhere.

I believe that the major obstacle in getting me involved with this business is the language barrier. I know it sounds like a broken record, but really, that’s the whole problem. They don’t invite me to meetings where I assume they discuss account planning and strategy. They meet with me separately, so I’m never really sure of what everyone else on the team is doing. Sometimes they ask me for recommendations on a certain subject, say patient compliance. So I work on a plan for their brand and present it to them. While I’m talking, they just nod and smile. They have no idea what I’m talking about. I give them copies of what I’m presenting. They don’t take notes. I really thing that the work I do might just be something to keep me out of their hair.

I’ve felt this way for a few weeks, but I’ve been reluctant to write about it because:
1. I kept thinking, “It’s only the first week [second week, etc]. People are busy. It will come together.”
2. I had hoped that the Aussie would be here by now and things would change, but his start date has been delayed.
3. Let’s face it, they sent me all this way, at great expense to all parties involved, and I didn’t want people to think I sit around all day surfing the internet. Which I don’t. Usually.

Before I came here, the Japanese were asked to define the areas of professional development where I should expect to make the most improvement. They said: Patience. They were not kidding.