Personal space in the business world
Are you aware that each person has his/her own preference for personal space? Personal space can be said to be one’s comfort level of how far apart two people are when they stand next to each other. Generally, when people meet for the first time or with a member of the opposite sex, people tend to stand further apart. On the other hand, the personal space tends, of course, to be less among family members and couples.
I would like to start off this column about personal space with the analogy of physical space in martial arts. In martial arts, it is usual that people practice with members who are from the same dojo (school). In these cases, people tend not to recognize their physical space. However, in matches at a large event such as an international summer retreat where various students gather from across the globe, students will suddenly be put into a situation where they recognize that physical space varies among people. We are put into a situation where we have to be conscious of an opponent’s reach, where his/her arm will drop on us when he/she uses it like a sword.
The concept of personal space can be found in the business world as well. Let’s take the example of a Japanese company, where businesspersons have been working for a long time. There is a kind of consensus on how everyone prefers to proceed with their tasks, express their opinions, and arrive at conclusions. However, as the world becomes more globalized, Japanese companies are encountering not only Asia and the West, but also emerging countries. In a global work environment, what is one supposed to do regarding personal space?
I had the opportunity to have a dialogue with a Japanese person who had been a Japanese Cabinet minister. When talking in Japanese, she maintained a personal space suitable for Japan. When we began the seminar in English, she easily shifted her personal space to one suitable for a global environment. I admired her in the way she changed so quickly and smoothly.
I would like to start off this column about personal space with the analogy of physical space in martial arts. In martial arts, it is usual that people practice with members who are from the same dojo (school). In these cases, people tend not to recognize their physical space. However, in matches at a large event such as an international summer retreat where various students gather from across the globe, students will suddenly be put into a situation where they recognize that physical space varies among people. We are put into a situation where we have to be conscious of an opponent’s reach, where his/her arm will drop on us when he/she uses it like a sword.
The concept of personal space can be found in the business world as well. Let’s take the example of a Japanese company, where businesspersons have been working for a long time. There is a kind of consensus on how everyone prefers to proceed with their tasks, express their opinions, and arrive at conclusions. However, as the world becomes more globalized, Japanese companies are encountering not only Asia and the West, but also emerging countries. In a global work environment, what is one supposed to do regarding personal space?
I had the opportunity to have a dialogue with a Japanese person who had been a Japanese Cabinet minister. When talking in Japanese, she maintained a personal space suitable for Japan. When we began the seminar in English, she easily shifted her personal space to one suitable for a global environment. I admired her in the way she changed so quickly and smoothly.
Tomoya Nakamura
