********VENTING***********


The Japanese culture is very confusing at times....

So, I get this random email from our headquarters from a secretary...

Her email was so vague and went like this.

Dear XXX-san,

I sent you documents today.

Thank you and best regards,
XXXXX


So, I sent her a follow up email asking her why she sent those doc's? (because I already have them)

She responded basically saying I dont know, please ask my boss... and that was it.

So, I forwarded her email to her boss and asked him what was it for ? and CC'd my boss...

My boss got all pissed that I forwarded the email the girl sent me, saying I dont know anything about the Japanese culture, and I should consult him first before sending a msg like that

I looked at it from a business stand point. The "girl" sits 10 feet away from the "boss" and could have easily asked him and responded to me.

If one of my employees wasted 1 full day like that, me as a boss would like to know...

However, my boss got all pissed and said I dont know shit about the Japanese culture and should be more careful with my messages ...



Wouldnt you as a boss want to know if your secretary was wasting a full day of business (with that specific deal) and appreciate knowing?



What the hell does this have to do with the Japanese culture? So annoying!!!

 

you couldn't tell what the documents were for by looking at them?

 

He knew what they were, but he had them already. He didn't know why he was sent them again.

 

did not follow the story at all

 

here's my take on the story:

-he receives documents
-a day or so later, receives an e-mail saying documents were sent
-guy is confused about the e-mail, and questions e-mail, bringing bosses into the loop
-guy gets yelled at for not understanding japanese culture

 

From original post:

"So, I sent her a follow up email asking her why she sent those doc's? (because I already have them) "

Sounds like he got duplicates, which gives the impression that something more may be necessary.

 

I'm Japanese/American and damn it I'm insulted by your ignorance.

Just kidding I have no idea what your boss is talking about. Maybe you were supposed to use Hello Kitty stationary? BTW is your boss Japanese? If not it sounds like he's trying too hard to impress the guys at HQ.

 

My wife is half Japanese, and has been living in the US since she was 16. It's the unfathomable Japanese business culture that has her saying that she can't possibly return to Japan and work.

Regardless, you're American (?), and (I'm assuming), your office is in Socal, so maybe you can just give them the 'ol "when in Rome" bit?

 

oh, i interpreted it as: she should've sent the e-mail before she sent the docs, to say "heya ^_^ tHeSe DoCs ArE oN ThErE wAy" but instead she sent it after he had already received them, which led to his initial confusion and consternation that she wasted his valuable non-japanese time

 

I think regardless of culture, when your boss tells you to do something, you do it and don't ask questions why s/he wants it done. She was told to do it, she did it, if you want to know why you ask her boss, which you did. Did her boss reply to you?