Continuing from last year, the members of Michael Page kindly hosted a communication workshop, with 2 Leaders In Training (LIT) and 5 graduates participating. This year’s theme, requested by LITs, focused on “explanation” and “instruction.” At the office in Kamiyacho, participants were first given a tour. The space was open, with almost no walls, and each station had a large screen. They learned that the company adopts a system called “hot desking,” where employees are not fixed to a particular desk. 

Back in the meeting room, after everyone had introduced themselves, they reviewed last year’s workshop and studied the basics of communication. They learned how gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice can completely change the way messages are conveyed. They also learned that the listener’s attitude shows how seriously they are paying attention, and they practiced this one-on-one with employees. Next, they studied “explanation” and “instruction” in more detail, exploring the differences and learning practical tips through examples. 

After enjoying lunch with the employees, it was time to put the morning’s lessons into practice. First, each participant recalled past experiences of miscommunication or mistakes, recreated those situations, and had employee partners analyze them. Then, by incorporating the morning’s lessons step by step, they improved various aspects such as delivery, amount of information, and confirmation methods, while practicing how to give explanations and instructions suited to different situations. Finally, they split into two groups, presented what they had learned, exchanged feedback, and concluded the workshop. 

“The differences between ‘explanation’ and ‘instruction’ were explained very clearly, and it was a great opportunity to learn a skill that I truly need. It’s still difficult to fully make it my own, but I hope to develop this skill gradually over time.” by graduate

“This theme was exactly what I wanted to learn about, and there were so many ‘aha!’ moments for me. I really wish I had known what I know now during the summer camp… Moving forward, I want to keep what I learned this time in mind as I work toward my goals.” by LIT

Through this workshop, LITs and graduates gained new perspectives on the challenges they are currently facing. They also came away with practical tips and insights they can immediately apply in daily life. We would like to sincerely thank everyone at Michael Page for providing such a valuable learning opportunity.