Tim Sullivan: Cross-Cultural Educator & Authentic Storyteller

This episode I sit down with cross-cultural educator Mr. Tim Sullivan. He’s a very down to earth and culturally astute ambassador for Japan and foreign relations. His excellent Japan understanding comes from his study of cultural anthropology and Japanese story-telling Rakugo. For his corporate seminars he uses a storytelling approach vs. academic speak and on this episode he tells us numerous educational and entertaining stories including of his experience as a corporate mediator between waring US and Japan engineering teams, another about Mt. Fujii and how this majestic mountain is culturally perceived differently by Japanese and western cultures, and finally his most humbling yet inspiring moment in Japan, which took place in a Blues Bar. In addition, we discuss Japanese humor, Peter Drucker, which culture really invented the "Ikigai" concept, and how through his intervention, Americans learned to embrace the Japanese Hanseikai - the self reflection meeting. Other topics we discuss: 

• Living with a Japanese rock and roll star and his days as a "roadie"
• How to use Kakubari in a cross-cultural way with non-Japanese
• Process oriented vs. Goal oriented: The Japanese decision-making process explained 
• Why American's might refer to Mt. Fuji as a "Son of a Bitch!"
• The "Iceberg" model of visually analyzing cultural differences
• A Japanese concept he employed to defuse toxic US-Japan corporate relations
• How storytelling Increases engagement in in cultural seminars
• Culturally accepted sarcasm and irony in Japan
• Discuss his new collaborative book "Simple English for Japanese Medical Professionals" and the background of this project

gugu Sleep Company: https://gugu.jp
Tim Sullivan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-sullivan-3528486/
Intercultural Twilight Zone: https://japaninsight.wordpress.com
Simple English for Japanese Medical Professionals: http://www.nanzando.com/books/02241.php