Janet CollinsJapanese Bureaucracy Invests in a Laugh
June 8th 2009 07:31
Bureaucrats the world over are not renowned for their humour or colour. Reuters this week announced that over in Tokyo, Japan the bureaucracy has engaged professional comedians to train their officials in communication.
The training is part of an experiment to lift the lacklustre, even stiff, image of public officials and more than 100 transport ministry officials, all in their 20s, had tips last week from comics.
The initiative of learning comedy routines has been introduced to replace training lectures and the deputy director of the ministry hopes it will improve communication with clients and the way they manage staff.
Japan is known for its innovation and maybe this will take off in other places. I would think it’s a much more interesting way of coaching staff than having them sit through hours of power point presentations.
I certainly wouldn’t mind spending time training with a professional comedian and I can certainly see it taking off here in Australia. Incidentally, the preferred live comedy routine in Japan is not stand-up but sit-down comedy.
Image credits 1. www.metropolis.co.jp; 2. www.kaufman-centre.com
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Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
You're right, better than Powerpoint presentations, but still, it seems a bit forced.
I'm now very interested in checking out some Japanese sit-down comedy. Sounds like a laugh. Really.
Michaelie
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
I wouldn't mind checking it out either. The only thing is I wouldn't understand a word they were saying.
Thanks.
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
hahaha maybe orble could take this policy on too.
/seriously/ maybe they feel that they need to laugh more to communicate to westeners? No doubts about it we do have a heightened sense of humour in the west, don*t we? Or think we do, could this be a sign that the world weary westener is in need of a genuine laugh to go along with their order of Mocka latte?
Personally if it is genuine humour, I hope it takes off, big time.
L
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
I hope it takes off too. Humour can often do many things and that includes breaking the ice in lots of situations - and that's not only business ones. The trouble is we all have to be aware of cultural sensitivities if we resort to this method.
Thanks for dropping by.