Episode 7

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Published on:

15th May 2022

World-class learning and development with William Nealy Jr.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Golden Week. We’ve taken a little break from podcasting but host, David Sweet is back with a brand new guest on the show this week. William Nealy Jr. started his career journey in Japan as a teacher on the JET programme and turned his early education teaching experience into a successful career in senior management in Learning and Development where he has worked for some of the world’s most well-known brands including Adidas, Nissan, and Cartier in Japan and America.    

In this episode you will hear:

  • How teaching in Japan started William on his career journey
  • How playing tennis and sport develops a growth mindset and how that benefits working in a business 
  • What are company values and why are they so important - it needs to start from the top
  • What pitfalls can companies avoid 
  • How companies can do better for their staff when it comes to developing their careers
  • How to provide learning and development for staff when you have a limited budget 
  • Importing international organizational values to Japan versus creating company values in Japan 

William Nealy Jr. Bio:

I work inside a business to align people development initiatives with the overall business strategy. In this position, it has been my privilege and honor to work with individuals around the globe. I've worked in the USA, Spain, and Japan, the latter for nearly 18 years. During my time in Japan, I fell in love with the people and the culture, and developed a deep understanding and respect for Japanese workplace practices.

My background includes working closely with senior managers to identify opportunities for improvement and managing change at the local and global level. I'm accustomed to creating and managing talent development programs, coaching high-potential talent, and facilitating training programs. I love the rush and satisfaction of helping my co-workers around the world achieve their goals. 

Connect with William Nealy Jr.:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamnealy/?originalSubdomain=jp 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/williamtokyo/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/williamtokyo?lang=en 


Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Harvard Business Review

LinkedIn Learning 

Jim Loehr


Recommended Reading:

The New Toughness Training for Sports by Jim Loehr

The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz


Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 


Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

Mentioned in this episode:

Find out more about salaries, the job market, hiring and what's important to both companies and individuals looking for a job specifically in Japan.

2025 Salary Guide

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About the Podcast

The FocusCore Podcast
Meet interesting and inspiring and entertaining people who show why Japan is a unique, fulfilling and sometimes frustrating place to do business.
We will discuss how to hire, train and retain talent. How to create values that motivate, and review best practices that have worked and attempts that have failed. David will be speaking to company presidents, CEOs, CFOs, HR professionals, coaches, consultants as well as sharing with you some of my own experiences and opinions discovered over the years in this great country.
The focus is simple: To explore how to succeed in business in Japan.

About your host

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David Sweet