It’s a little after 8pm and Kiminari Azuma has just finished dinner with his family
If you know Kiminari, you won’t be surprised to know that his meal contained chicken. This is a man who really loves chicken.
He’s also a guy who loves to give people the benefit of his own experiences and personal development. From leadership training and presentation skills, to learning Spanish and playing The Beatles, here’s everything you need to know about one of OTD’s newest business coaches.
Where are you now? I’m at home in Zama, a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It’s a 30 minute train ride from Tokyo, surrounded by countryside, rice fields and green parks.
Tell us a little about your career to date: I worked for a US electronic component company for 30 years. I was the IT guy, responsible for the roll out of business intelligence solutions in Asia-Pacific. I started as a junior programmer, then secured promotion as a senior programmer, analyst and then manager.
Did you always want to work in IT? No, I did Spanish and Latin American history at university! When I graduated I was looking for a job that would enable me to visit Latin America. I couldn’t find one, so I changed direction and landed a job in IT.
How did you get into training? When I was an IT manager I had to chair multinational project meetings in English. Although I could speak the language, I had absolutely no confidence in my ability to effectively moderate a meeting using English. I found Toastmasters on Google and joined a club. It was a fun place with very positive minded people. Around two or three years later I began providing training for other attendees in leadership and public speaking, which helped me on my own talent development journey.
Have you always enjoyed public speaking? Speaking in front of a large audience requires lots of mental management, I would say. I remember speaking in front of 400 people and I looked at my hand shaking. I still remember that and I admit it. I developed new skills to control my fear of public speaking and the unknown. It was a game changing experience that paved the way to a new chapter.
How did you hear about OTD? My friend was part of a Johnson & Johnson speaking club. I received an email from her to let me know that OTD was hiring in Japan and thought I was a good fit.
What languages do you speak? I speak English and Japanese. Although I learned Spanish many years ago, I have forgotten much of it since then. I have also found that a good sense of humour is a universal language!
What countries have you delivered training in? I have mostly delivered in Japan but I’ve also provided training for people in China, Taiwan and Korea.
What are your coaching specialisms: Leadership training is my favourite. When I was in my thirties I really wanted to be a leader or manager, but it took me a long time to be promoted. I later realised why it had taken me so long, as it became clear that I didn’t have enough human skills – I didn’t know how to manage people. I had to develop important skills like critical thinking, listening and how to give feedback. My experience in learning from those failures can be valuable for those who want to be a better leader.
What’s the best lesson learned in your career to date? “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”. I like that quote, it really resonates with me.
What else would you like to achieve in your career? I want to be a finalist in the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking. Only the top ten speakers are allowed to go on stage. It is a dream to be one of them!
Who inspires you and why? Paul McCartney. When I was 14 I recall watching the TV and the opening music was Yesterday. It was so inspiring, I just picked up a guitar. I really wanted to play the song, so I purchased a score, learned how to play it and I’m still playing now. He is the biggest inspiration other than my mother and father.
Tell us about your favourite meal: Chicken! I like boiled chicken, I like rotisserie chicken and I also like KFC. I like chicken very much. I’m a chicken man.
The world would be a better place if … there is a famous quote attributed to Mother Teresa, which is to “go home and love your family”. It’s simple but not always easy to achieve.