Apologize and thank profusely, a lesson that I learned in Japan

In the book How to Win Friends & Influence People, one of the books that were most influential for Warren Buffett, Dale Carnegie teaches us how to build better relationships.

In the time that I’ve been in Japan, I’ve witnessed that two of the things that Dale Carnegie teaches are commonly seen here:

• Quickly apologize for anything that has gone wrong, even if they were not directly involved.
• Thank profusely for anything good you receive, no matter how small.

The Japanese word sumimasen can mean both thank you and I’m sorry simultaneously. What I’ve witnessed while in Japan is that people both apologize and thank people genuinely and profusely.

Last Updated on March 12, 2023 by Omar Eduardo