From Tech Project Management to Leadership Coaching: The Journey of our New Leadership Coach, Mete Yasuji
Mete Yasuji
Coaching & Leadership Development Partner
Boyd & Moore recently partnered with Mete Yasuji, a multicultural Executive Coach and Trainer. With 22 years of corporate leadership experience, he develops successful products, empowers teams, and optimizes processes. Mete has delivered over 2,500 hours of coaching, guiding leaders across Japan/Asia, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S.
Boyd & Moore sat down with Mete to learn more about his journey to Japan, his career within the tech industry, and his experiences that led him to becoming an Executive Coach and Trainer.
Your Journey to Japan: When Did You Arrive and What Brought You Here?
I arrived in Japan in the early 1990s when the economy was thriving. I received a scholarship to pursue my MBA at the International University of Japan in Niigata Prefecture. Since I only had to pay for the plane ticket, it was a fantastic opportunity to explore a new country, gain new knowledge, and earn my degree.
After graduating, I arrived in Tokyo at a time when the bubble economy had already burst, limiting job opportunities. My career in software engineering began at a software company, where I was employed before transitioning to the finance industry, followed by the insurance sector. Initially, project management responsibilities were assigned to me, which later expanded to team management and eventually more senior roles. My last position was in legal technologies at LexisNexis, where I was appointed as Head of Local Product Development in Japan.
I believe that learning Japanese early in my 20s provided a significant advantage. For individuals from a Turkic or Mongolian background, Japanese is not particularly difficult to learn, but regular practice is necessary. The opportunity to study in a school environment, where English could be spoken while also practicing Japanese, was beneficial to me.
What Inspired You to Make Japan Your Home?
I think it’s a great question, because for those who live in Japan that aren’t Japanese, it’s normal to see many people come and go. Japan is pretty easy place to live, but in many ways, it is also a difficult place to live, so you have to have a compelling reason to settle here.
Aside from building personal relationships, I also found myself leaning deeper into the culture and the history, especially regarding modern Japan and its relationship with the ancient culture here. That really created a lot of motivation for me to visit different places like temples and shrines and towns, and to read more. And that keeps me living in Japan.
I highlight Japan’s positives, both personally and professionally, as a powerful motivator. Recently, I became a Japanese citizen, giving up my Turkish citizenship. Every country has its ups and downs, whether it’s your birthplace or a new home. That’s why I focus on appreciating Japan’s strengths. Japanese people value foreigners who make an effort to understand the culture, adapt, and respectfully challenge perspectives. This approach expands opportunities and possibilities within Japan.
What Inspired Your Journey into Leadership Coaching?
When I worked in larger companies as a project manager, I often had a big budget for projects. While collaborating with senior leadership and stakeholders, I noticed that some struggled with communication and negotiation. Some had aggressive—or even passive-aggressive—communication styles, which led to wasted money and time due to project extensions. Poor leadership communication caused companies to lose business opportunities and valuable team members. When senior leaders failed to communicate effectively, frustration and stress spread throughout the organization. This experience made me realize that everything begins with leadership—strong communication, clear vision, and effective leadership skills.
I began searching for the best solution. While training programs exist, I wanted to create a private, confidential space for deeper conversations. I aimed to uncover whether leaders were open to change and understand their visions for their companies and careers. These discussions rarely happen openly, as leaders often hesitate to share in training sessions or public settings. However, in a one-on-one setting, they can truly be themselves.
Something I have rarely spoken about publicly, but I don’t hesitate to talk about, is that I have worked in a few nonprofit roles. For these roles, I was trained in counselling. In 2005 I volunteered at an NPO that focused on human rights and HIV/AIDS. I was trained to talk to and reassure people before they take a test. It made me realise that there were things that I could do aside from project management. I wanted to exercise my deep listening and empathy skills. So I had a choice after project management—I could go into mental health counselling, or I could use those skills for executive and leadership coaching, and I found that with my business background, I could be much more productive going into the coaching side.
This experience was invaluable. To provide a space for people to talk is empowering, and so much can be achieved by listening and asking questions. When it comes to executive coaching, it’s not just brainstorming together, but also bringing resources and structure to the table.
What are some of the more interesting projects that you've worked on since getting into coaching?
Many things interest me, but one ongoing theme in companies is the development of young talent. I have worked with organizations worldwide, many of which already have leadership programs. Over the past 4 to 5 years, I have been fortunate to engage with several of these programs.
Hands-On Leadership Development
I enjoy these projects because they offer learning and development opportunities through workshops and training sessions. The structure depends on the budget and the client’s needs. I have also led group projects where young leaders explore new initiatives and receive coaching on presenting them to senior leadership.
Shaping Future Leaders
Some sessions focus on leadership in day-to-day operations, helping participants refine their skills. Seeing emerging leaders grow and contribute to their companies’ futures gives me immense satisfaction.
I recently launched an ongoing project focused on cultural change initiatives. It may sound abstract, but we start by discussing mindsets and behaviors. Some behaviors are essential to identity and should be preserved, while others need reshaping to support the company’s success.
In many organizations, middle management consists of leaders in their 50s who bring their own practices and experiences. However, these practices don’t always align with DX, and many view piloting new approaches as too risky. Encouraging risk-taking is crucial for building a new culture.
Developing Key Skills Through Workshops
To support this shift, we designed workshops that help leaders develop these skills, assess their approaches, and commit to new ways of working. By fostering self-analysis and adaptability, we empower them to drive meaningful change.
I really like my role in these projects because I don’t inject knowledge as a trainer unless it is asked, but I facilitate their discussions. I do not dictate or push, but observe, share, and nudge them to ask important questions.
For companies, it’s important to recognize that usually HR teams are great, but they’re also seen as insiders. So many leaders really appreciate an outsider coming and talking about some best practices and sharing initiatives that are happening in other companies. It presents a neutrality that can facilitate fresh ideas.
And to wrap up, how do you think tech companies in particular benefit from leadership coaching?
What I realized working in the tech industry is that everybody has great technical skills, but these companies focus so much on implementation—they are very good at implementing key projects—that they lose sight of business vision. A compelling communication strategy for their team members is how you nurture good talent. Leadership coaching can really bring that into the spotlight and show that there are different ways of doing things and enable them to understand which one is better for the organization. The organizational capacity within tech companies can be improved. This, in turn, will improve their staff engagement, which leads to better, faster implementation, and better alignment within the organization.
Lots of tech leaders don’t learn the necessary skills in their early careers, as they were so focused on implementation. So, as they climb up, they suffer. If giving feedback and having clear communication was not their core focus, how can they succeed as a manager? It is important for companies to invest in developing these skills.
