In Episode 262 of Anecdotally Speaking, discover how a 25-second train delay in Japan sparked a deep conversation about organisational culture.

In this episode Mark shares a story he first read in Holly Ransom’s newsletter. A brief incident in Japan leads to a reflection on “keystone habits” and the behaviours we silently accept that shape workplace norms.
Mark and Shawn discuss why these everyday observations are gold for leaders wanting to drive change, and how noticing small deviations from our stated values can be the starting point for meaningful cultural shifts.
Plus, they share practical tips for turning these moments into everyday stories that inspire and influence.
For your story bank
Tags: Storytelling, Workplace Culture, Culture, Leadership, Behaviour change, Everyday Stories
This story starts at 0:26
Mark first came across this story in Holly Ransom’s newsletter. Holly had recently been in Tokyo with a group of Western business leaders on their annual retreat. The group was discussing aspects of Japanese culture they admired and wished they could emulate.
One executive shared an experience from that very morning. He’d caught the train to the retreat and, while waiting at the station, heard the conductor make a public, sincere apology over the intercom because the train was 25 seconds late.
This led to some laughs, especially for those used to Australian trains, but it also prompted a deeper conversation.
The group noted that the average delay across the Japanese rail network is just 50 seconds, so this conductor wasn’t doing badly. But it made them think about what they were willing to walk past in their own organisations. They valued respect, yet people regularly arrived late to meetings without consequence. They claimed to be customer-obsessed, yet sent templated emails. They promoted innovation, but when someone suggested something new, it was quickly shut down.
They realised these small compromises were quietly setting a “near enough is good enough” standard that undermined the culture they wanted to create.