Employing ASEAN Way in Developing Soft Skills in Non-ASEAN Workplaces: Practices and Perspective of an ASEAN Educator in Japan

Abstract

This study explored how the ASEAN Way serves as a culturally grounded method for developing soft skills in non-ASEAN workplaces. Using an autoethnographic approach, the research draws on the lived experience of an ASEAN educator working in a multicultural professional context. Through inductive thematic analysis of workplace documents, including emails, memos, newsletters, and training materials, the study identified three key perspectives: People-Centeredness, Consensus Orientation, and Respectful Coexistence. These perspectives reflected the influence of ASEAN cultural values in shaping relational leadership, communication, and decision-making. The study also outlined twelve sub-themes representing specific routines that operationalized these perspectives, demonstrating how soft skills were performed as cultural practices. The final synthesis revealed that perspectives and routines were mutually reinforcing what was culturally believed was practiced, and what was practiced deepened cultural understanding. The findings contributed to the growing discourse on soft skills by showing that such competencies were not universal but were informed by cultural worldviews and relational ethics. This research affirmed the potential of the ASEAN Way as a soft skill framework, offering new insights into how intercultural professionals can lead and collaborate with empathy, diplomacy, and cultural awareness.