Marsha Dawes | March 5, 2008
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“If you’re lucky enough to work with smart people and you watch, you’ll learn,” said Olson, former Toyota Motor North America senior vice president of External Affairs and Public Policy. He visited Ralph Winslow Visiting Professor Jim Bright’s J418 International Public Relations class Feb. 25.
Olson spoke of his years with Toyota launching the Japanese company into the American market. Within his time there, Olson created a 20-year PR plan to displace the “Detroit three,” Ford, GM and Chrysler, as the top ranking car companies in North America.
One key to the plan’s success, Olson said, was to be willing to take risks. He applies this to one’s career, too.
“If you have to take a pay cut and move across the country, do it,” said Olson, now an adjunct business professor at Winthrop University In Rock Hill, S.C. “Never say no. Go get experience.”
That is exactly what the students in J428 are doing. Over spring break, the class of 16 travels to Japan, where they plan to visit Nissan headquarters, Gavin Anderson Japan and the U.S. Embassy. They’ve heard from a variety of guest speakers this semester as they’ve prepared for this trip to learn about the PR business in Japan.
Olson had advice for the travelers. He told students to look for the way Japanese business people think.
“Much of the top management there is very world-knowledgeable,” he said.
According to Olson, Japanese businesses rely on data, and data can support your decision-making.
“Have a backbone,” he said. “It’s easy to do with research on your side.”
Some final advice Olson gave the class of soon-to-be traveling seniors: “You can never achieve perfection but you can achieve improvement.”
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