Young Japanese women called gyaru (gals), who don flashy clothes, dye their hair bright and wear heavy makeup, were once youth culture trendsetters, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s. Now, however, they are thriving as communication gurus in workshops held at companies and government offices nationwide.
Training sessions involving gyaru’s communication skills, such as an emphasis on following your gut, are attracting attention as a way to help transform unproductive meetings and boring presentations at offices into something more interactive and flexible.
One company that offers such consultation services is Tokyo-based CGO.com. The firm began offering brainstorming sessions in 2020 to showcase how gyaru communicate openly and frankly. So far, the company has offered its services to about 50 clients, including major companies such as Nissan and Japan Freight Railway.