Giving expectations. Labeling someone with a disease will surely make them sick

 


I have three children in our house, but the two younger boys were both suggested to have a developmental disorder at their 18-month and three-year check-ups. They were told to visit a hospital.

The youngest also had the same issue as the eldest son; it was about "not understanding Japanese well enough, possibly not hearing sounds." This was because he couldn't correctly choose the illustrations of "giraffe, bath, bear." Interestingly, he understands them in English as "Giraffe, Bath, Bear," but since Japanese is the standard, not being able to do it in Japanese seems to be problematic.


Being advised to go to the hospital is routine, but I don't care at all!! Even if they truly have a developmental disorder, I love my children deeply. Although I can get quite angry at sometimes, spending days with my children is my greatest happiness, regardless of whether they have a disability or not.

The issue is, if parents think "my child has a disability," it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. "It's a disability, so it can't be helped..." and the parents protect them from everything. Doing everything for them because "they can't" hinders growth that could otherwise occur. Maybe that disability is just part of their unique personality. We all have individual characteristics, differences in growth, and strengths.

It's the same with work. If a boss decides "So-and-so can't do it" and doesn't give them a chance, they will never be able to do it. Both at home and at work, by "having expectations," we can promote growth. Labeling someone negatively crushes their potential and is harmful without any benefit. Of course, when things don't go well, it's tempting to label, but what we should do as humans is to believe in someone's potential, especially those close to us.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

No Regrets Later: Start Today

Image
 As more mid-career employees join our company, I’ve started to notice that many of them are now younger than me. I became the president at 30 years old, and for a long time, people called me a "young president." But now, I feel I’m entering a new phase—somewhere between mid-career and veteran. It’s the stage where energy and experience combine to create the best opportunities to make an impact. At this age, it’s common to reflect and think, “If only I had done that back then…” or “What would have happened if I had tried?” Of course, we can’t change the past. But we can use our past experiences to shape the future. Maybe you didn’t try something before because you were afraid of failure. Or maybe you didn’t have the confidence. But it’s never too late to take action. What matters is starting now—so we don’t look back two or three years from now with the same regrets. If you feel regret but don’t take action, you only create a habit of inaction. On the other hand, the so...
Read more

Facing Fear and Seeking Growth

Image
 Some of you may already know this, but I make it a habit to read 10 to 15 books every month. It’s not so much a hobby—rather, I feel uneasy if I’m not constantly exposing myself to new ideas, disciplining my mind, and learning with hunger and intention. It might sound unpleasant to some, but in reality, having a strict boss or senior colleague who constantly tells you, “This is not good enough!” is a privilege. I don’t have that in my current position. No one tells me what’s right or wrong. And even if someone did, their “right” isn’t necessarily my right. So, I’m always on a journey to find my own answers—that’s what life is for me. In a book I read last week, there was a line that really struck me: “Success lies on the opposite side of fear.” It doesn’t just refer to financial success. True success—real achievement—exists only beyond what we fear the most. This reminds me of what we often say at Hattori Way: “Step outside your comfort zone!” But this quote is even sha...
Read more

What is the "Kinoko Management" style for Hattori??

Image
 As the season for warm, hearty meals approaches, mushrooms— kinoko in Japanese—frequently appear in dishes like hot pots. I personally love maitake mushrooms, although “mushroom” is how we refer to them in English. Interestingly, we intentionally call our management style Kinoko Management in English as well, keeping the unique essence of this concept. Mushrooms are not vegetables but fungi. Their defining role is in promoting decomposition, enabling the cycle of life to continue. What we see above ground—the mushrooms themselves—is just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface lies the expansive mycelium network , an intricate web that connects mushrooms and plants, instantly sharing information and nutrients. Without fungi, the world would be overwhelmed by dead plants and animals. Thanks to their work, living organisms return to the earth, becoming nutrients that sustain new life. Mushrooms come in countless varieties. They differ in size, shape, and color—some are vibrant ...
Read more