まず隗より始めよ

 I enjoy days filled with changes, not just the good but also the challenging ones.

This might be because of my position as a CEO. Had I been in a different role, it's possible I would have found change more daunting or frightening. The worry of not succeeding with a new approach or failing to say something clever could have filled me with anxiety.

However, the reality is that I'm not in a position where we're protected by others, fulfilling given duties in exchange for compensation without the need for change. There's no guaranteed revenue, and without adapting, there's no assurance we can continue to thrive tomorrow.

Not all changes lead to positive outcomes. To bring about good changes, we inevitably encounter many that aren't beneficial. A person who seeks to induce change in the company cannot do so without also being open to personal transformation.

We can't change the past or other people. Those who try to change others inevitably create distortion and friction. Instead, we can change the future and ourselves. Changing our own actions and words can, in turn, influence others. Ultimately, every challenge we face in the world can be addressed through our own behavior.

The saying goes, "Start with yourself before others." Rather than waiting for someone else to change, it starts with 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