Even If You Can't Fully Understand, The Difference Between Trying to Understand and Not Trying is Significant

 I attended a cooking demo for a new product from overseas.

Since just being there wouldn't mean much, I took on the role of measuring the necessary seasonings and handing them over at the right times, supporting as an assistant. The manufacturer commented, "In our country, CEOs would never do something like this," and indeed, not many Japanese CEOs would handle measuring for a cooking demo either!

I simply wanted to understand the product. The fastest way to understand something is to touch it and do it yourself. Just watching or listening doesn't get it into your head or heart. By actually doing it, making mistakes, and gaining experience, it becomes practical knowledge. Now, I understand how to use the app, read recipes, and know the critical points as an assistant. When someone else takes on this role, I can convey these points to them.

I don't usually cook, so I got to feel the challenges and meticulousness that those working in the field experience every day. Of course, I don't think I can understand everything. But trying to understand makes a huge difference compared to not trying at all.

When making decisions and implementing strategies and tactics, whether you can be thorough or not depends on the efforts to understand the basics. The words that come out, the decisions made, will be completely different.

Today, I noticed people quietly washing used dishes and supporting the cooking demo in visible and invisible ways. Our daily work is supported by even more people. I can't understand all of it, but sometimes measuring seasonings, washing dishes, and taking out the trash provide me with valuable stimulation.

The CEO is not only the most important or valuable person in the company. Each employee has an important role to play.
That's why we are called as a company or cooperation.



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