"Late-Stage Reversals" Destroy Trust

 I always try to think about many things, but that doesn’t mean I completely understand myself.

Sometimes, what seems tough to others doesn’t bother me at all, while minor things can make me unexpectedly upset. Lately, I’ve been wondering if one of life’s purposes is to truly understand oneself.

From the end of February to early March, I came to realize a particular trait of mine:

I absolutely cannot tolerate "late-stage reversals"—when someone says something vague or misleading at first, only to reveal their true intentions later.



Looking back, I’ve always reacted strongly against this, whether it was dealing with reprimands from bosses or seniors, business partnerships, or management practices. Every time I’ve encountered such behavior, I’ve fought against it furiously and, in many cases, completely cut off further engagement.

Not revealing your true intentions upfront and only disclosing them at the final stage robs the other party of valuable time to think. From the perspective of our Core Values, this completely violates the principles of honesty, keeping promises, and respecting individuals.

I know that "late-stage reversals" happen frequently in the world.

Perhaps there are times when my own actions seem that way to others without me realizing it.

However, I personally cannot accept such behavior, and I must build an organization where it doesn’t happen.

Of course, initial plans and intentions may change over time. But when that happens, it’s crucial to sincerely apologize and confirm the changes in advance.

As long as this is done properly, I have no issue with it.

But if someone fails to make that effort—if they suddenly reveal their real intentions at the last stage, saying, "This is what I was thinking all along" or "This is how it should be"—they will never earn trust.

This should not be excused simply because the other party is a subordinate, a supplier, or younger in age. As members of Hattori Group, we must be able to practice fairness with everyone.

Thinking about it this way, my intolerance for "late-stage reversals" makes perfect sense—it violates four of our Core Value. Naturally, it is something I cannot accept.

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