Courage to be unpleasant: Philosophy “Be open to everyone.”

This time, Inamori* spoke about the above motto in Kyocera philosophy.

What Inamori said is quoted with “”.

“ In order to complete work responsibly, people involved in the work must feel free to point out each other’s shortcomings and problems that they notice. We should not leave issues or even peoples’ deficits. We must always openly and seriously discuss the value of “what is right as a human being.”

It is a big mistake that even you notice shortcomings and problems but keep quiet to maintain so-called harmony in a workplace or simply because you always want to be a nice person to others. We have the courage to openly exchange each other’s opinions, even though you are afraid that the discussion may escalate to the argument. This is how true mutual trust is developed and facilitates to improve the working environment.”

I think this is something that Japanese people are particularly reluctant to do. However, I would like to suggest having discussions (communication) that will allow each party to gain new insights by keeping the following points in mind.

Let me elaborate one by one.

1. Based on the affection and compassion towards others

“ However, even if you are openly discussing what you feel towards the other, we must respect and follow the rules. First of all, it is obviously not good to either point out the other person’s shortcomings or look down upon each other. Even if it is true, such words and actions are not allowed. We must discuss based on the idea of ‘what is good for everyone’, and the discussion must be positive and pretentious. If you have such a discussion, you will almost always be able to reach a creative conclusion…

In some large companies, you can get promoted if you are good at getting along with others, flatter them, and keep things peaceful and safe by saying nice things in pretense. However, in small and medium-sized companies, every day is a hard day, so there is no way that a job can be done with pretense. If you want to grow your company in that environment, you must always be open and even clash with each other’s honest opinions. However, I don’t think this is easy to do. “

→ Mr. Inamori often tells managers, “Do you love your employees?”  It is also said that “Great good superficially looks like ruthlessness”. I believe that what is truly good for the other person, what will improve the quality of their life, is to point out the mistakes in their behavior with love and compassion.

2. Based on the emotion rather critics

“ For example, when I say that the foundation of the Kyocera philosophy is “what is right as a human being, and it is important to stick to that,” everyone agrees. However, that doesn’t mean they can always be open to others. They are still considerate of others and hesitate to say what they think, fearing that it might cause trouble. “

→If you say, “This is not good about you, you should change”, the other person will feel as if they are being judged in court and are likely to resist. He/she will not be able to openly accept your advice. Some people may feel that they are being looked down upon or underestimated. Or they may feel as if they are being blamed for something or feel guilty.

Try to talk about your own feelings instead of focusing on the other person.

In this way, if you focus on your own emotions when expressing them, it will be easier for the other person to accept.

3. Based on the options, leave them to decide

“ Assuming that a capable boss with a great personality is so enthusiastic about his work that he has become physically ill, has begun to take frequent absences from work, in reality, work will be delayed while he is absent, so as his aide, the subordinate should report the situation to the company and take appropriate measures. However, if he reports it, the boss may be relieved of his duties, and it would be a shame for the boss who has grown the business so well even at the expense of his physical health, so the subordinate hides the truth due to such emotional thoughts.

However, there are cases where this becomes a very big problem for the business division later on. To prevent this from happening, that subordinate guy must be honest. Even if you must argue with each other, it is necessary to expose the facts and discuss them among the company. “

→ In this example, if you question the aide by asking “Why didn’t you tell us about your boss?”, he may become even more stubborn and not tell the truth. “You can tell the truth or keep quiet. That’s your choice. What will happen if you tell the truth? How will you feel when you see the consequence? What will happen if you don’t tell the truth? How will you feel when you see those outcomes? You can choose either.”

By leaving the final decision up to the person, I think they will be able to think seriously and speak honestly.

“It is up to you to decide what to do in the end. But I can help you to compare, analyze and achieve the best option. I can help you develop your thoughts and feelings.”

By talking like this, I think the person will be able to take actions that they are satisfied with. In that sense, in order to create an environment where people can speak honestly, this kind of internal counseling and mental care staff will be necessary for all staff, including executives. Furthermore, it is also necessary for the top management to have a system in place to always provide follow-up support or preventive measures to avoid the worst-case scenario.

* Mr. Kazuo Inamori, the founder of Kyocera, KDDI (one of the top tele communication companies in Japan) and the top of revitalization project of JAL. As a well-known Japanese entrepreneur, he has been sharing his experiences and management know-how with managements of small to middle companies in Japan.

Further queries or doubts, please email to ytomizuka@abrilsjp.com

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