This time, Inamori* spoke about the above motto in Kyocera philosophy.
What Inamori said is quoted with “”.
“ Since founding Kyocera, I have continually pondered the idea that a truly outstanding company is one in which every level—be it the mindset of the workers, the awareness of the leaders, or the quality of management—is equally elevated. I believe that such a company is the strongest of all. The concept of ‘everyone’s participation’ may at first glance seem primitive or even childish, but in reality, it carries a profoundly important and meaningful implication. “
Here, Inamori emphasizes that through Amoeba Management system, it is vital for everyone to voice their opinions, think about management, and actively participate in it. The essence of Amoeba Management lies in the idea that management should not be conducted by only a select few, but rather through the full engagement of all members. To truly involve each and every staff member in management, the following points are especially important.
1. A habit of focusing your awareness on what is right in front of you
2. A sincere desire for the growth of staff
3. Compassion that seeks to understand the staff’s pains
Let me explain them one by one.
1. A habit of focusing your awareness on what is right in front of you
” Mr. Tempu Nakamura once said, ‘To live well, you must always act with conscious awareness. Never do things unconsciously.’ This principle is just as vital in management. No matter how small the matter, we must focus our attention, think it through, and deliberately direct our awareness toward it—in other words, we must ‘pour our intent’ into it. “
→ People differ in their abilities.
No matter how many times I explained things with full energy, there were still staff members whose attention would wander and who simply could not grasp what I was saying.
Even when something should be easily noticed if one simply focused their awareness or paid attention, there are people who fail to notice it. In small and medium-sized enterprises, I believe this kind of situation is quite common.
Even in such cases, it is necessary to repeatedly emphasize the importance of directing awareness and paying close attention.
I’ve come to reflect on the fact that I, too, may not have been directing my own awareness as fully as I should have.
2. A sincere desire for the growth of staff
” The moment your staff thinks, ‘Let me figure this out myself,’ a sense of initiative begins to emerge.
It’s a completely different attitude from the passive mindset of doing only the bare minimum when ordered by a superior.
Instead, a proactive stance arises—where one takes part in management voluntarily and tries, even just a little, to realize their own ideas. “
→ I believe that everyone, deep down, wants to grow, to unlock the potential hidden within themselves, and to become the kind of person who earns respect.
The question is how to nurture that potential. Just like raising a child, we must sometimes offer visible guidance and at other times provide quiet, behind-the-scenes support—always being there to help our team grow.
Once again, I reflect on myself and realize that I may have lacked this kind of nurturing spirit.
3. Compassion that seeks to understand the staff’s pains
“ To resolve issues between labor and management, it is essential for the management side to truly feel the workers’ pains, and for the workers to likewise understand the struggles of the management.
I came to realize that as long as both sides share the same ground—meaning they both understand and empathize with each other’s pain—genuine dialogue becomes possible. ”
→ Each staff member carries their own form of hardship.
Often, without even realizing it, they hide that pain and avoid confronting the problems they face. They turn away from the challenges they themselves need to address—and this avoidance, repeated over time, ends up causing suffering not only for them but also for us as leaders.
As leaders, it is we who must first face our own struggles, bringing awareness and light to them.
By doing so, those inner pains can surface from the subconscious into conscious awareness.
When a leader takes this step with sincerity, it may take time, but I believe it can ultimately help staff members face their own struggles as well.
In summary, managing through “everyone’s participation” means helping staff members adopt the mindset of a true manager. To do that, we must walk alongside them in their suffering, continually encourage mindful attention, and—above all—genuinely wish for their growth from the bottom of our hearts.
I still have a long way to go, but I am determined to put this into practice.
* 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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