Secrets of Concentration for Leaders

Inamori has reiterated that leaders must concentrate all the time for an issue raised in front of them. Even though it is a tiny issue, we leaders must concentrate on our thoughts and make the best decision on them. For us to do that, at every moment of our daily management we must keep concentrating on an issue that we are dealing with.

Ito is Inamori’s successor and the second CEO of Kyocera. Ito shared an episode of Inamori during Kyocera’s start-up era.

Let me explain one by one

1 Organizing environment = creating space

Inamori, according to Ito, used to check each of the production sites and each of the single divisions and tell them how important organizing the working environment is. Ito continued, “as we have been creating and producing highly sophisticated fine ceramics, no mistake must be allowed. Therefore, we must be the ones who are highly sensitive to the disorganized environment.”

→ This is one of the differences between two cultures: Western and Japanese. In the former, cleaning and environmental cleanness is something to be done by the third-party people (cleaning service). On the other hand, under the latter culture, cleaning up the environment is something to be completed by employees and workers who occupy the workspace. Such deference, from my point of view, comes from how we consider working. Under the Western culture, work is considered as a penalty or burden, whereas it is considered to be something valuable in our lives in Japan.

Psychologically, those who are potentially suffering from the sense of guilt or underestimating themselves, tend to feel comfortable in a messy environment as this can be seen as a punishment to themselves. Thus, for us to learn to concentrate, caring for our mind may be the first thing to do.

2 Caring stomach = enhancing concentration

Under the Asian medical therapies, the stomach is closely related with concentration, energy, and our anxiety. Thus, for us to concentrate, first we must take care of our stomach. Inamori said that he used to have neither lunch nor dinner till nine or ten pm. This sometimes works to give some break to our stomach to enhance its function. Surprisingly, Inamori unconsciously had conducted a good practice: his stomach could take a rest. At home, his wife usually spent time with him over home-made meals, which fuels high energy to his stomach. I feel that taking care of our bodies is also important for us to concentrate on our daily works.

3 Respect for rituals = purifying our spirits

Ito said that producing products, being involved in innovation or creation, can be found as a sort of ritual. Craftsmen have to keep developing their techniques, raise their mentalities, and deliver their best to create highly artistic outcomes. Under Kyocera philosophy, it said, “under the perfect work process, everyone must concentrate on their work so as not to cause any defects, and aim to make products that are perfect one by one.”

Inamori also said that always purifying his mentality and soul allows him to build prospective views towards the future. Those who are occupied with egoistic and speculative minds can never see the future.

→ My name is Yuko. Yu means the message of God, who can work as the right arm of God. So I feel that I have to devote myself to help others on behalf of God. Thus, ritual events are very important to me and I have to consider my daily works as ritual events.

4 Care your family = paying attention

Inamori referred to the words of Tempu Nakamura, a Japanese philosopher in the 20th century. Tempu said- You must put your highest concentration on every single moment in your daily life. Pay your utmost attention to it-. Inamori before told Ito that the leader must be the mental therapist for each staff member. He must feel what his staff is feeling, suffering from and is willing to do.

→ I feel this should start with people close to us, for instance, our families. I sometimes do not concentrate on what my husband talks to me as I am occupied with issues that come from my work. This is not good for me to concentrate. I should feel him, accompany what he thinks, and anticipate what kind of reaction he expects from me. This is simple but important training to enhance our concentration.

5 Exposure to artisans’ works = put yourself in their auras

Inamori used to bring Kyocera management members to a boxing title match. They watched a game at the side of the ring. They got excited as they got boxers sweat and blood as if fighters’ spirits had been transmitted to them. Under spiritual context, human’s spirits appear in their auras and through the fighting and the atmosphere, athletes’ auras were transmitted to Kyocera people. Thus, if you put yourself under the auras of other people who are extremely concentrated, you would be able to be highly concentrated.

So, to sum up, those are the secrets of concentration.

There are some tips for mindfulness or meditation but the secrets that legendary Japanese entrepreneurs shared with us are something more spiritual and approached to use our souls.

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

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