This time, Mr. Inamori talks about the criteria of a leader based on the film “Outriders”. In the pioneer era in the United States, many troops headed to the West from the East. Mr. Inamori summarized the criteria of leaders from the plot and identified the keys by which the groupe successfully achieved their goal.
The criteria are as follows.
1 Demonstrate the mission and the vision
2 Clarify the specific goals and drive the team
3 Keep challenging spirits
4 Be trusted and respected by the team
5 Have compassion and affection
3 Keep challenging spirits
Mr. Inamori is talking about Mr. Jack Welch of GE. “I have never thought about the survival and permanence of a company. I have always realized changes. Today’s GE is completely different from that of yesterday” said Welch. I interpreted his words that changes, and challenges have allowed the company to grow and be prosperous.”
In addition, the words that Mr. Inamori himself answered in an interview with Next Century are as follows. “The next thing we want to do is what people believe that Kyocera can never do.” This is exactly the spirit that Kyocera has cherished since its foundation. ”
“Even if other companies refused, we received an order saying that we could do it, and even though we had no equipment, technology, or human resources, we all worked hard to make and deliver the product. ”
He also talks about the importance of the Kyocera philosophy “imagining optimistically, planning pessimistically, and executing optimistically.”
“When I talk about new (product or project) ideas, I never talk to a smart and talented person, but an easygoing type of person who quickly agrees with my idea and pushes and helps to develop the idea. ”
→ Many companies create project teams for new projects. The whole team goes from designing & planning to conduct and execution. But Kyocera is different. The planning and execution should be done by the optimistic staff and the plan development should be done by pessimistic staff. Human nature does not change much by the environment. It is worthless to tell a pessimistic person to work optimistically. It is also non-sense to tell optimistic people to consider all the risks beforehand. Inamori wanted to make the best use of the person’s nature and mindset. This business model comes from the love that the top leader has for his staff. I think this philosophy was developed through leaders’ affection toward others. I thought this was the ultimate strategy of “right person in the right position” and this is also the key to ensuring the success of a new project.
3 Be trusted and respected by the team
Here Inamori strictly warns the leader’s selfish mind.
“In other words, the worst thing is to love yourself, that is, if you don’t care about your mentality and philosophical parts, you would never learn anything. You can’t succeed in your business, you can’t correct your mistakes. Saigo Takamori, the samurai general in the early Meiji era says that all of us are proud of our achievements because we love ourselves and we must do everything selfish. I have also often been asked to advise on who should be the leader of a certain group. In such cases, I have chosen one with impartial decision making standards. The behavior of leaders who put their own interests first not only significantly reduces work efficiency, but also reduces the morale of the entire organization. The more you stand on top of others, the more you take good care of yourself. But the greater the leader becomes, the more he should take the initiative to make a self-sacrifice. I don’t think the leader should manage others unless he is willing to take the most losses.”, said Inamori.
→ In Japan and abroad, if such a selfless person is a leader, I think that everyone will follow that leader. I didn’t want to work for a foreign-affiliated company because I didn’t have such a leader. Even at some of the world’s most famous banks, the tops were working just to protect themselves. I could see it clearly.
5 Have compassion and affection
“(Leaders) wish their subordinates and their families a wonderful life, and hope that everyone around them, including their business partners, customers, and even the community, should be fulfilled. If you are based on love and affection then work or do business for others, you will surely get the cooperation of the people around you, you could get the God’ help, and your business will surely go well.
I believe that this compassion is the ultimate criteria that leaders should have. Such compassion and devotion can lead the group to last forever. In other words, the leader of the group should act on the basis of big and deep love. He should not be the one who manages the group with a power to his subordinates. I don’t think power can help managing people. ”
→ “The fool learns from experience, the wise learns from history.”
Whether you look at history or the world-renowned literature such as the Bible, we can find some patterns which leaders have followed.
People become leaders with some great work or triumph to help people. But as soon as he becomes a leader, he has much power to govern people. Leaders are ignorant of talented people, young people, and those who give their opinions to leaders. Leaders hate those advice as they got afraid of being taken place of the top. Therefore, the brilliant have gradually been taking a path towards dictatorship. Under the corporate management, this should not happen. This is what Inamori stresses. With compassion and humbleness, a person can conduct a good management practice as well as complete his happy life.
In summary, the leader has the following five criteria.
1 Demonstrate the mission and the vision
2 Clarify the specific goals and drive the team
3 Keep challenging spirits
4 Be trusted and respected by the team
5 Have compassion and affection
Among the above, I think the most important criteria is “compassion and affection.” In other words, that is the leaders’ mind and spirits. If you maintain the love towards others, you can be the top of the family as well as the group.
Further queries or doubts, please email to ytomizuka@abrilsjp.com
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