Saturday, December 25, 2010

Teaching Is the Best Method of Learning


When one belongs to a company organization of medium or large-scale, employee number between one hundred and three hundred, his company may have a self-education system. This method decides one of their employees to be an instructor. All employees come up with a subject in which they wanted the selected instructor to lecture. They meet after hours or one weekend the selected instructor gives them a speech and they discuss the theme.

This lecture discussion usually has the following time schedule:

1) 30 minutes of presentation by the instructor.
2) 45 minutes of question and answer between audience and the presenter.
3) 45 minutes of discussion under the decided theme.

Themes can be anything. If selected by employees, it can be a subject such as; "how to improve productivity", "how to reduce production failures", or "how to improve teamwork spirit'". If their management gives them a theme, topic can be; "what is competitive position of our products in the market place", "what is the newest technology available and how the products can be benefited or harmed", or "how the company can improve customer relationship".

The first constructive speech is the most difficult to be prepared. It can have structure like the following:

1) Current position review and update
2) Problems or needs to be solved.
3) Plan for improvement and evaluation after the introduction of their plan.

Companies adopt the self-education program for improvement of in-house communication and teamwork. It is intended to enhance employees' knowledge base and brush up communication skills.


The question is who would be most benefited by this program. The employee audience who can acquire new knowledge and their colleague's opinion? The company and management who can obtain more knowledgeable and skillful workers? The answer to this question is that the person who benefited most by the self-education program is the one who was selected to be the instructor.

The person, once selected to be the instructor, needs to research and study about the subject given or volunteered. Since the selected instructor does not know who, in the audience, is knowledgeable about the theme, he needs to conduct through research and analysis. He cannot tell the audience what he is not clear. After his research and analysis, the one needs to establish his speech. He needs to consider, decide, and write down what he hopes to convey in his speech. He needs to choose the best way he believes to be effective to delivery. Lastly, he needs to practice his speaking. If he did not speak clearly, all he prepared would be in vain. By the time he became comfortable giving his presentation, he would be a semi-professional on his theme. Teaching is always the best learning method.


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Sunday, December 19, 2010

Fumiko Hayashi, a Pioneer Woman for Business Career in Japan


She is a pioneer woman in business career, in Japan. She is Fumiko Hayashi. Graduating from high school, she worked in Toray Industries, Panasonic, and Omron. After her marriage, she started to work in Honda as a sales woman. There was a TV series she was the model of heroin sales woman. According to the TV drama, she was the first woman in sales department of Honda Car Dealer. She did not even have a driving license. Though Japanese women worked after school, it was not usual in her period, a woman worked as a sales staff in a car dealer.

In addition to the usual difficulties and effort in selling cars, she must have gone through thick and thin because she was a woman. When she met a customer in her office, a customer thought she is an assistant. The customer asked her when he could meet a person who is in charge of sales. When she told the customer that she was the sales person in charge, the customer was upset. Sometimes the customer went away. She did not lose against the pressure she was getting and her own depression. It still took her years to get her recognized as a good sales woman. It is interesting that the person who had more difficulties tends to be successful. She was that kind of person.

Her performance was outstanding. She sold so many cars that her colleagues, mostly men, wanted her to advise them on their sales skills. Her division grew. She could rebuild the car dealer who was in trouble of sales when she joined them. The TV drama said. She moved to BMW Japan in 1987. According to an information source, BMW Japan did not plan to hire anybody that time. Fumiko called BMW Japan and told them that they should hire her because she could sell more cars. If this story were true, she would be an only woman who was hired that way. She sold more than 400 cars in a year. Fumiko made BMW a major brand name in Japanese car market. BMW Japan promoted her to be a branch manager in Shinjuku branch in 1993.

Volkswagen invited her to be president and CEO of Volkswagen Japan in 1999. She accepted the invitation and led Volkswagen Japan to be more popular in Japanese market. In Japanese car dominant Japanese market, her achievements are noteworthy to lead foreign car manufacturers to be successful.

She returned back to BMW Japan in 2003 as president and CEO. In her interview in Japanese business site, Fumiko stated that only team spirit could lead business success. Fumiko is now the Mayer of Yokohama City.

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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Keep Your Balance Sense


There is an old song in Japan, which sings about Judo. The song goes; "Do not think you are winning. You will lose." It meant that if you hope to win too much, you will be over pressured and lose. This is true. If a fighter thought too much about the result of the coming fight, he would lose flexibility. His body would not function like normal. As a result, he would lose the fight. The question is if the fighter should not think about win or lose at all. The dilemma is that he would not be able to win if he did not hope to win.

Everybody hopes to win in fighting. The point is if one had too much hope, it changes shape to be a desire. The desire takes the form of greed. When one became greedy, the state of mind desiring endlessly, he could no longer control his mind. As a result, he will lose his freedom of thinking and moving. If one does not have freedom of thinking and moving, the one would never be able to win a fight. A fight requires a lot of flexibility and free mind to win.

At the same time, however, if one did not have any hope to win, he would not train him, he would not think on his strategy how to fight, and he would not take pains and effort to prepare for his fight. Under this condition, a fighter will lose. It is as if too much is as harmful as too little.


As observed, too much is not good. Too little is bad, as well. There is a delicate balance point where one can walk on a tight rope stretched in the air. If weighed too much to right, the one would fall to his right. If weighed too much to left, he would fall to his left.

Let us consider an example of Japanese Sword Art, Kendo. When the opponent swings down his sword to cut you, if your head is half an inch far from the tip of his sword, you will not be cut. You are safe. In addition, if you keep your body as close as half an inch to your enemy's weapon, you are close enough to effectively counter-attack. If you are three feet away from your opponent, you are safe, but you are not close enough to strike-back your opponent. This space of half an inch between the tip of sword and your head is the balance point. If you keep the space, you will win.

As this physical example, there is a delicate balance point of mind, too. It is essential to keep the balance point. Hope to win so much that brain and body maintain energy to be ready for a fight. Be careful not to hope too much to become greedy or disparate to win. This theory appears to be useful not just for a martial arts, but also for success in business, academic achievement, and happiness in lives.


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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Christmas Decoration 2010 - 2


It's beginning to look like a Christmas.  Residents in my area started to decorate their homes.
People usually use warm color for Christmas illumination.  As it looks, cool color like blue is not so bad.  It gives seasonal feeling.



This is our neighbor across the front road.  Our neighbor family decorated more last year, but this year they decorated just their trees.  This tree looks cool.  It looks like Christmas Tree outdoor.




Some more cool color and rain deers in front yard.  It is classical decoration.









This is the largest decoration.  This home decorated with Santa last year, too.  We were looking forward to seeing this.

There are houses to illuminate during some fixed hours in the evening such as between 8:00pm and 10:00pm.  They may be trying to save energy or environment oriented.











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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Christmas Decoration for 2010


I believe that the business for the year-end this year is not particularly better than preceding years.  But, my partner and I feel definitely busier than last year.

There are something new we started later part of this year.  They include Web-creation, Web-design, Web-management, system building for overseas customers, and system consultation.

We have procrastinated to decorate our home for Christmas this year.  Finally, we decided to leave everything on our desk and decorated our home.  Here are several photos:

Our decoration is basically same as last year.  Only thing is that my wife and I became a little more skillful than last year.  I remember it took us for 2-3 hours last year.  It took us less than 1 hour this year.

In addition, all the materials, light valves, sockets, electricity, anything necessary are already in place.  So, we did not have to drive to Home Depot to buy something missing, this year.





Happy Holidays, everyone!









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Sunday, December 5, 2010

Can Woman Power Revive Lost Japanese Energy?


It has been a while since people started to say that Japan is not as powerful as before. In comparison to new emerging countries, such as China, India, or Vietnam, who are alive and kicking, Japan's birth rate keeps going down. Young Japanese lost their ambitions. They are not interested in overseas' activities like generations before. Its politics are going nowhere. Once challenging Japanese enterprises, which had played a key role in Japanese economic growth, did not seem to have new marketing strategy. Honestly, China is more active in hosting Beijing Olympic, Shanghai Expo, and other international events. India suffered early part of 2000 from so-called "dot-com company recession". More than 10 million Indians were deported back to India from the US, according to a source.

World Class Economic Analysts were talking about the decline of Japanese economy and power. Unless Japan takes an action against decreasing population and working force, demographically, it is inevitable that Japanese economic power will decline, according to their articles. It was not so long ago when Japan was famous for enthusiastic and motivated. The book, "Japan as Number One" was published in 1979. Michael Keeton's movie "Gung Ho" was released in 1986. All the people in the world hoped to learn Japanese language. Everybody loved Sushi. Rocky Aoki became famous as the founder of the world-famous restaurant, Benihana. Traveling all over the world, a Japanese could feel proud to be a Japanese.

Only United Airlines used to have 3 direct flights to Tokyo a day, in later 1980's. Including other airlines, there were so many flights to Japan. Now United flights go to Beijing and Shanghai flying over Tokyo. Did Japan lose its vitality and energy? It appears that Japan is in transit of changing key players. Taking a look at those active in Facebook, for example, the member can find so many Japanese women entrepreneurs registered and active. This tendency is similar in other leading Japanese Social Network Sites. Keywords seem to be "women", "entrepreneur", and "new business concept".

Women business persons do not adhere to an old concept of business. They enjoy anything what they do as their own business. Therefore, they are alive and active. They introduced so many new concepts. They are aroma therapy consultant, cell phone decorator, horoscope-based business adviser, nail dresser, gardening contractor, or farming instructor. There are varieties of business from Flower Arrangement to Floor Decoration.

They are the ones who will revive the vitality and energy of Japanese society and economy. The ancient authorities and old concept of business and society shall not kill their idea, concept, and activities, simply because they are different from what used to be.

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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Takamori Saigo, the Existed Last Samurai


He was tall and muscular. Most of Japanese images him to stay with a dog. The imagination comes from his statue in downtown Tokyo. His statue is with his dog. He was the leader of a rebellion to new Meiji Imperial Government. Yet, most Japanese like him. Many of them respect him. Despite of all the hardships he had experienced in his life, he always had a warm heart and kind to the weak. He had never given up in his adversity. He was a man of noble character.

Takamori Saigo is his name. Using Takamori's hometown dialect, Japanese people call Takamori Saigo-don. It means Saigo-san in standard Japanese. In many feudal domains, in Japan, in Edo era, there were several classes even in Samurai society. These classes came from the difference between conqueror's subjects and Samurais' left from conquered. Samurai from conquered master kept in the lower level of Samurai society. Takamori Saigo was from the lower class Samurai family in Feudal Domain of Satsuma.

In Meiji restoration, many lower class Samurais became the driving force for newly emerging force for new government as rebellion leaders against Tokugawa Shogun Regime. Takamori was one of them. The lord of Feudal Domain of Satsuma picked him up from lower class of Samurai family and educated and trained him to be advisory staff directly to the lord. When the master died suddenly, he lost his position and exiled to an isolated island. He returned to Satsuma, but he could not change his opinion following his new master. His master exiled him again. In his life, he was exiled 4 times. All because he did not change his views, opinions, and positions. He was extremely useful advisory staff. He always recovered from adversity. He was one of central feature for forming Satsuma-Choshu alliance against Shogun Government.

After Meiji Government had started, all politicians were eager to embrace new, westernized policies, systems, ideas, and society. Takamori did not stand it. He believed that Japan had something that she should cherish and preserve. There are some things which western culture could not replace. All of his colleagues are busy adopting systems from America and Europe. They took position anything from old Japanese culture are something evil. He took a position that Japan had a lot of virtue. Bushido was one of them. His position for maintaining Japanese original virtue isolated him from his colleague politicians. He could not agree with others over some defense issue. He resigned his position. Then Meiji Government could not leave him alone, because he formed an emerging power with people who respected him.

Government decided to fight against him. He fought against then government and lost as he predicted. He killed himself when his army lost the war. It was 1877. He was 49 years old. His slogan was; "Respect God and Love People." Despite he was the leader of rebellion army, Meiji Emperor loved him and ordered the government to remove his criminal record. Many leaders in Japan loved him and decided to build his statue. Now there are 2 of his statues in Japan. One is in busy downtown, in Tokyo. The other is in his hometown, Kagoshima. He was the one who showed that Bushido is not just for Samurai in the ancient regime, but for all Japanese. He was the existed real last Samurai.





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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Shinsaku Takasugi, A Revolutionary Ideologist


There are people who appear as if God chose them. These are people who look to be sent by God for missions. These people come into this world suddenly as a thunder runs high in the sky. They disappear as soon as they complete their mission. It looks as if their God called them back. History tends to find these people in difficult changing periods.

Shinsaku Takasugi is his name. It was the middle of 19th century, Japan was in the period of change from Samurai Government to modern democracy. Shinsaku was born in feudal domain of Choshu (Yamaguchi Prefecture, now) in 1839. His parent was from ordinary Samurai class family. His parent and teachers gave him an opportunity to study Japanese sward art and politics. He studied in Edo (Tokyo, now) and North East region of Japan. He visited China also in 1862, whereas he observed colonialism in China.

He became an ardent patriot, thinking how to save Japan from being a colony of advanced countries of American and Europe. Shogun Government opened Japan as requested by USA, United Kingdom, France, and Holland. Under Shogun Government, Japan concluded treaties with these countries under unequal terms and conditions. Shinsaku's feudal domain of Choshu was anti-Shogun Government. They fought against England and utterly destroyed. When Shogun Government attacked Choshu domain, Choshu did not have enough armies to fight against Shogun force.

 Shinsaku formed a squadron to save his homeland, Choshu domain. In forming his squadron, he hired not only lower class Samurai people, but also young generation of farmers, merchants, and craftsmen, who are ambitious to fight for their homeland. This was Japanese first army consisted of both Samurai and non-Samurai people. They called it "Kihei-Tai".

Even in the end of Edo era, Japan was a class society. Samurai was still sitting on the top of the society. Farmers, craftsmen, and merchants needed to knee down and give their ways to Samurai when a Samurai came their way.

It is intriguing that one of Samurai, Shinsaku Takasugi, opened the door of equality for other class people than Samurai. Kihei-Tai was not private army. It was part of formal army of Choshu domain. Formation of Kihei-Tai, equal opportunity army, was not just Shinsaku's experiment. Choshu clan must have had an unusually flexible concept about social classes. It must have been the most updated idea and practice.

Kihei-Tai was not just a disorderly crowd. Shinsaku trained them in the way Samurai army trained their warriors. Fighting against Shogun army, they played a crucial role for Shogun decision makers to determine their army is not enough to fight effectively against the emerging power of the new government.

Legends show that Shinsaku did not wear armor in battles. He wore regular clothes in battlefields. He wore short hair to show that his life is dedicated for modern Japan. Right before the revolution is over in 1867, he died from tuberculosis in the same year. It was almost like his God called him back at his mission completed.








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