I read ‘Creating Management Teams that Co-create the Future’ by Yoshiyuki Suzuki, so I’ll introduce the insights I gained from the book.

Background: Recommended by a Startup Company Executive

A startup company executive recommended this book, and since it was available on Kindle Unlimited, I read it.

Below are quotes and notes from impressive passages.

Chapter 3: Building Team Foundations

3-3 Making Vertical Communication Bidirectional

Dialogue rarely occurs in management teams. Sony founder Morita often debated with a certain department manager. The manager would boldly present his opinions to Morita. However, they never reached agreement. When the frustrated manager said, "Since we disagree so much, there's probably no point in Morita-san talking with me, is there?" Morita reportedly replied: "What are you talking about? It's good precisely because we disagree. If we agreed, that would be pointless to talk about."

Japanese: 経営チームに対話は起きにくいソニー創業者の盛田氏は、ある部長としばしば議論をしたそうです。部長は思い切って自分の意見を盛田氏にぶつける。しかし、盛田氏とは決して同意に至らない。業を煮やした部長が「こんなに意見が合わないのであれば、盛田さんが私と話す意味などないのではないでしょうか？」と言うと、盛田氏はこう答えたそうです。「何を言ってるんだ。意見が合わないからいいんじゃないか。同じだったらそれこそ話す意味がないだろう」

? Precisely because opinions don’t match, there’s meaning in talking.

That’s all from the Gemba.