I read 『他者と働く──「わかりあえなさ」から始める組織論』宇田川元一（著） (“Working with Others: Organizational Theory Starting from Inability to Understand Each Other” by Motokazu Udagawa), so I’ll share the insights I gained from the book.

Background: Recommended by a Famous Career Agent

I was recommended this book by a famous career agent and decided to read it.

Below are quotes and notes from the parts that left an impression on me.

Chapter 2: Four Processes for Bridging the Narrative Gap

Heifetz and his colleagues stated that it's important to go through the "observation-interpretation-intervention" process to tackle adaptive challenges. However, considering the current state of Japanese organizational culture, I believe it's necessary to add one more stage called "preparation" before observation, making it slightly more approachable than Heifetz's original concept, and I've made that modification. This process of "building a bridge across the gap" can be divided into four main parts.

1. Preparation "Notice the gap" - Recognize that there is a gap (adaptive challenge) between your narrative and the other person's 2. Observation "Look across the gap" - Listen to and observe the other person's words, actions, and situations to explore the position of the gap and their narrative 3. Interpretation "Cross the gap and design a bridge" - Jump across the gap to find places where a bridge might be built and how to build it 4. Intervention "Build a bridge across the gap" - Actually take action to build a bridge (new relationship)

If you think of adaptive challenges as technical problems and try to solve them with existing knowledge and know-how, you'll fall into the gap. If there's no gap, or if you clearly understand what the gap is, technical problem-solving is possible.

Chapter 3: Practice 1 - Challenging the Gap of General Agreement but Specific Opposition

Theoretically speaking, neutral people don't exist in this world. Everyone is biased in the sense that they live their own narrative, and that includes yourself.

Neutral people don’t exist.

Chapter 4: Practice 2 - Challenging the Gap Where Logical Arguments Don't Reach

There's one big trap for those in weaker positions. They tend to fall into the "narrative of justice due to weak position" that makes it easy to vilify those in superior positions. Those in weaker positions can always blame others and have escape routes.

The trap of the narrative of justice due to weak position.

For example, consider a situation where a supervisor is busy and overwhelmed with work. One major factor that makes work busy is continuing to do things yourself because it's faster than delegating to subordinates. However, if you keep repeating this pattern, subordinates won't grow, and you'll remain busy.

A common pattern we often fall into.

Chapter 5: Practice 3 - Challenging the Gap Created by Power

For people to grow means becoming the protagonist in the work they're involved in.

People growing = becoming the protagonist of the work they’re involved in.

Dialogue is action to avoid unnecessary confrontation. Fighting always produces winners and losers. Rather than aiming to defeat the opponent through fighting, it's about not fighting and using all abilities to figure out how to turn enemies into allies.

Avoid unnecessary confrontation through dialogue. Don’t fight.

That’s all from the Gemba regarding wanting to carefully engage with narratives when working with others.