Autonomous Teams Create the Atmosphere: Behind the Scenes of a 100-Person New Year's Party / The Traveling Coach
[Japan Professional Speakers Association New Year's Party Report]
—A day that reaffirmed that 'creating the atmosphere is creating the team'—
This year, we once again held a New Year's party organized by volunteers from the Japan Professional Speakers Association (JPIA).
The Japan Professional Speakers Association™ (JPIA) is an organization that aims to train and support professional corporate trainers and improve the quality of corporate training, providing a community where everyone from beginners to veterans can learn and thrive.
It assesses and certifies skills as an in-house or corporate trainer based on standards from international organizations in the United States.
This year's attendance exceeded 100 people, making it an even greater success than last year.
With a volunteer team of 34 people in total—7 organizers and 27 support staff—working as one,
we were able to make a smooth start to the new year.
I am filled with heartfelt gratitude.
Once again, I served as part of the organizing team, handling accounting and reception.
At this scale, a solid operational design is essential.
The process of sharing goals and clarifying roles to build a team is exactly my area of expertise.
It is also a luxurious learning opportunity where I can see the work of professionals active in various fields up close.
What left a particularly strong impression on me was the way the support members acted naturally, even before being asked to help. Beyond their assigned roles, they proactively found ways to be useful and took action. Whether it was summarizing meeting minutes or checking posts and information, they anticipated what was needed and acted without being asked. Each of these actions became a driving force for the entire organization.
Furthermore, the balance of 'push and pull' among the organizing members was exquisite. They stepped forward when necessary and trusted others to handle tasks when appropriate. When they were in trouble, they were honest about it, and when help was needed, they offered a hand immediately.
When I thought, 'I need to do that,' someone would report, 'I've already taken care of it.' Things I thought would be needed next were already shared in a highly polished form before I knew it. In these moments, I felt the atmosphere of trust and security flowing through the team.
From an organizational development perspective, this is a sign that 'autonomy and mutual aid' have begun to circulate naturally. There is a relationship where people leverage each other's thoughts and strengths rather than relying on titles or instructions. Such a team can truly be said to be approaching an 'organization that operates with its inherent power.'
The smoothness of the day's operations was the very definition of an 'autonomous team.'
Many people stepped up to volunteer as organizers for the next event, and I felt the healthy cycle of the community.
An event only creates a good atmosphere when not just the organizers,
but the 'participants themselves create the space.'
I received many words of gratitude, but
the reason it became such a good event
was because of the wonderful attitude of every single person who gathered there.
Last year, this New Year's party led to many new connections.
I will carefully nurture the connections born here
so that this year, too,
people can say, 'Participating led to a new challenge for me.'