What I want to hear isn't a tale of heroism

When talking about work,
I sometimes hear "tales of heroism."

However, listening to them, I think something.
I feel there are two types of tales of heroism.

One is a tale where you can see the background of the decision-making.
The situation, the options, the hesitation, and the final decision.
Stories where you can see that framework are
interesting to listen to.

The other is
a tale of heroism that ends up being
all about "how hard I worked."


Sometimes my boss tells me about past projects.

"It was really tough back then."

That's the kind of so-called tale of heroism that starts with a line like that.

At first,
thinking there might be something to learn for work,
I listened quite seriously.

What the situation was like.
Where the decision was made.
What was difficult about it.

Because I believe that
that is where the interest in
work stories lies.

However, as I listen,
my "Oh, I see."gradually
becomes more and more monotonous.

But, after hearing them a few times,
I noticed something.

From the story,
I feel that the important parts as work
are being stripped away little by little.

The introduction starts properly with a work story.
There is a premise like "There was this project."

But as the story progresses,
the focus shifts little by little.

Who wouldn't move,
how hard it was to persuade someone,
or how much I struggled.

Before I know it,
the center of the story has become a drama of human relationships.

And what remains at the end is
the conclusion that "It was tough, but I managed to do it."
Of course, work includes human relationships.

I think stories of struggle are also important as experience.
However, as the listener, it's a bit unsatisfying.

Because that's not what I really want to know.

What was the problem?

What options were there?
Why was that decision made?
What was being thought at that time?
I feel that such

"traces of decision-making"are what become lessons for work.
Perhaps there really are two types of tales of heroism.


Tales of heroism that provide lessons, and

tales of heroism that require applause.
The former

retains the process of decision-making. There is something that the listener
can take back to their own work.
The latter

becomes a story of effort. The listener's role is not to understand, but
to nod and say "That's amazing."
It's not about which is good or bad.

However, as the listener,
I still end up thinking.

If I'm going to listen to a work story, it doesn't have to be a tale of heroism.
Rather, stories about decisions that didn't go well, or

choices made after hesitation, are much more interesting.

Because that way, when I encounter a similar situation next time,
I feel it becomes


a hint for thinkinga little bit.Work experience can surely be conveyed without being a tale of heroism.

Rather, stories that retain the traces of decision-making
might quietly help

someone else's work next time.
Thinking about such things,
today I am again quite skillfully

nodding along with
"Oh, I see."

▶︎Things that were not work burdens were piling up