[Organizational Theory] Japan vs. Brazil. Why Keisuke Honda's 'No Scapegoating' Commentary is the Essence of a Top-Tier Executive Mindset.
◼︎ 1. While all of Japan was searching for a 'scapegoat,' Keisuke Honda spoke these words
The World Cup, the match against Brazil. After a fierce battle that came down to the wire, Japan suffered a narrow defeat.
In the immediate aftermath of the match, the atmosphere on social media and in the press was filled with a desire to blame the player who committed a specific 'fatal mistake' and pin the cause of the loss on them. The more impactful the mistake, the more it appears to people as if 'that alone was the cause of the defeat.'
However, the perspective of Keisuke Honda, who was in the commentary booth, was on an entirely different level. While the public was fixated on Ao Tanaka's mistake, he stated this:
“It’s all hindsight, isn’t it? People talk like that because the mistake led to a goal, but other players made plenty of mistakes in different situations, too. It’s not like it’s okay to make mistakes as long as they don’t lead to a goal. That’s why no one can blame Tanaka-san; in fact, everything else he did was worthy of praise. I want Tanaka-san to move on from this as well.”
The moment I heard these words, I not only agreed wholeheartedly, but I was deeply moved by his essential mindset, realizing, 'This is exactly why this man succeeds in the business world (as an investor and executive).'
◼︎ 2. The 'Lost Process' and the Boomerang Effect of Scapegoating
It is exactly the same in sports as it is in business: before every 'result,' there exists an infinite number of 'processes.' And within those processes, everyone standing on the pitch (or everyone involved in a project) has, to some degree, committed some kind of mistake.
'Mistakes that went unnoticed because they didn't lead directly to a goal (a loss).' 'Mistakes that were avoided by pure luck because someone else covered for them.'
The error that led to a 'goal (a visible major loss)' was simply the final piece that happened to fall into place after countless such moments had accumulated.
Despite this, the act of singling out only the person who happened to pull the final trigger and attacking them as a 'scapegoat' is far too shortsighted and is the most dangerous trigger that leads to the collapse of an organization.
If this were a critical field involving 'human life,' such as in a medical setting, a harsh investigation where not a single moment of error is permitted would be necessary. However, in the worlds of sports and business, risk and error are two sides of the same coin when it comes to taking on challenges. In an organization that forces a specific individual to shoulder all the responsibility when results aren't achieved, there is no way to cultivate talent that can take bold risks in the next at-bat.
◼︎ 3. The 'Honda Mindset' That Every Leader Should Install
This mindset of Honda's is the ultimate guideline that every sportsman and business person leading an organization should aim for.
Do not be misled by the impact of a fatal mistake; look coldly at the 'structure' of the entire match or project. Instead of blaming errors, properly evaluate the vast 'contributions worthy of praise' in the other processes, and immediately shift focus to the next battle.
True management is thinking about how to recover as a system, under the premise that everyone makes mistakes.
Behind the frustration of the defeat, shouldn't we now be learning a great deal from the 'true form of leadership' demonstrated by a game-changer named Keisuke Honda?