How to Create Good Scenery (Human Resource Development) <Part 2> [Public Administration and Community Development]

The first part was about how, by sincerely expecting 100% from others—especially those younger or junior to you—without fearing for your own gain or loss, you can occasionally see 'good scenery' that exceeds your expectations, and that this is what human resource development is all about.

In this second part, I will introduce two recent examples where I truly felt this once again.

Example 1: Facing Professional Qualifications Head-On

The first example concerns professional qualifications.

The Significance of Obtaining Qualifications

Because I am employed in the specialized field of engineering, I have obtained two fairly difficult qualifications that would eventually be necessary for my work. The reason is that
in order to advance good community development, it is essential for experts with various perspectives and tools to collaborate, and in that team, having qualifications is the minimum requirement to be trusted as a professional. Especially since I am sometimes in a position to give instructions to private companies, trust cannot be established unless I am on equal footing with them.

However, to be honest, there are not many people in public administration who set such clear goals. When I joined as a new employee, there were quite a few seniors who would make excuses and not challenge themselves to get them. Even so, because I had the clear reasons mentioned above, I explained the situation to my peers and friends who invited me to hang out, apologized, and poured everything I had into it, obtaining the first one at 25 and the second at 29, both on my first attempt (I was told various things by those around me, like 'don't get cocky' or 'you're just good at studying,' but I'll leave that out). I don't think anyone would have blamed me if I had taken it easy and played around using my seniors as an excuse, but I thought it was important to

set an example for those who follow and create a good flow

in order to do proud administrative work as an organization. Creating the source.

A Center Line Created by Young Staff

After that, partly due to the recession caused by the Lehman Shock, the number of engineers hired gradually increased, and the number of young staff members surged. While there are some clever staff members who spend their energy skillfully on tasks visible to their seniors without studying or challenging themselves at all, there are also always several staff members every year who firmly challenge themselves with qualifications and continue to produce results. Regardless of age or seniority, young staff members who challenge themselves head-on pass the baton of challenge to even younger staff members. This connects to form a thin but strong

single center line, and like an Olympic torch relay, they continue to keep the fire lit.

And in the last few years, juniors who, just like me, quickly obtain their first qualification in their mid-20s have finally started to appear here and there. Of course, they also properly engage in their daily work, doing substantial and careful work rather than just superficial neatness or posturing. They do not compromise, they thoroughly pursue the grounds for things, and they do not shy away from thinking, verbalizing, or discussing. Furthermore,

juniors who complete their second qualification while still in their mid-20s have even appeared. I have been surpassed as well.

What is amazing is that they don't just end it by being satisfied with getting it themselves; they reach out to even younger juniors in the same department, involve them in that world, and pass on the skills, knowledge, and attitude to super-young staff members that I cannot reach. Surely, that child will also work hard to get a qualification in the near future, use it to do proud work as a professional, and pass that mindset on to the future new recruits who will join from now on. Perhaps an era will come where it becomes the norm to work hard and get qualifications in your 20s. That is an incredible thing, isn't it?

Example 2: Working with a Broad Perspective

The second example concerns how to work.

The Significance of Engineers Going Out into the World

As mentioned above, I am an engineer, but I believe that specialized technology is merely a means for improving citizen services and promoting community development, such as policies, facility management, private negotiations, or local discussions that other departments and staff are working on. Therefore, I felt that

it is meaningless for engineers to hole up in a world of only engineers, and since I was a new employee, I have valued connections and communication with people in other departments and other professions, and have used my time outside of work to jump into policies, planning, events, and community development sites of various departments and private companies. As a result, I have been able to have a broad and flat perspective that cuts across boundaries, and I have been involved in technical work by utilizing my qualifications, in charge of projects in the non-technical world, and acting as a coordinator bridging the gap between technology and the non-technical world.

Who will sit in the King's chair?

On the other hand, there are many senior engineers within the same administration who work with a broad perspective. I respect them daily for their technical skills, planning ability, networks, experience, and achievements, which are far beyond my reach.

However, the one thing I find regrettable is that many people take all the knowledge they have gained through their own hard work and keep it entirely to themselves.
If you have gone to the trouble of paving the way and gathering materials, it is a great waste to keep them all to yourself. It doesn't diminish anything, soyou should just keep passing it on to those behind you. That is human resource development.

Precisely because I have worked so hard and sincerely,I strongly believe that I must never be the one to sit on the finished king's chair.Sitting there is the role of the citizens and the next generation.

From the receiver to the giver

For that reason, since I was around 30, I have made it a point toactively pass on the knowledge, know-how, and networks I have built to my juniorsas much as possible.
When they are in trouble with their work, the basics are to connect them with someone in the office who can solve it, but I also plan lectures where they can talk to seniors or private-sector professionals, invite them as assistant staff to events where they can connect with staff from other departments or municipalities, and in some cases, I accompany them through the entire process from the launch to the implementation of project groups that the juniors themselves initiated.

Then, what moved me recently was that among thejuniors who had only ever been on the receiving end, staff who are on the giving end have gradually started to emerge.

When new recruits join, they immediately form teams to connect them with young staff from various departments, or they start projects to pass on their own experiences of working in fields outside their technical expertise to even younger juniors; such things are starting to happen. I am now in a position where I receive reports on the results of what they have done, or invitations saying, 'I've planned this, so please come and take a look if you'd like!'

The other day, I was invited as a photographer and party organizer to a wonderful project opened by a junior for their own juniors, which is one of the flows of that great river. When it comes to the juniors of my juniors' juniors, they are almost half my age, but I am grateful for the relationship where I can talk to such kids on a flat level as a matter of course.

Summary

With all that said,
a wilderness that I kept tilling alone becomes a forest bearing colorful fruits before I know it,
or,
a small headstream where I drove a wedge alone becomes a magnificent great river as if it had been there all along,
those are the moments of 'good scenery' that reward the heart; that was the story.
I look forward to seeing where the baton goes from here.