🌸Management Future Notebook - Friday (Issue 60) - Complete Archive Edition: A Leader's Growth is the 'Redefinition of Meaning' — The 'Essence of Diversity' Learned from a Lost 13 Trillion Yen Deal
🌸Management Future Notebook - Friday (Issue 60) - Complete Archive Edition
A leader's growth is the 'redefinition of meaning'
— The 'essence of diversity' learned from a lost 13 trillion yen deal
(Written by Akifumi Yasumura / Business Capability Development Co., Ltd.)
Since today is Friday, I will deliver a 'story that connects to the future.'
Through history, culture, and my own personal failures, I will share
inspiration that will stay with you over the weekend.
■ Introduction
'We are promoting diversity.'
How essentially can your company speak these words?
My 25-year career as a manager is built upon layers of failure.
In my late 40s, I lost a deal with the diversity division of a global
corporation with group sales of approximately 13 trillion yen.
Lunch with the division manager.
They were looking for their 'next move' as a company.
However, at the time, I only understood diversity as 'variety.'
That was decisively shallow.
■ What is the purpose of 'diversity'?
Before understanding diversity,
we must ask what the purpose of the diversity concept is.
The answer I am now convinced of is this:
The purpose of diversity is the 'improvement of the quality of relationships.'
Here, I will introduce my metaphor.
■ Humans are made of an 'egg structure'
1. Shell: Nationality, education, culture, religion
2. Egg white: 9 types of ego/temperament (Enneagram)
3. Yolk: The essence unique to that person (I will not touch on this today)
While we can understand each other's shells, accepting them is difficult.
Culture and religion do not easily blend.
However, the egg white—
at the temperament level, it is universally understandable.
Even in a family, personalities differ.
Yet, we can live together.
We have already experienced this.
■ Connection to the Success Cycle Model
Daniel Kim of MIT said:
'The quality of results begins with the quality of relationships.'
Quality of relationships
↓
Quality of thinking
↓
Quality of action
↓
Quality of results
Many companies end the discussion of diversity
with 'systems' like promoting women's participation.
But the essence lies here:
'Can we understand each other's temperaments and draw a future relationship together?'
■ Seeing a common future
To improve the quality of relationships,
a 'common future vision' is essential.
In the future, what kind of relationship
'do we want to have?'
The moment we draw the future together,
diversity changes from 'conflict' to 'resource.'
At the time, I did not understand the future and the nature of relationships.
Therefore, losing the deal was natural.
■ Editor's Note
I still cannot forget the division manager's 'quiet nod.'
If there were a 'written apology' system for managers,
how many would I have written?
If I were to receive a personnel evaluation,
it would likely be the lowest rank.
But now I understand.
Failure is an absolute evaluation that says, 'Redefine the meaning.'
■ Today's Question
Is the diversity in your company
a 'system'?
Or is it the 'improvement of the quality of relationships'?
■ Cat's Whispers
"If you only look at the shell, you'll never make a fried egg, meow."
■ Conclusion
A leader's growth is
not about increasing sales or expanding the organization.
"Whether or not you can redefine meaning"
Diversity is not about counting differences.
It is a mechanism for improving the quality of relationships.
If you want to structurally improve the quality of relationships in your organization,
now that I have been able to redefine it, I can make it happen.
👉 Please send us your thoughts.
yasumura@biz-noukai.com
■ Preview for next time: Wednesday, February 25th
"Why do people not manage evaluations?"
■ Appendix
[Institutional Diversity vs. Outcome-Based Diversity]
Institutional Outcome-Based
─────────── ───────────
Increase female ratio Improve quality of relationships
Numerical target management Shared understanding of temperament
Conduct training Share future vision
─────────── ───────────
Form is established Results are produced