How to Live Each Day

Value That Cannot Be Measured by Strengths Alone

In large companies, you are often asked, "What are your strengths?"

What are you good at?
How can you contribute to the company?

Once you enter society, "what you can do" becomes important.
It makes sense for a company to know a person's abilities and expertise when hiring, placing, and training them. However, sometimes you meet people who cannot be explained by that alone.

They don't show off special skills.
They don't necessarily produce overwhelming results. But just by their presence, the atmosphere changes, those around them feel at ease, and before you know it, the team starts to perform at its best.

Where does the value of such people come from?

What "The Intern" Taught Me

One of my favorite movies is "The Intern".

The protagonist, Ben, starts working as an intern at a startup at the age of 70. He shaves every morning and wears a suit properly. He keeps a handkerchief in his pocket and never fails to show courtesy to others.

On the other hand, he learns how to use a computer from younger employees and adapts honestly to new ways of working. He even participates in a late-night computer retrieval mission with the expression of a young boy.

He is not a stubborn person who clings to old-fashioned ways.
What he clings to is the attitude of valuing others.

Habits are for the sake of others

What is impressive in this film is his home.
Even though he lives alone, his room is neatly organized.

It is not to show off to anyone.
That is why, even when his colleague Davis suddenly ends up staying over, he can accept him without any hesitation.

Ben shaving every morning, wearing a suit every day, and keeping his house tidy are not to make himself look impressive. They are to ensure that no matter who he meets, he can treat them with care.

That is how I interpreted Ben's habits.

Strength is not just about being strong

When you are a student, you are evaluated by "what you say."
When you enter society, you are evaluated by "what you can do."
But Ben is trusted by those around him for "how he lives each day."

Thinking about it, he probably doesn't make much of a distinction between his home and his company. It's not that he is polite because he is at work; he lives just as carefully at home, where no one is watching.

That is why Ben's behavior is always calm and never looks like he is forcing himself.

I think.

A person's strength is not about competing and winning against someone else after all.
It might refer to "something you can keep doing" regardless of who is in front of you... no, even when no one is watching, and at any time. perhaps.