Give It a Try [Konosuke Matsushita #QuoteNote52]

Here is the quote I would like to introduce this time!

It's a simple yet impactful phrase, isn't it?

Who said it?

Konosuke Matsushita

What kind of person was he?

Konosuke Matsushita was the founder of Panasonic (formerly Matsushita Electric Industrial) and is a leading Japanese businessman known as the "God of Management". Konosuke Matsushita is respected not only for building a massive corporation but also as a great figure who had a profound impact on modern Japanese society through his management philosophy and social contribution activities.

Konosuke Matsushita's life and achievements are diverse, but his main characteristics and accomplishments are as follows.

Life and Personality

• A poor upbringing and hardships: Born in Wakayama Prefecture in 1894, he spent a disadvantaged childhood, including being sent out for apprenticeship at the age of 9. He dropped out of elementary school in the fourth grade and started with "nothing"—no education, no money, and no health.

• Effort and a spirit of inquiry: After working as an apprentice at Osaka Electric Light (now Kansai Electric Power), he became independent at 23 and founded Matsushita Electric Housewares Manufacturing Works. With his inherent spirit of inquiry and hard work, he developed new products one after another, such as attachment plugs and two-light plugs, and put his business on the right track.

• "Worry is the purpose of life": Even while carrying many difficulties and worries, he viewed them as his "purpose in life" and overcame them.

• Spirit of respecting humanity: He cherished his employees like family and poured his passion into nurturing people.

Main Achievements and Management Philosophy

• Founding and development of the Panasonic Group: He grew Matsushita Electric Housewares Manufacturing Works into the global corporation Panasonic in a single generation.

• Popularization of home appliances: He advocated the "Tap Water Philosophy," which states that "the producer's duty is to fill the world with goods and eliminate inconvenience." By mass-producing and selling high-quality, affordable home appliances, he popularized them in ordinary Japanese households and enriched people's lives. The spread of home appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, and vacuum cleaners significantly reduced the burden of housework, especially for women, and had a major impact on their advancement into society.

• Introduction of innovative management methods:

  • Introduction of a five-day workweek: We were the first company in Japan to introduce a five-day workweek.

  • Introduction of a divisional system: We were among the first Japanese companies to adopt a 'divisional system,' delegating authority and entrusting responsibility to individuals, thereby fostering talent development and organizational vitality.

• Management philosophy as the 'God of Management':

  • 'A company is a public institution of society': He advocated the philosophy that a company is entrusted by society and should prioritize social contribution.

  • 'Dam management': This is the concept of maintaining a surplus of resources and talent to prepare for economic downturns.

  • 'An honest heart': He preached the importance of always pursuing the truth, not clinging to one's own opinions, and perceiving things with an honest mind.

• Human Resource Development and Social Contribution:

  • Founding of the PHP Institute: During the chaotic post-war period, driven by the desire to 'build peace and happiness through prosperity,' he established the PHP Institute to conduct ethical education and publishing activities.

  • Founding of the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management: He invested 7 billion yen of his own money to establish the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management, dedicating himself to training politicians who would carry Japan's future. It has produced many politicians and continues to have a significant impact on society today.

• Writing Activities: Even after retiring from management, he published numerous books, widely sharing his philosophy of success and views on life. His masterpiece, 'Michi o Hiraku' (Opening the Way), became a bestseller with over 5.6 million copies sold and continues to influence many people.

It is not a compulsion

'Give it a try' conveys the nuance of 'You want to do it, don't you? Then why don't you try it?' It never feels like the coercive pressure of 'Do it.'

If someone who is nothing tells you to 'Give it a try,' you might end up feeling like, 'That's easy for you to say.'

However, in the case of Konosuke Matsushita, despite starting from a position of 'having nothing'—dropping out of elementary school in the fourth grade and having no academic background, no money, and no health—he repeatedly took on challenges and climbed to become a major entrepreneur known to everyone. So, when someone like that tells you to 'Give it a try,' from our perspective, we have no choice but to feel positive and think, 'I have to do it...!'

Once your mindset is facing forward, all that's left is to 'do it.'

Going from 0 to 1 is the hardest part

The most difficult part of tackling something is going from 0 to 1. Once you have achieved 1, the effort required to turn that 1 into 5 or 10 is actually not that different.

In the book 'Mini Habits,' a method is introduced where if you want to make something a habit, you should make the hurdle as small as possible.

If you want to make daily push-ups a habit, set your goal to just one. If you still can't continue, just get into the push-up position. If that's still impossible, just lie face down... you lower the hurdle from 0 to 1 as much as possible.

It's a strange thing, but once you reach 1, you can continue to 2, 3, and so on.

In business, continuing to 2 or 3 might sometimes lead to poor results. However, that is never a failure. It is a 'success' in knowing that this method didn't work.

However, if you stay at 0 forever, you will never know whether your ideas are good or bad. Living in the realm of possibility is easy. If you keep thinking about things, it can look like you are working hard on your considerations, and above all, since you don't do anything, you don't get results, so you can hide forever under the umbrella of possibility, thinking, 'I could do it if I tried.'

But with this, you won't get any 'results.'

I believe that Konosuke Matsushita left behind the simple yet intensely memorable message of 'Give it a try' to encompass all of that.

Quotes on Life Lessons and Work Techniques

Konosuke Matsushita left behind many famous quotes. This time, I would like to introduce some that are particularly related to life lessons and work techniques. Many of these quotes are highly suggestive for modern business people and leaders, and they continue to be read by many people today through his books and lectures.

• 'Human beings possess infinite potential.' He preaches the importance of believing in human potential and taking on challenges without giving up.

• 'The path is something you open yourself.' These words convey the nobility of carving out your own future. It is also the title of his masterpiece published by the PHP Institute.

• "Write 'failure' and read it as 'growth'." This teaches the importance of not fearing failure, but learning from it and growing.

• "Worry is the very purpose of living." This expresses a positive attitude, finding purpose in the process of overcoming difficulties and challenges rather than viewing them negatively.

• "Matsushita Electric is a company that builds people." This was a core management philosophy for Konosuke Matsushita, expressing his strong belief in human resource development: that a company's growth comes not just from making products, but from enhancing the humanity of each individual employee.

📢Announcement

Thank you for reading until the end. 'Likes' Likes and 'follows' Follows are very welcome! They encourage my activities on Note!

Click here for my self-introduction and main topics! ▼

Click here for the list of my quote notebooks! ▼

I also dream of publishing a book someday! ▼