The 'Question' of Adversity
vol.1776
Recently, the employment ice age generation has been promoted to presidents and executives one after another.
This month, Masaki Murata of IBM Japan was appointed as president.
This is also being covered extensively in the media.
Among this, what I found interesting was the term 'Ice Age Elite'.
These are 'excellent business professionals' who survived the fierce competition and joined major corporations or top-tier companies as full-time employees during the 'ice age' of harsh employment conditions.
It is said that they possess strengths that other generations do not have.
What are the strengths of the Ice Age Elite?
Management consultant Ken Hioki lists four strengths.
① Independent thinking
Unlike the Showa and bubble generations who experienced a blessed corporate life, the ice age generation, which faced continuous hardships, does not trust companies or superiors. They view the company as the company and themselves as themselves, forming their own firm way of thinking.
② Taking the initiative from a customer perspective
Having lived in an era where standing by would only worsen the situation, the ice age generation takes the initiative without waiting to see how things develop. Another characteristic is that the 'company first' mindset, which is dominant in other generations, is weak, and they act with the customer first.
③ High crisis awareness and flexible redirection
Because the ice age generation experienced difficulties such as restructuring, cost-cutting, and business withdrawals, they seem to have high crisis awareness and risk sensitivity. If they think 'this is bad,' they can flexibly change direction without being bound by ties.
④ Patience and resilience
Many in the ice age generation experienced various unreasonable situations in their youth, such as long working hours, personnel cuts, performance-based systems, and power harassment, and have a sense that 'somewhat tough work is normal.' Also, many think that 'it is normal to be scolded if you don't get results,' and they seem to be resilient.
〈Toyo Keizai Online / August 6, 2026〉
As a fellow member of the ice age generation,I think that ③ and ④ are strengths that everyone in this generation possesses, aren't they?
● Lifetime employment collapsed before we knew it, and we moved into a meritocratic society.
● Before we knew it, the 80-year life became a 100-year life. (In an era where working for life and second careers are the norm)
● Enduring unreasonable treatment until becoming a manager -> Fearing harassment once you become a manager
And so on; when I talk to people of my generation, I often hear such bitter complaints...😅
However, the ice age elites and those who are not may have a difference that lies in ① and ②.
They are 'self-reliant' and 'take proactive action'.
In the first place, that tendency was visible even back in their university days.
In an era when the atmosphere that 'university is a place to go to have fun' was still strong, I think those who would become ice age elites were 'passionate' about what we now call 'gakuchika' (achievements during university).
'The cause and the result lie within me'
In other words, even if ice age elites felt misfortune, they did not blame society or their company, but simply thought about what they could do and took the initiative to act, which is why they are flourishing now.
As a non-elite person, I respectthat part...😅
However, I was lucky enough to join the company of Masakazu Taniguchi, who made a name for himself in the marketing industry during the 80s and 90s.
(Though, I initially snuck in as a part-timer and went through considerable hardship before becoming a full-time employee...sweat)
Taniguchi was featured in the media for his overwhelming knowledge and unique perspective, and since he was what we would now call an influencer-like figure, he handled consulting for many companies.
Naturally, since he sometimes consulted for presidents of listed companies,
"What is a first-class person?"
"What kind of person stands above others and earns their trust?"
he would boast that he understood these things.
That Taniguchi kept telling me repeatedly the phrase
"The cause and effect lie within me."
.
Regardless, even if something bad happened, he would never let me blame others...
"Even if your colleague, client, or partner company was 100% at fault, do not blame them; ask yourself if there was something you lacked. Ask yourself if there was something you could have done."
When I was told this, I thought, "...that's a bit unreasonable..." (laughs), but after I became vice president and was entrusted with management, I gradually changed my mindset.
Indeed, people who blame those around them "cannot stand above others".
If you blame someone, you will lose the trust of your leader, and the organization will lose its vitality.
However, it is not just Taniguchi who says this; Confuciusin the Analects states
“The superior man seeks everything in himself; the mean man seeks everything in others.”
(A noble person reflects on everything as their own responsibility, while a petty person blames everything on others.)
And the legendary Showa-era politician, Kakuei Tanaka also
“Those who blame others lose their luck; those who blame themselves seize their luck.”
said as much.
Furthermore, Kyocera founder Kazuo Inamori also
“In times of adversity, a leader should speak to their subordinates in a way that inspires hope and gives them dreams.”
“People who grumble or complain are disqualified as managers just for that.”
stated this.
〈Serai.jp / December 25, 2024〉
What is 'adversity' asking of us?
Even so, there are times when we are tormented by absurd adversity that we can do nothing about...
...I, too, face a series of adversities...
Each time, what comes to mind is the words of Viktor Frankl, the psychologist who wrote Man's Search for Meaning and experienced a harsh life in places like Auschwitz concentration camp.
“No matter how harsh the situation, how one answers that question.”
That is the quote.
“Instead of asking life ‘Why did this happen to me?’, consider that you are being asked by life, ‘How will I live in response to this situation?’ And, no matter how harsh the situation, the freedom of how to answer that question is the only thing left to you.”
The message that in any extreme state, the freedom of an 'answer' remains with you until the end is something that truly resonates with the heart...
Therefore,adversityis not merely a misfortune
'How will I respond to this experience?'
'What kind of person do I want to be?'
but also a place where one is asked these questions.
The hell on earthexperienced byFranklmakes my owndaily adversitiesseem likenothing but hope...
Management consultantKen Hioki, who listed the four strengths of the ice-age elite, says of them:
'The fact that the ice-age generation wasat a disadvantage in job hunting, changing jobs, and promotionsorstruggled with task executionis generally a major negative for career development. However, in terms ofcultivating excellent leaders who overcome adversity, it may have actuallyworked as a positive.'
He evaluates them in this way, and it is certainly true that because theyturned a crisis into an opportunity, they havereaped the fruits of success.
'Overcoming adversity'ismentally toughfora non-elite like mebut...
'What question is adversity asking of my future?'
If I can at least ask that, even if I can't win, I might be able tobring it to a draw...
Whether you are from the ice-age generation or not, if you everfeel adversity, perhaps suddenlyrecalling Frankl's wordsmighthelp you see some light🤔
...Whether you believe it or not is up to you, but thank you very much for reading to the end today!