Let's Be Like Nobita
vol.1491
The ideal leader image is
Superman
better?
Or
Nobita
better?
Perhaps most people would think they want to be or would like to become Superman, wouldn't they?
I, of course, want to be Superman as well, but as I accumulate leadership experience, I feel that there are points to learn from Nobita as well.
This is because Nobita has a "seed of being loved".
What exactly does that mean?
Today, I would like to talk about that 😊
What is the seed of being loved?
First, I will clarify what we should learn from Nobita here.
It is the ability to properly rely on others when in trouble.
He relies on Doraemon to an almost absurd degree.
Doraemon himself is so often relied upon by Nobita that I sometimes think, "How does he not get sick of it?"
Of course, Doraemon gets angry sometimes, but even so, he stays on good terms with Nobita.
That is likely not because Doraemon is simply a robot.
In fact, the same thing can happen with humans.
This is known as the Franklin effect, which is
"people tend to feel more favorably toward someone they have done a favor for."
This is a psychological phenomenon.
By accepting a request, one
"I did a kindness for this person = I must like this person"
unconsciouslyjustifies their own actions, anddevelops a sense of affection.
In the first place, peopleinstinctively have
"a desire to be useful to someone"
"a desire to have their own value recognized"
adesire.
By being relied upon, they
"feel needed"
"feel trusted"
and find it easier toperceive that person as aspecial existence.
Thinking about it this way, don't you think you can understand a little bit aboutwhy Nobita isso beloved?
By the way,being relied upon can also lead toimproved performance at work.
This is known as the Pygmalion effect, which is a psychological phenomenon where when you areexpected to do something by others, youtry to live up to those expectations.
For example, when a teacherhas high expectations for a student, the student's grades improve, or when a boss shows expectations for a subordinate, the subordinate's performance increases. Behind this
effect, there is a psychological process where being expected to do something
increases one's self-efficacy, believing 'I can do it'
which boosts self-efficacy and promotes motivation and effort.
In other words, placing expectations on someone means turning them into a superman😊
Are supermen unloved?
The person recommending such reliant leadership is Shuichi Namai, an educator who built his career at Kao, then applied to a project in Ibaraki Prefecture to publicly recruit school principals, and successfully became the principal of a prefectural combined junior and senior high school.
<Toyo Keizai Online / July 4, 2025>
"When you try to accomplish something, the important thing is the power to involve others."
What is important is not trying to do it all by yourself.
I have taken on many challenges myself, but there is almost nothing I have accomplished alone. Unless you keep involving your colleagues, you cannot achieve many goals."
No matter how talented a person is, the power of one person is small.
The power to involve others is important.
Even with people you don't usually interact with, find their respective strengths and try to rely on them when the time comes.
And, "I don't mind doing something for that guy" try to be the kind of person who makes others think that.
The secret to becoming that lovable character, Mr. Namai says
"Do not try to be a Superman!"
is what he is saying.
If you try to be perfect, the other person will also become difficult to approach.
"To involve others, it is not about being perfect, but the courage to show your weaknesses is necessary."
That is what it means.
Especially when you are a leader who is relied upon, this is a story I want you to remember.
If you show your weaknesses...
"Will everyone think I'm unreliable...?"
"Will I disappoint them...?"
I imagine many people feel worried about this.
And so, I often see people who remain wearing a Superman mask.
What is a top-tier leader?
In other words, the Superman-type leader is a persona created precisely by the desire to be a hero or heroine.
At first glance, being a Superman looks ideal, but when you ask if the members actually want that, it is actually not the case...
In fact, it is often the case that you cannot feel a sense of closeness or empathy toward a leader who is too flawless, and the emotional distance grows.
Everyone,
A: A leader who is a bit unreliable but respects and relies on you
B: A perfect leader who makes you feel like you are not needed
If it were you, which leader would you want to follow?
For me, Leader A is better.
But, as I mentioned at the beginning, I am aiming to be a Superman...
This gap is the key.
On the other hand, the Nobita-type leader takes it as a premise to rely on talented people, like Doraemon.
That is why you are loved and can involve others.
When I was young, a company president taught me the secrets of a first-class leader.
Third-class leaders are "boss-type leaders who want to control everything".
Second-class are "leaders who dump everything on others".
And first-class are
"leaders who, despite doing nothing, have a team that is performing well."
Of course, it is not that they are doing nothing; they do what they need to do.
And, so as not to hurt the self-esteem of their members, they behind the scenes handle various problems discreetly.
Even so, they never claim credit for themselves, but instead support everyone and express gratitude for their contributions.
That is why, from the members' perspective,
"I am the one helping this person"
is what they think.
In other words, they appear to be a constantly reliant Nobita.
It is the members-first mindset that leaders who work with this approach possess that creates a successful team.
Honing the abilities of a superman while letting go of the desire to be a hero, and being able to play the role of Nobita.
That is the goal I want to reach.
…By the way, the wisdom of a first-class leader that the company president taught me was, in fact, from someone famous for being a dictatorial president…😅
…No, no, I didn't mean for this to be the punchline of this article, but I want to say that becoming a first-class leader is just that difficult…
I pride myself on being a third-rate leader, but from the perspective of my employees, it wouldn't be strange if I were fourth-rate or fifth-rate in their evaluation…
…With that humble mindset, I want to continue to polish my Nobita-like heart…
Thank you very much for reading until the end today!