Spirit in Recession

It was September 20 when National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) officially announced that the Great Recession was over June last year. NBER announced that the recession, lasted 18 months, the longest in post World Ward II period, is over, and the economy entered into raising period. People cannot feel that the recession is over despite this NBER announcement. People are still struggling to survive. This economic situation reminded me one Japanese entrepreneur in 1940′s and 50′s. He is Konosuke Matsushita. Konosuke Matsushita was the founder and the first president of “Panasonic”. He has been respected as one of most successful Japanese businessperson. People call him “God of Management” in Japan.

Since his father was sick and poor, Konosuke could not finish even elementary school. He brushed up his own business skills and studied technical knowledge all by himself through his experience with many rich employers. He invented attachable and detachable light valve socket. He was the most innovative entrepreneur in Japanese history of science and technology.

It is difficult to talk about him in one article. Brief background introduction took up maybe more than half of this article. People have a myth that Panasonic has been and still is strong against bad economy. It was said that it is due to their management following Konosuke Matsushita’s leadership.

In one of the recessions, he introduced working environment very close to work sharing today, and did not fire any of his employees. In the New Year day, in a bad economy, he gathered all employees for the first shipment of the year, and asked them to enjoy the New Year parties with buyers. In the company foundation day celebration, he asked all – literally all – employees go up to the podium and express themselves. He told everybody that he listens to all of his employees instead employees listen to him on that day. Hesitated first, after the first one finished speaking, all employees expressed themselves. He listened to all of them and replied one by one.

His style of leadership encouraged employees. He assured to all employees that they would never lose their jobs and positions. In the press interview, he said that it must be high-spirited in bad times. He showed his employee how they can overcome the recession. It was not by human resource policy. It was not by cost reduction. It was not firing people. It was by keeping spirit high.

Shaw Funami is an owner of “zhen international, inc.”, known as a mentor for cross cultural relationship called “Fill the Missing Link”. You can learn about his profile in Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/shaw.funami. Please feel free to contact him at “hisashi.funami@zhenintl.ws” or visit his business website. http://webtraffictoolbox.com/

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