denta-kun.paper.com

to be a more globally integrated company, we, corporate team has kept investigation to he across where we are againt the idealistic business management environment. as supported by the top managements, now we're entering the assessment phase to choose one or a few consulting firms to support us to realize our new system implementation plan.... today and tomorrow, we had and will have some meetings with people from well-known consulting firms, which is very interesting to know what kind of expertise and experices each consultant has... though today's meeting taught me that it is true that experiences and expertise are very important but more importantly, it's so critical to choose the one who we wish to work with, which is relatively rough idea but the impression to feel like that is from quite integrated feelings, such as if they are very smart, creative and flexible, and they can find the point to be compromised even if any tough negotiation is awaiting...

though we have tomorrow's meeting with another consulting firm, I really look forward to working with quite impressive, skillful people soon...


kenji

since last year, I was assigned a research job to investigate the cause of workload increase due to increasing cross boarder transactions, based upon the request by one of the leaders who oversees the back-office team for platform business. so far we have created a report to a managing director and got his support to proceed the next phase, to ask a consulting company to realize the plan to improve the current circumstance and replace the existing system for day to day operations.

on the other hand, one of the senior managers initiated the drastic, financial management systems replacement, to be suitable for managing globally split companies, which hq execs and back office team like accounting and corporate planning team need to know more concretely with the systems completely integrated. then as he knows our project, replacing one of the system component, he asked us if we wanted to cooperate with his project. now our project is built into the huge project, which our top managements directly oversees on bi- weekly basis. finally my project coverage is largely expanded... now with my colleagues, I had listed to current problems and efficiencies through meeting many, many people inside of the company, including the overseas subsidiaries via video conference...

as I experienced several global projects at the previous company and then now I can contribute what I had learned through those projects in the past, in addition to the experiences and knowledge of current company, which is actually very rare as I am the person who has seen all the financial statements.... I think, in this field, I believe, definitely the right person to consider the next financial management system, cooperating with other project members, including it experts...

actually, engaging in this project is quite interesting, as I can devote the full capability to it, which means my value is maximized... and I love such exciting project... the theme is very big and leading such a gigantic project is never seen before... and if i don't change my job last year, such opportunity didn't come to me... so my career will be definitely developed when I successfully completed this project...

so my motivation has been so high!!!

for about a year it has been a quite tough, as my manager is quite smart and extremely detail oriented, which afflicted my carelessness, on top of scarce knowledge of newly joined companies along with existing business lines which were also new to me...
it has been like a hell... I dont know how many times I thought of leaving the company....

the reason why I don't wish to leave the current company is because only here, I believe, I can work with super smart, energetic people... and the level and coverage of my job is undoubtedly higher level than previously engaged tasks... I don't have any room to exercise further ability, which means I don't waste any capability or time.. just focusing on the widely spread tasks and opportunities....


I don't think of any company which can satisfy me more.

regards,


kenji

母の日、ということで、家族三人でどこかいくか？と奥さんに言ったところ、ひとりでたまにはゆっくりしたい、とのこと。

息子を連れて日比谷公園にふたりで遊びにいくことに。


日比谷公園の噴水にかなりはまったらしく、色んな噴水パターンを見ては後ろ髪引かれる思いで新宿に向かう。


それにしても、バリヤフリーな駅でないと、ベビーカーにベビーグッズに息子を持ち上げて運ばねばならず、かなりしんどい。。。

街いく女性、老若男女問わず、息子を見て、あらかわいい、という反応が少なくなく、親バカな私はちとテンションあがる。

電車の中でも話しかけられる。優先席に座るので、じーさま、ばーさまに、あらかわいい、との反応にまたニンマリ。まつ毛か長く、よく女の子に間違えられる。


友人ファミリーと新宿でランチ。半年前も同じ場所でランチした。子連れ歓迎、という、かなり気楽にランチできるのがいい。が、ブュッフェスタイルなので、泣き叫ぶ息子を抱えながら皿に盛るのがこれまた大変。奥さんいない状況だと大変。でもピザとか安い割にうまい。

足のサイズを聞かれ、靴下に9.14と書いてあったのを思い出し、そのまま伝えたら、円周率じゃなしに、9-14cmと、レンジありサイズでは？と、友人夫妻苦笑。はい。仕事と勉強ばかりで子育て参加してないことバレっちんぐ。


昨今のマスコミ報道などあり心配される。内部者として少しコメントしてみる。


彼はあまり忙しくないのだとか。奥さんは教員免許を取得中らしく明日から高校で数学教えるのだとか。夫婦揃って優秀だから、今日あったベイビーちゃんもきっと天才になるんだろう。


新宿を後にする。奥さんに電話する。一ヶ月に一度こういう日希望、と言われ、二秒で却下。母の日だけね、と釘を刺す。そもそも奥さん、最近足を怪我していて、遠くにいけない、というのと、GW、私が父親を完全に放棄してGMAT対策ばかりやっていたので、リカバリーせんと、という意味合いが今日は強い。


帰りの電車で息子が車窓を楽しんでいた。となりで椅子のうえに立って、窓の外を眺めて嬉しそうにする様を見て成長したんだな、と感慨にふける。

試験受けた直後の週くらいは、ちゃんと家族と過ごすようにはしているつもりだが、息子とふたりきりで出かけるのも、メチャ疲れるけど色んな気づけてないことに気づけていいかも。奥さん、遠いところいきたがらないけど、彼とならいけるし。


今度は横浜いきたいな。


regards,

kenji

諏訪内さんを知ってから三年くらいになりますが、奥さんが誕生日プレゼント前倒しでチケット買ってくれて、今日、埼玉の与野本町に行ってきました。パリ在住の方だから、日本で聴けるのは珍しいらしく、奥さんの熱弁で見にいく気になったのです。

諏訪内さんの演奏を初めて生で観れるので、ドキドキでしたが、期待を遥かに上回り、最初の一曲目は唖然。。。というか、奥さんがとってくれたバルコニー席が、奏者に対してほぼ真正面で、超絶美麗かつ度迫力の演奏を堪能できました。

new albumの解説にもありましたが、派手なパフォーマンスではなく、一つ一つの曲に真摯に向き合い、曲が表現されたい姿を最大限引き出す、奏者としてはいわば黒子に徹するかのようなstoicismを感じました。

他方、名器、ストラディバリウスの音もすさまじく、それに引けをとらない弾き手もすごい。ピアノも違和感無く噛み合っており、ホールの音響もよく、完璧な感じでした。

violinの生音には何度も聴いてるから驚くことなど想定してませんでしたが、小さな胴体部分がなぜここまで深みのある響き方をするのか、技巧に凝った曲でも高い、低いに関係無く、バランスの良い音色を可能にする、キャパシティには只々感服するばかり。

奥さん曰く、普通のバイオリンよりも弾きこなすのが困難、ということらしく、世界的な奏者ゆえにパーフェクトな音を実現できる、というところでしょうか。

聞いたこともないバイオリンの音。別の楽器と言っても過言ではないのではないか、と。

アンコールが三回もあり、驚きました。サイン待ちで二回目終わって出てきてしまい、亜麻色の〜が生で聴けず少々残念。が、CDにサインしてもらうときに、間近で諏訪内さんにお会い出来、一言交わせたのが一ファンとしては嬉しい限りでした。


いやはや興奮冷めやらず、また聴ける機会があれば行きたいですね。



regards,

kenji

我が家は裸の付き合いを大事にしています。

息子と毎週日曜に風呂に入ります。

奥さんともたまに入ります。

三人でも入ります。

なんか何も隠すことなんてないね、幸せね、と感じられる時間で、とても大切にしています。

MBA受験でかなりの時間を投じているので、大学図書館はやめて、なるべく自宅にいて勉強の合間に家族とのコミュニケーションをとるようにしています。

やはり家庭あっての仕事、勉強と思うものです。

regards,



kenji

古くから在籍する社員とここ一、二年で入社してきた人達の会話を日々見聞きしていると、求められる人材スペックが、若くてノリノリなんでとりあえず人が足りないから採用されました、的な人材からマネジメント志向、リーダー的人材、企画力、問題解決力、突破力がある人材、超専門スキル保有人材など、でかくなった会社の経営管理、事業管理を的確かつ、スムーズに変化させていける人材に移行していくものだ、と思う。元コンサル、元大企業、スーパーエンジニア、元士業出身というところか。

机上の勉強をしてきてる人達が活躍し出すのは、やはり上場時から上場後なのではないか。ある程度専門知識を身につけた前提で会話が進む傾向にあるので、知識不足が原因で、議論されてる必要性を理解できず、ボトルネックになってしまっている人達を見ることも少なくない。。。何というか差が恐ろしくあって、変化に適応する普遍的専門知識(会計、IT、法律など)が無いと本人が認識してるのか分からないが、かなり会社として痛いことになりかねない事態にも陥りかねないのではないか、と。

こうした風景を見ていると、やはり常にある程度アンテナ巡らせて、知るべきことは知っておき、やったことないから分からない、とか普通に言ってしまう痛い人にはならないようにせねば、と思うこともある。

変化に適応してきた人が恐竜化しないんでしょうね。


ただ、在籍年数が長い、というのは過去の経緯を知っている、という点は在籍年月が短い自分のような人にとってリスペクト、ではあります。こればかりはいくら時頭いい人でも入手困難。

ともに肝に銘じておきたい次第。

regards,


kenji

一つ上の上司が代わったのだが、めちゃくちゃ頭が良く、かつ、意思決定が速い。ゆったり進んでたプロジェクトが一気に進んだ感がある。前任の上司も優秀な方だったが、実務力は新しい方の方が高いように感じる。コンサル、法律家を経て若くして抜擢されるだけあるなあ、とぼんやり思った。

協力な後ろ盾をいただいているので、勢いに乗って、ベンダー入れてガツガツ実行フェーズを進めていこう。


にしても今日の会議、元コンサル三人に元会計士、弁護士、という陣容でのディスカッションはかなり刺激的だった。やはり頭がいい人達と働けるのが自分は一番幸せだと感じた。


regards

kenji

i finished reading the book called "私が白熱教室で学んだこと" today. when I got a note by a MBA community last week, I remembered the blog written by Tomo Ishizumi san while she was a t hbs. what surprised me then was that he experienced pregnancy and child birth before graduating hbs. the story told in this book was quote amazing as it shows how she passed through the toughest period, as a student and as a mother... she was allowed to take the term exams earlier than other people as to paper works, while one professor didn't agree that she took the paper exam by herself earlier than other students.





she appears very diligent, which we can assume, reading her stories at occidental college and boarding schools... I knew only a little about what liberal arts college and boarding school, but I haven't touched stories told by the alumnus regarding them. so it was good time to know about them as one of the choices for my child in the future, though I am not so serious about sending my son to the us at this moment.

it was less than expected that the pages allocated for how hbs life was, but I could understand how different education system in boarding school from one in Japanese ordinary private school... according to the book, though it also quoted from another book, boarding schools were established as wasp wanted their children to be successors, not to be dull, inappropriate persons who don't have capability of managing their wealth... it was believed that keeping their children away from where patents live and let them spend juvenile lives quite stoically under the diligently controlled place...

in addition to what I introduced above, there are also interesting stories in this book, if you are interested in studying abroad or have wish to send your children to the u.s in the future...

best regards,


kenji

I had a lunch with the manger of chairman's office last Friday. the appointment was made after talking with him when we incidentally went to the same station nearby our office one day after we finished work. the surprising thing was that he had great achievements at the excellent companies but also did fabulous academic background. he went to both Japanese and american business schools after working as a secretary for a politician, which means he has double master degrees, MBAs...

his story sounds really interesting and knows various types of things from culture, technology to business. even very detailed matters he follows embellish his story.

the great thing is that he has a very honest mind along with lots of wit and humor, then I can really sympathize with his wish to improve our company across the board.. he is very creative and intellectual, which has been very effective to change our company since he joined our company last year, a few months earlier than me.

he is very open to any discussions and younger people. also he is very insightful and objective for seeing the people working at our company. the reason why he thought he needed to change the company was that he believes, if the people working at our company don't feel happiness, then as our company has virtual value over the web, though it has also other physically active business, such value will not continue being created... he saw the people in the company who are well known for excellent creative talents, which, according to him, has been possible as those companies support and nurture the culture along with the super, people oriented benefits which will definitely make people feel fun and comfortable, while they can keep being royal to companies...

such approach is very difficult if company needs to invest in machines with a significant amount of money, or/ and competes with competitors with a deep discount, which needs continuous, destructive cost reduction, which completely make people working there unhappy...
on the other, like our company, without investing in employees, the quality of service and products will not be secured, then people friendly benefit is possible. not required but without it, as competitors are aggressively hiring excellent people, which is virtually war for talents, our company had to take different but looking towards the the same destination as competitors..

i guess that that kind of story had been heard among the currently established banks or major manufacturing companies while Japanese economy was ultimately successful... so what the people working in the creative companies feel is similar experiences to it that once most of the Japanese people felt in the past.

so, the bottom line is creating values to customers continuously, while investing in people is the key to success for today's companies, although this argument can be applied only to creative industry, which don't compete in terms of cost competitiveness...


hope that more and more Japanese companies would become creative... otherwise endless cost oriented competition will continue, which will not make Japanese people happy....


best regards,



kenji.

this month one of the executives left our department and started his new career as a subsidiary company's president. it was very surprising that he left the division instead he was a president of the subsidiary where he, for the first time in his career, will lead the company. it to true that his contribution to our department is huge although of course he couldn't have done his job thoroughly end to end. then the impact for daily operations is relatively small but mentally his detailed contribution to our department will be regrettable from now on, I believe. he has covered numerous things from financial matters to law suits. I imagine such complex and broadly extended coverage has been very tough to go though without any issue not only internally but also externally...

the last scene I observed tonight at the piano bar, where one of our colleagues played the piano as a companion for his singing, which was dedicated to us as his gratitude. he found his successor, who is now our boss, about a year and a half ago, which had myself recognize that the replacement of higher management really takes time and lots of cost, based on the stories by our former managing director...

he had really loved his job until he got a new opportunity last month. that story moved me a lot and i somewhat regretted that, honestly speaking, I had some days when I didn't want to go to the office....

when a he asked to make a speech in front of us. he
sang a song, though it wasn't so perfect, so that. we got his message as he wanted to tell that he was asking that he left his responsibility to us, the very younger team, whose average age is apporx. 33, which is far younger than the ones at the larger, established companies...

we will make the future, which hasn't come true by any other companies as most of their major players are much older than our managements, whose decision making is usually much slower than that of our management...

i wish our former managing director will continue to be successful even if he works in the different location and entity..

regards,


kenji