Obun Printing's management goal for this year is, "We work to make the customer even happier." Actually, this is the same goal as last year. The goal for 2003 was, "We work to make the customer happy." For this year's and last year's goal, we simply added the word, "even." To tell the truth, I don't like to repeat things. However, when setting a goal, if the previous one was not attained, and the environment has not changed that much, why not repeat the same one? Also, all businesses must place the customer first.
We can continue and develop as a business only if our customers are happy. How to make customers happy, and what to do to make them happier. With customers in mind, we want to take these seriously this year, too.

The physical distance between people affects what they talk about. People who stand 20 inches (50 cm), or 5.5 yards (5 m) apart will talk of different things. The person we understand at 5.5 yards is completely different at 20 inches. It seems that people have many doors in their hearts. As a friendship progresses, the doors, which were completely closed, open one-by-one. Such moments are the happiest. However, when I meet people in whom I could not open even one door, or in whom I could not open one more door, I honestly feel a bit lonesome.

Even though we understand a certain person, if we do not know at what distance we understand them, we may misjudge them, or show too much friendliness towards them.

As a result, relationships sometimes become complicated. We need to be careful in our relationships.

It is not uncommon for people who associate through business to become friends. Also, there are cases when the doctor-patient relationship blossoms into friendship.
A junior in my table tennis club became my wife. The original situation and relationship change through chance, and through time. That is the charm of human relationships.

Fifteen years ago, the founder of the company (my father) passed the baton on to me, and I became president. During those years, I established two subsidiaries, but only one of them is still alive. I also started two businesses. At one time they were pillars of the company, but now they no longer exist. The business that I started two years ago has grown from a tree branch to a trunk. Next year, which will be sixty years since the company's founding, the new business should be large enough to be noticeable, and in five years, it will probably be a main pillar of the company, and will have a large impact both inside and outside the company.

I am a fan of the theory of evolution of enterprises, which states that companies grow continuously by adapting to environmental change.

This message was distributed inside the company last month. Explicit details have been concealed. I apologize if this looks like bragging to people outside the company.

• General Affairs Department
  Of course, they handle their tasks without making mistakes, and they are always improving the personnel system without help from outside consultants.
  Since fiscal 2004, they have been contributing to sales by signing contracts with the affiliated companies.
• General Affairs Department
  Of course, they handle their tasks without making mistakes, and they are always improving the personnel system without help from outside consultants.
  Since fiscal 2004, they have been contributing to sales by signing contracts with the affiliated companies.
• Accounting Department
  They are supremely reliable, and also their end-of-month flash profit values, which they calculate quickly, are accurate. Since fiscal 2004, they have been contributing to sales by doing the accounting for affiliated companies.
• System Support
  They keep the key systems stable, and handle unexpected situations quickly. They are aware of the trends in the newest technology. For example, in 2004, they suggested that we get the newest server-based computing system.
• Purchasing Department
  They have been purchasing a considerable amount of papers at stable prices every year. Their efforts contribute to make our price competitive.
• Customer Service Department
  From the results of the customer satisfaction survey, our major customers see this department as very reliable. Also, the department has usually reached their targets for new customers. Moreover, an act worthy of special mention is their producing the new business proposal by holding a workshop.
• Marketing
  Getting new customers is like knocking on doors, expecting refusals. However, they worked hard and patiently, and accomplished great results.
• Planning & Production Department
  The level of each team - namely, the planning, manual editing, DTP, and translation teams, has become quite high. Customers and the Customer Service Department have a high level of satisfaction with them.
• Imaging Department
  Their interest in new technology is very high. Their will to achieve the targets is surprisingly high. Also, they learned the technology associated with color management, as well as the technology associated with profiling.
• Digital Solutions Department
  This department has become essential for Obun Printing. They have developed a unique - actually meaning one and only - technology. I really want to emphasize this.
• Quality Assurance
  Customers who are major manufacturers are asking us for various documents related to the environmental impact of our ingredients and materials.
  While doing this troublesome job, the quality assurance person also does the work related to obtaining a privacy mark.
• Production Control Department
  The general affairs, engineering, distribution, and branch office teams, each did their work properly, and energetically. Their ability to handle complex situations grew by leaps and bounds.
• First Manufacturing Department
  The Printing Plate Section has smoothly dealt with the introduction of CTP, and as a result, they secured large gross profits compared to last year. The Printing Section put great effort into consistent high quality, and they have reduced accidents dramatically.
• Second Manufacturing Department
  When work piled up, the Binding Section handled it by having many of the employees work together, by sometimes running several shifts, doing midnight overtime, and working on holidays.
• Print on Demand Business Department Customer Service Section
  The great increase in business with company A is worth special mention. It was not an easy task, and I bow to their attitude and sense of responsibility in meeting the customer's requests.
• e-Printing Department
  They challenged energetically their first experience in the rational and consistent production of business cards. I am convinced that their two years of experience will be reflected greatly in fiscal 2005. The first inspecting machine in Japan was also completed.
• Executives
  I think the Obun Printing executives probably worked the longest hours among the printers I know. If the extra hours were treated as overtime, a minimum of eighty hours of overtime per month was normal. They have been using their wisdom and eagerness for a long time.

The theme of this year's Encounter with the CEO was, as ever, "Our Company's Values." The average age of the participants was the lowest to date (third year). In order to get the employees to look at themselves again, before beginning this meeting's theme, I asked that they make a list of words they like and dislike. In other words, the purpose of the task was for the employees to discover themselves through words.
The participants were young, so it seemed that they had never defined themselves using clear words. They looked a bit confused, however, in general, it seemed that the theme was fresh to them. I thought that because they seemed unclear in their own beliefs, even if we talked about the company's values of "the spirit of challenge; professionalism; communication; trust and trusting relationships; problem solving; and teamwork," they would not understand.

I thought that if they clarified their own beliefs, in other words, their values, they would also understand Obun Printing's values. They would be able put the values in practice, and, therefore, work comfortably. This, in turn, would lead to customer satisfaction.

Here are the words I like and dislike.

Words I Like
A suitable way of life for oneself, originality, continue growing throughout life, humility, progress, heart-moving, shared feeling, having something to say, everyone except me is a teacher, achieved target, awareness of purpose, involved, cannot accomplish great things alone, wisdom, contrivance, creation, problem solving, win-win.

Words I Dislike
Stagnation and setback, self-righteousness, accusing others, arrogance, people who do not think.

I am happy that the list of words I like is longer.

I am ashamed to admit that, until I read the May 28 issue of Weekly Diamond, I used phrases like "business climate," "business culture," and "business constitution" interchangeably. In fact, "climate and constitution are intrinsic to the organism, but culture is made by humans." In this way, they are completely different. As a company president, I have to polish this culture.

One of the themes for the "Encounter with the CEO" meeting, "Sharing Values," which we have been using for a long time, is really about fostering a better business culture at Obun Printing.

A result of practicing the six values of "the spirit of challenge; professionalism; communication; trust and trusting relationships; problem solving; and teamwork," is being able to work comfortably, and therefore provide good products and good services to the customers. In this way, we can enter on an upward spiral. To keep us on this spiral, I would like to continue saying, "Put the values into practice."

A person who became a singer-songwriter after graduating from Tokyo University, and had been working as a branch manager of a major bank said, on a TV music program, "Some company presidents talk about life's lessons and try to impart their wisdom. It is annoying." Instantly I thought he was talking about me, but, unfortunately, only a handful of people know me. I do not think he has been reading my thoughts on management even by mistake, so after about a second, I understood he was referring to famous corporate presidents. However, when I heard his comment, my regard for him cooled.

Management is about dealing with people. Customers, employees, stockholders.
The employees, in particular, are irreplaceable for the president. Because it is the employees, rather than me, who make my own thoughts real, because presidents must get the employees to work as a team, and because presidents must also develop the company continuously, it is natural that they say something about the essence of being human.

Even if you are not a company president, if you are serious about living, or have lived through lots of hardship, it is natural that you want to impart your wisdom, and tell what you have learned through life. We cannot acquire another person's experience, however, if we only listen to their stories, we can gain knowledge and wisdom.

I think knowing about someone else's way of life, in other words, listening to their life's lessons and wisdom, is very valuable.

I was chased by time until two or three year ago, but now, I have become the chaser. Time used to force me to do things quickly, and used to hurry me. Now too, I hurry, but the hurry when I was chased and the hurry when I am the chaser are different. Everybody has things they want to do, and things that need to be done. It would be fantastic if everything we had to do is things we wanted to do.

The dictionary says that "Learning is imitation." When I think about the past, I learned from my teachers, from books, and from people. However, I have only been imitating all of them.

It is impossible to create something from nothing.

When Japanese greet each other, they bow, looking at the ground. While doing the most important action, they do not look at each other. On the other hand, Western people shake hands, looking into each other's eyes. I lived in Hawaii for six years, and I really like handshakes and looking into each other's eyes. When Japanese greet each other, why, I wonder, do they not look into each other's eyes?

Then, the other day, at a seminar on greeting, someone said, "Words and action are done separately."

First, we greet with words, then immediately bow. In this way, you can greet the other person while looking into their eyes, and you are able to show the feeling with the bowing.

Don't you think that this method is wonderful?

I am now putting this into practice.

People who supervise others like, as much as possible, to avoid scolding them. However, it is not always possible to praise. Scolding is sometimes necessary.
There is a person who is sincere and does a good job, but, as a manager, is too gentle and kind. I have said to him, "If there is a problem with a subordinate, scold resolutely." However, he did not change. Then I told him, "Act out your responsibilities in your job." Now, it is not possible to change your character, and become strong, but everybody can act. It is unrelated to your character. In order to do your duty, even if your acting is not great, you only need to act with dignity.

When I tell my employees this story, and say, "Even me, I act out my anger," I do not know why, but they simply smile. It seems that they still do not understand me. Lonesome.