Dr. Okochi, founder and director of Okochikai Medical Corporation, helps businesses drive strategic growth. Creator of Daikandou method.
What is Daikandou Management? Daikandou is an unforgettable feeling that moves the heart. In other words, Daikando Management refers to management that values employees, brings Daikandou and creates an ideal company where everyone works with vitality and enthusiasm.
It is clear that the AI era has arrived, and many jobs will be replaced by it. AI experts suggest that ChatGPT will affect almost all white-collar jobs.
In this AI era, where it is becoming increasingly challenging to secure excellent human resources, I believe companies that do not value their employees might collapse due to this shortage. I find that long-lasting companies have a very different attitude toward hiring people than their counterparts.
To me, it seems that successful companies have an attitude that thanks their employees for working for them. A business cannot grow through a manager alone, so the manager pays employees to help the company. In contrast, companies that do not value their employees might operate with the mentality that the manager is forcing the employees to work for a living. It is like this: “You can’t make a living if you don’t work, right? So, we’ll let you work for us.”
This difference in how they think about hiring people can be seen in how they treat their employees. I’ve found that long-lasting companies tend to believe that human resources is one of the most critical factors in business growth. Leaders who wish to succeed in this AI era should consider prioritizing human resource retention, including legitimate evaluations, salary increases and benefits. In addition to these monetary rewards, you might also provide significant non-monetary rewards. In other words, adopt the concept of total rewards, where both monetary and non-monetary rewards are offered.
Non-monetary rewards include, for example, daily appreciation, job satisfaction, an environment for growth, work-life balance and psychological safety. In particular, in a company where gratitude is expressed frequently, employees are energetic and a spirit of mutual help is born, which can unite everyone and result in potential corporate growth and long-lasting business.
This is why I suggest using Daikandou Management, which at its core means caring about people. On the other hand, many companies might choose a potentially detrimental kind of management—sales-oriented and expansion-oriented management that does not value their people and can lead to business failures. This approach can create a sense of competition among employees, and because the emphasis is placed on achieving results even at the expense of others, people might often think only of themselves and interpersonal relations can decline.
In my opinion, a good company not only cares about the happiness of its employees, but also their families. When employees feel that not only their own happiness is valued but also that of their families, they might be more motivated to do their jobs and treat customers with more care. This is because when someone gives us something, I find that we instinctively want to give it back. In the same way, employees who feel valued by a company might value that company, too. In other words, people value a leader who values them.
For example, I not only give each employee a congratulatory message and a business card at their permanent employee induction ceremony, but I also sing a song for them. I secretly practice and memorize each employee’s favorite song and sing it as a surprise. Each person has a memorable song that was played at a milestone in their life. Wouldn’t it be a great surprise if the leader of your group memorized and sang it for you? You may think it is just a song. But can you sing the songs of a generation younger than yours? Today’s songs are too difficult to sing because they contain rap or change tempo, unlike past songs. Wouldn’t you be impressed if a leader could sing such a young person’s song with determination and tremendous effort? As a leader, consider taking meaningful steps to show your gratitude for your employees however you can.
As adults, we might not moved by simple things, but if you make efficient efforts with the other person in mind, people can be greatly moved. Employees who have experienced such Daikandou can experience joy and remember it for the rest of their lives. Then, they are more likely to give the same Daikandou they received to their customers. They will then think of what they can do to give those Daikandou and act on their own initiative. In other words, a chain of Daikandou can occur. By making the employee in front of you understand your gratitude, a chain of Daikando will be triggered in everyone around you.
I believe that people who have experienced being loved by others more than they ever imagined will change to give Daikandou to those around them. Therefore, I, as a leader, have loved my employees with determination and have given them as much Daikando of hospitality as I can.
Mother Teresa said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” We know she achieved great things by accumulating small things in front of her with love. We as leaders should also manage with Daikandou and with compassion for our employees and their families.
I have always imagined the following future. It is an image of an organization where everyone works worldwide with vitality, happiness and brilliance. Instead of focusing on sales and expansion for the sake of management, we should value our employees, create a chain of Daikando and nurture people with independence. And we will create an organization filled with people who work with initiative and vitality. Doing so can ensure a fantastic future filled with love.
Leaders, let’s create a chain of Daikandou together and create a future full of smiling people who will live proactively and vigorously!
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