The same mentality of utter indifference to costs can be seen in a newly refurbished elementary school in the little village of Ichinosetakahashi, on the slopes of Mount Fuji. The principal’s office has a gleaming new bell and loudspeaker system to broadcast messages and summon the student body from recess. But during my visit in 1998, I quickly realized that it would be simpler to yell through the window for Daiki Saito to come in.
Daiki, a seven-year-old with a mischievous sparkle in his black eyes, is the only student in the entire school…. It costs $175,000 a year to run Daiki’s school….
As a Japanese taxpayer, I was appalled at this waste of money and at the resulting 65 percent marginal personal tax rates, but it was difficult to find Japanese who were equally outraged. Many Japanese seemed profoundly torn, for they worried that efficiency would come at the expense of egalitarianism and social harmony. I found this view enormously admirable and utterly impractical. When I spoke to Daiki’s principal, Tomishige Yazaki, he was not in the least apologetic about the expense. “If we just pursued efficiency,” he said, “the world would become a very dry place with no sensitivity.” – Nicholas D Kristof in Thunder from the East
Yesterday, I was at my acupuncturist’s and I mentioned to her that I was reading a book on Asia and that she might be interested in it since she’s traveled to different Asian countries and her work is closely tied to Asian culture.
At the time the section I was reading gave insight into the reasons of the recent Asian crisis and I was telling her about some of the reasons when she said, “Well, maybe that’s not what matters to them, Asia has some of the most developed spiritual and cultural identities in the world.”
Her comments combined with the lines above made me ponder why a sensitive and caring business and a thriving and successful one has to be mutually exclusive. Is it really impossible for a company to do well without compromising the happiness of its employees?
I’m hoping the answer is No or life is really depressing for those of us who work in corporate America.
Earlier this week, Jake and I watched an episode of The Charlie Rose Show where Herb Kelleher, the CEO of Southwest Airlines was the guest. Here’s a rare example of an outstanding company in almost every way. A culture that brings people together and doesn’t single out company executives with special perks. A corporation that has record profits year after year. A CEO who is humble and caring. A company that recognizes major personal events in the lives of each of its employees.
And, unfortunately, as of now, a rare exception.
Herb Kelleher is retiring soon and he mentioned that he might write a book to tell the story of Southwest Airlines. I certainly hope he does.
Maybe, then, his company might move from being the exception to being the norm.
Previously? Hiding.
Leave a Reply