Business-Do: The Way to Successful Leadership

by Hiroshi Mikitani

We figure intuitively that the harder something is to obtain, the more valuable it must be. This may be so with precious metals and gemstones, but not when it comes to getting your work done efficiently.

You can't copy talent, but anyone can imitate best practices in execution and operation.

It's not just that you may not be mentally prepared to hear such opinions, but also because the older you get, the less you will find others are willing to say such things directly to your face.

“Every thief has his reasons.”

I also always say, “If you have an opinion, please share it with me. I might sometimes react with anger, since I'm only human. But no matter how angry I get, no matter how much I dislike hearing it, I guarantee I will never mark you down for it, so don't hold back!”

I hesitate to say this, but to be honest, not every opinion I hear is valid and valuable.

some of the opinions I encounter can often be short‐sighte...

There may be only one worthwhile opinion among every hundred. But even so, that opinion might hit on a serious mistake you've made.

Speed and agility are winning behaviors. Being light on your feet is an essential quality for anyone in business.

Many of them are also impatient, but I assume that's because they know instinctively that it's also the most efficient way to be.

The trick is to understand the line between good preparation and procrastination.

When a once‐successful work team stumbles and results decline, it can be so easy to throw in the towel. You may start to think your team and even your company is a lost cause. But never overreact.

Some companies are successful even in the worst recession. Some people and departments are successful no matter how poorly their companies are performing.

If you lose the inspiration to take on new challenges, you will also lose most of the joy in your work.

Most of us will seem to be busy. But much of this busyness is going to waste.

Today, the internet and mobile phones are also competing for attention.

Ordinary people and outstanding people: the difference between them also depends on the last 0.5 percent of effort.

And once you've established a comfortable level of capital, you may be tempted to venture into another highly profitable business. Even if I don't think this myself, someone in the company will inevitably bring it up.

It has been said that every industry has its own unique challenges, that manufacturing and services operate differently, and even businesses in the same industry, such as soba restaurants and ramen bars, face different issues. It's this kind of thinking that leads to business failure.

Strive to widen your sources of fresh, first‐hand information.

Einstein reportedly once remarked how strange he found it that clouds float in the sky. He noted most adults didn't think it was odd, but that he still did even as an adult because he was a late bloomer. He said it was the reason he became a scientist.