The Pursuit of Excellence: The Uncommon Behaviors of the World's Most Productive Achievers

by Ryan Hawk

When a mistake is made at his restaurant, someone will point out what could be done better, it is acknowledged, and it is immediately corrected. When something below the standard is recognized, the response is a quick hai, meaning, “yes, I understand.” Preparation. “If you apply for a job at Jiro’s sushi bar,” says Blossom CEO Thomas Schranz, “you know what you are getting yourself into. It will take about 10 years of dedicated work until you’ll be allowed to cook tamagoyaki (egg sushi). It takes a long time of training and personal growth until Jiro considers you a shokunin (master craftsman).”4 Shokunin. “The Japanese word shokunin is defined by both Japanese and Japanese-English dictionaries as ‘craftsman’ or ‘artisan,’ but such a literal description does not fully express the deeper meaning,” explains artist Tasio Orate. “The Japanese apprentice is taught that shokunin means not only having technical skills, but also implies an attitude and social consciousness. . . . The shokunin has a social obligation to work his/her best for the general welfare of the people. This obligation is both spiritual and material, in that no matter what it is, the shokunin’s responsibility is to fulfill the requirement.”