How Leaders Can Inspire Their Employees to Work Hard
“Why do employees of other corporations work diligently remotely, while my employees are engaged in leisurely fishing? When confronted with challenges, I incessantly indulge in ceaseless complaints. I perceive the deficiency of strength among the employees, the team’s failure to keep pace with the times, ubiquitous problems, and the need for comprehensive enhancements.
Is this indeed the case? In truth, employees serve as a reflection of their managers. Frequently, how managers perceive their employees is an accurate reflection of their own selves in the looking glass.
When a leader lacks the fortitude to confront and address decisions, recoils from facing them head-on, or displays hesitancy and trepidation, it becomes glaringly apparent, resulting in the swift erosion of trust from their subordinates, who harbor contemptuous sentiments such as, ‘So they are merely an individual of that caliber.’
Such a leader’s subordinates will not exert themselves diligently, nor will they regard their leader’s pusillanimous conduct as a source of shame. In essence, we should instill in our subordinates the principle that compromise ought to be a last resort, not a casual recourse. However, our subordinates perceive compromise as a way of life and a means of interaction. Granted, in the mundane world, reason alone cannot always prevail, and occasional compromises become necessary. Nevertheless, frequent compromises must be avoided. Leaders often fail to effectively communicate this to their subordinates.
The leader of a team must possess the mettle to make sound judgments. Leaders must not only inculcate workplace ethics and regulations in their subordinates but also exemplify them through their own actions. Hypocritical leaders who tolerate unseemly behavior from others sow chaos within the team, forfeit the trust and respect of their subordinates, and engender a moral decline throughout the entire workplace.
The conduct, attitude, and thought processes of a leader, be they virtuous or otherwise, have a far-reaching impact not only on themselves but also rapidly permeate the entire team like wildfire. The team serves as a mirror, reflecting the leader’s character. As the president, one ought to embody the company’s spokesperson, even the ‘personified vessel,’ and thereby voice the company’s ideals to the employees.
In essence, the president must advocate for the company. This requirement applies not only to the president but also to any individual in a leadership position, even the leader of a small collective or organization. Furthermore, leaders must possess the capacity to endure losses and make sacrifices for the collective good. These qualities are indispensable to effective leadership.
The company for which I am employed operates on a foundation of trust, and all business operations, including accounting, are conducted with complete transparency, establishing an unquestionable system. For instance, adhering to the ‘unit time accounting system,’ the performance of all departments is disclosed to every employee. Each individual can easily discern the profit generated by their own amoeba organization, along with specific details. We all share a commitment to openness and transparency in our work environment, fostering an atmosphere akin to transparent glass, enabling us to wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to our tasks.
By divulging internal company information to all employees, we ensure they are cognizant of the benefits and pertinent particulars of the amoeba unit to which they belong. Consequently, I refer to the added value index created by each amoeba unit per hour as the ‘benefit per unit time,’ which is emphasized within the company. As employees working for organizations, it is common for individuals to harbor suspicions such as, ‘The entrepreneur may exploit us to amass wealth,’ or ‘The entrepreneur may monopolize the benefits generated by everyone.’ I aim to eradicate such biases.
The company strictly adheres to a policy of abstaining from so-called ‘entertainment expenses.’ Whenever it becomes genuinely necessary to utilize such funds, explicit requests must be made. Even the president is required to submit a written request, outlining the specific purpose. The company provides comprehensive disclosure to all employees concerning the utilization of hospitality expenses, down to the precise yen. Hence, the company maintains a high level of transparency.
Entrepreneurs often possess a certain degree of discretionary power regarding entertainment expenses, believing it to be advantageous for their own business activities. However, once this mindset takes root, entrepreneurs compromise their own prestige and courage. In other words, if an entrepreneur harbors even the slightest guilt when facing employees, they will be unable to maintain an upright posture and shall lose their courage.
Leadership and guidance are paramount to successful business operations. Therefore, entrepreneurs themselves must ‘conduct themselves with integrity and maintain an upright posture,’ boldly declaring, ‘Our company unequivocally abides by regulations and ethics, and I, too, receive the prescribed remuneration without any form of illicit income.’ This stance bolsters prestige and courage.
Moreover, this forthright approach empowers entrepreneurs to strengthen themselves and muster the necessary courage. In my estimation, an entrepreneur devoid of courage holds the least value.”
