Suspicious Consultant

Thanks to my book on local product development, I've recently had opportunities to speak in various places. Just the other day, through an introduction by the Tokachi Mainichi Shimbun, I attended a meeting in Toyokoro Town, Hokkaido, for their "Comprehensive Promotion Project Utilizing Youth Energy."

For me, who always associated Hokkaido with Sapporo, this was my first visit to the Tokachi Plains. My destination, Toyokoro Town, is near Obihiro City with a population of about 3,000. It's characterized not only by fresh produce and dairy from vast farms but also, unusually for this area, by the seafood from Otsu Fishing Port. Unfortunately, I couldn't sample them this time, but they reportedly catch genuine shishamo (the common "shishamo" found in izakayas is actually imported from Norway and called "kapelin" – the sweetness of the flesh is incomparable!), kajika (though seen in Tokyo supermarkets lately, its liver paste is exquisite!), salmon migrating up the Tokachi River, and hoki clams. Above all, the climate, free from the rainy season, is superb. I entered the venue in high spirits and started talking around 8 PM, but something felt off. There was a faint, lingering sense of being an outsider. Especially the two people in the front row—they were clearly glaring at us... or so it felt...

After a few hours, we became quite friendly during the networking session, and I finally figured out why the atmosphere had been so tense. One reason was the long-awaited sunny day after continuous rain. They probably wanted to work a bit longer. Another was, "We've been through this before with some shady consultant's talk, wasting our time." Actually, I get this exact same criticism everywhere I go. "Mr. Yamada, you should drop 'Consultant' from your title. Lately, there are tons of consultants making money off regional revitalization by spouting nonsense locally. You'll get lumped in with them."

The Three Elements of Innovation

So, how do we stop it from being suspicious?

I believe the answer lies solely in both the consultant and the client treating it as their own personal matter and engaging seriously. If the consultant approaches it half-heartedly, it goes beyond shady and becomes outright unacceptable. That's no good. However, simply handing everything over to the consultant and stopping your own thinking is also no good. The result is the project failing, leading to the inevitable conclusion: "See, that consultant was shady after all..."

At Dentsu Inc., we list "going above and beyond" as one of the three elements for driving innovation. Both parties must firmly embrace this spirit. Hearing the voices of the people of Toyokoro Town has made me personally feel a renewed sense of urgency.

©Urashima Hisashi

So, what will become of this town's "Comprehensive Promotion Project Harnessing Youthful Energy"? Revitalizing a region is no easy task, but with the passion shared by everyone that evening, I truly believe something will come of it. While I'm not directly involved as a consultant on this project, I intend to keep a close eye on its progress.

Now then, next time I'll introduce a renowned highland restaurant you should definitely visit during your summer vacation.

Enjoy!