Mr. Hiroshi Osaki: "The Essence of Yoshimoto is 'Family-Like'; For the Next 100 Years" Part 3

[Part 3] A rolling stone gathers no moss

What only ordinary people can do—listen intently to the other person's voice

The entertainment business thrives on talented performers. Whether we nurture or squander that talent depends on the strength of our staff—from on-site managers to those of us in the back office.

I consider myself fortunate that Yoshimoto has always had a free-spirited corporate culture. As I mentioned before, it's like "every day is a cultural festival," so even when I pitched a whimsical idea to my boss, they'd say, "Why not give it a shot?"

When I was young and entrusted with running Osaka's "Shinsaibashi-suji 2-chome Theater," I was able to break Yoshimoto's traditional comedy mold and produce Downtown. That was all thanks to Yoshimoto's "free corporate culture." Later, when I was assigned to revive the struggling Yoshimoto Shinkigeki troupe, I could pull off something as bold as the "Shall We Quit Shinkigeki!?" campaign, declaring, "If we don't get 180,000 people to Umeda Hanatsuki within six months, we'll shut down Shinkigeki."

I'm not being modest here, but I didn't possess any unique creative genius myself. I'm the kind of guy who, when taking those talent assessment tests often found in women's magazines, invariably comes out as the "average" type. Not a genius, not a prodigy, but not completely devoid of talent either. Average. Moderate. Middle-of-the-road. Plain and ordinary...

Being that kind of person, what I always did was listen intently to the voices of other talents.

The people I talked to a lot back then were Sanma-kun, Shinsuke and Ryusuke, Norio and Yoshi, All Hanshin and Giants... all my generation. But they were each staking their lives as individual entrepreneurs, so their energy was naturally high. That's why they'd often bounce ideas off me: "Oosaki-san, I want to try this next. What do you think?" But I'm just an "ordinary" guy, so I couldn't exactly respond with some brilliant, sparkling words. So I'd just nod along, saying things like, "Sounds good, sounds good," or "Why not? Let's do it together."

I absolutely never say, "Well, even so..."

But usually, in a manager's position, the phrase "But still..." often slips out. If it were Sanma-kun, I'd say, "You started out as a rakugo apprentice, so why not do some rakugo once in a while?" Or to Shinsuke and Ryusuke, "You can't just mumble away like that. Manzai is all about the banter. You burst out from the wings and say, 'Hellooo, welcomeeeee~!' That's the way to do it."

But I tend not to overthink things and just say, "Oh, that's funny. Let's do it!" Performing at Shinsaibashi-suji 2-chome Theater alongside guys like Downtown's Matsumoto Hitoshi, Hamada Masatoshi, Imada Koji, Higashino Koji, Kimura Yuichi, and Itabashi Sōji—all just 18 or 19 back then—really drove home one thing: for talented people, having a place to showcase that talent is absolutely crucial. Creating that "space" was our mission. If they asked for a harisen here, we'd make one immediately. If they absolutely needed a top hat for a skit, we'd run out and buy one, even if it took an hour.

Having said "Let's do it," that's only natural, right? You absolutely can't say things like "Well, I don't know about that" or "I never heard that." Maybe you could call that the way "ordinary" people express their abilities. Talent management ultimately comes down to how closely you can walk alongside them. In my case, I think being "ordinary" created the foundation to accept their talents.

Diversity in talent is what creates the "interesting" of the new era.

This isn't limited to talent management. Any place where people gather—any organization—needs spaces where people's talents can be utilized. Gender, age, or educational background don't matter. Starting this spring, Yoshimoto has also created new graduate hiring slots for middle and high school graduates. This is because we believe that diversity in talent, not just among comedians but also among staff members, is the driving force behind creating the "interesting" of the new era. Recently, someone from HR mentioned, "We should probably extend the retirement age soon," and in terms of age diversity, I think that's a good thing too.

This year marks Yoshimoto's 101st anniversary. We now have 800 employees. With this much history and workforce size, you can't just have the president say "Alright, go for it!" on a whim. Creating an environment where every employee can contribute according to their role and talent is essential. That's why diversity in our workforce is beneficial.

I once heard that combining kindergartens or nurseries with nursing homes has benefits. Hearing children's playful voices from the morning gives the elderly energy to stay lively all day. Children, having grandparents nearby, naturally learn to respect the elderly. In other words, different generations provide each other with positive stimulation. That, above all, is a major benefit of diversity.

I believe the same applies to companies as organizations.

The wider the age range, the more opportunities each generation has to inspire one another. It's fine to have someone acting as mischievous as a child, and it's fine to have seasoned silver-haired members with their skills and wisdom. Even someone with only a middle school education can offer perspectives and ideas that a college graduate employee lacks. Organizations are made up of both highly talented individuals and those who aren't quite as gifted. I believe the ideal organization is one where, even if someone has less ability than others, there's a place prepared where they can utilize their abilities.

The greatest role of management is creating "spaces" for those with hidden talents.

Essentially, it's about whether the right place is prepared for the right person, tailored to diverse talents. A girl who's not the sharpest with paperwork but has outstanding charm works as a theater usher. Drawn in by her charm, a customer leaves and says, "That bit today was great." That voice reaches the girl, then the manager, then the performers. "Alright, let's keep doing this from tomorrow on," the performer thinks, gaining confidence. I believe this kind of collaboration and teamwork arises from placing diverse talents in the right roles.

Of course, it's also vital to give people who have their own ideas – "I want to do this," "I want to try that job" – a place to try it out. Especially in the entertainment business, I think creating that "space" for talent to unleash hidden abilities is crucial. Back when Downtown was just starting out, nobody said they were funny. But honestly, I thought they were funny, so I told them, "It's good, it's good." Talent is a strange thing; sometimes, if even one person says "It's funny," that can become their motivation and confidence.

As a general principle in the business world, I believe the primary role of management is to create opportunities for those with hidden talent. This holds true in the creative world as well. Only when such opportunities are created can diverse talents thrive.

To never change the essence, you must constantly change

I think it was around our 100th anniversary when I said something that sounded like a Zen koan: "To preserve Yoshimoto's essence, we must keep changing." I had absolutely no intention of creating a completely different Yoshimoto Kogyo after becoming president. The fundamental structure, the very essence of Yoshimoto built over time, is something I'm proud of. But at the same time, there are many points that must change to align with the trends of the times. That's what I meant.

A rolling stone gathers no moss. In other words, a stone can stubbornly remain just a stone. But if that stone becomes covered in moss, even a polished stone is ruined. Therefore, it must keep rolling constantly, shaking off the moss that easily clings to its surface.

So then, what is the true nature of that stone, the "essence of Yoshimoto"?

Thinking about this, the word that truly resonated with me was "familial." It's a cliché value, but there's no other word that captures the essence of Yoshimoto. For better or worse, it was precisely because it was "familial" that it has endured for 100 years despite some difficulties.

And when considering the next 100 years, having "family-like values" in the workplace is by no means a bad thing. In fact, one could say the times are calling for it. In other words, the crucial value Yoshimoto should continue to uphold is "family-like." I am convinced of this. To keep protecting this family-like organization, I believe the strategic areas where we must keep changing are "digital," "regional," and "Asia." (End)