Solving Young Employees' Problems! Hacking Large Corporations: "Techniques" Public Consultation Session -ONE JAPAN CONFERENCE 2021-

On October 31, 2021, the "ONE JAPAN CONFERENCE 2021" event was held online. This event brought together the practical community " ONE JAPAN," composed of volunteer groups within companies, primarily consisting of young and mid-career employees from large corporations.

Centered on the theme of "Transformation," we present a report on the "Hack the Big Company: Skill Consultation Session" led by ONE JAPAN members. This session was one of 16 talk sessions featuring top runners and experts from various fields, as well as challengers who have driven change within large corporations themselves.

The panelists included six "Tech Holders" who shared techniques for driving change in large corporations in ONE JAPAN's new book , Why Can't My Company Change? The Complete Guide to Hacking Large Corporations (Diamond Inc.), along with Professor Akiyoshi Iriyama of Waseda University Business School. Masahide Yoshida, who joined ONE JAPAN as part of Dentsu Inc. Youth Research Department, served as facilitator, addressing the real concerns of young professionals.

【Speakers】(Titles omitted)
・ Yasuhiro Ito / Japan Post Co., Ltd.
・ Yuka Terasaki / Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc.
・ Kozue Toyama / Toyo Seikan Group
・ Sumitsugu Nukata / Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings
・ Asuka Matsuba / NEC Corporation
・ Akiyoshi Iriyama / Professor, Waseda University Graduate School, Waseda University Business School
・ Masahide Yoshida / Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Business Design Square / Dentsu Youth Research Department

 

A Book with the Hidden Theme of "Defeat Professor Iriyama"

At the session's outset, Mr. Yoshida confessed that the underlying theme of their newly published book, The Complete Guide to Hacking Large Corporations, was "Defeat Professor Iriyama."

"We're not academics, so we can't write scholarly business books. When we pondered our raison d'être, it ultimately boiled down to 'practicing in the field.' We got really excited about writing a book that Professor Iriyama couldn't write, by sticking strictly to practical knowledge (laughs)," said Yoshida.

In response, Professor Iriyama remarked, "I think it's fantastic. My job is to abstract the various things happening on the ground, but you all live in the concrete world. It's wonderful that you've gathered this real, gritty know-how born from that. If I could be greedy, I'd hope this book doesn't just end as something to read. I'd love for people to gather with the book in hand, share the 'ultra-real stories' that couldn't even be written in this book, and discuss them (laughs)."

Now, onto the main session. This time, we gathered concerns in advance from young working employees and had ONE JAPAN members and Professor Iriyama offer solutions.

CASE01: The "Grass Always Looks Greener" Syndrome

Q.1
Hearing about other companies at my university alumni gathering made me envious. I can't help comparing it to my own work environment and feeling a bit sad.
 
Even though I chose this company, I don't think I can always feel this way. Please teach me techniques to refocus on the positive aspects of my current environment.
(2020 graduate, 1st company, large corporation)

This is the classic "the grass is always greener" feeling. It's not unique to large corporations; many people have felt this way. Mr. Terasaki from Tokio Marine Holdings was the first to respond to this concern. Prefacing his answer by saying, "The mindset of re-examining the wonderful aspects of your current job is admirable," he continued, "I think it's important to know everything about your job, including the parts that aren't wonderful. You don't need to force yourself to find the wonderful parts. A good place to start might be to approach someone you trust in your current environment and ask them about it openly."

Mr. Ito of Japan Post shared his perspective: "Even now, I sometimes see the grass on the other side as incredibly green. That said, I think it's important to go and check if it really is green. ONE JAPAN was a perfect opportunity for this. When I talked to people from other companies whose grass seemed green, I often realized, 'Oh, it turns out your situation is surprisingly similar to ours.'"

Mr. Matsuba from NEC also noted, "Since the grass always seems greener on the other side for everyone, talking more with that friend might actually help you see the wonderful aspects of your own company."

CASE02: The "Run It Past the Boss" Syndrome

Q.2
I often hear, "Speak through your chain of command." Essentially, it seems to mean that when interacting with other departments, you must go through your superiors to avoid confusion and follow proper procedures. But it's unclear to me.
 
I want to know the secret trick to building lateral connections within the company without causing too much trouble or dealing with troublesome superiors.
(2018 graduate, 1st company, public institution)

This is a common concern about the "silo mentality" found in large organizations. Mr. Nukata of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings advises from past experience: "Reflecting on my own past, if you can't even get past your supervisor, it might be worth considering if there's something wrong with your approach. Try identifying the bottleneck issue."

Mr. Toyama of Toyo Seikan Group also stated, "I understand because I've been scolded plenty myself. If your actions are causing confusion not just for your boss but also for other departments or external partners, you should be careful. But if that's not the case, I think you should go ahead and do it openly, whether it's horizontally or diagonally."

Professor Iriyama emphasized the importance of maintaining good relationships with superiors. However, he noted concerns about phrases like "causing confusion" or "avoiding too much disruption." He argued, "Innovation can't happen in an organization where no waves are made, and disruption is inherent in the process of change. In fact, I'd like people to live their lives making 'one wave a day' (laughs)," highlighting the value of creating some disruption.

CASE03: The "Isolation Within the Organization" Syndrome

Q.3
I inevitably end up competing with my peers and colleagues. I find myself vying with them, viewing them as rivals, or reluctant to share insights and resources. As a result, I've become a lone wolf.
 
I'd appreciate any tips on how to interact with colleagues in a more open-minded way starting tomorrow, even with my personality.
(2019 graduate, 1st company, venture firm)

This time, the advice might be coming from someone who tends to stir up trouble. Mr. Terasaki commented, "Your mindset itself is wonderful, but competing with peers and colleagues isn't particularly meaningful. When you interact with top-tier individuals within the organization—the ones called 'aces'—you won't feel competitive or see them as enemies. Instead, you'll genuinely want to work with them and learn from them. Shifting your focus toward reaching that level would be even better."

Mr. Toyama also advised, "Pride and rivalry are important, but limiting your competition to peers and colleagues feels a bit narrow. Expanding that scope while staying true to yourself should be fine." Mr. Nukata suggested a technique for engaging with people more open-mindedly: "Since you likely have strong assertiveness, simply focusing on increasing how much you listen might make a difference."

CASE04: The "Slow" Disease

Q.4
I recently realized our company has a culture that spends an enormous amount of time and effort on internal approvals. Before I know it, competitors have already beaten us to the punch.
 
Honestly, I think our superiors and decision-making methods are largely to blame, but I'd like to know if there's anything "I myself can do."
(2015 graduate, 2nd company, large corporation)

Next is the pattern where organizational decision-making is slow, allowing competitors to get ahead. Mr. Ito's solution to this concern is: "Target the right-hand person or key influencer of the decision-maker." "In many cases, 'who says it' is just as important, if not more so, than 'what is said'. For example, during a presentation to a decision-maker, simply having other executives or department heads offer positive interjections can sometimes make things progress smoothly," said Mr. Ito. Professor Iriyama nodded in agreement, stating, "Indeed, when trying to move something big, getting buy-in from higher-ups is often the most direct route."

CASE05: The "No Like-Minded Colleagues" Syndrome

Q.5
Out of about 30 peers, I feel only about 3 have clear goals or a sense of urgency. I think active collaboration could happen if that number grew to about 30% of the group. How do you think we can increase that number going forward?

Finally, a concern from a session participant: How do you all go about increasing the number of allies needed to drive change?

Mr. Toyama argues, "First off, you don't need to gather 30%. There's no necessity to stick only with your peers. And above all, having just three allies is incredibly lucky. Three people can accomplish a lot, so why not start with just the three of you?" Professor Iriyama added, "Personally, I'm the type who just goes for it alone. But since many companies lack a sense of urgency, I recommend creating videos that heighten that sense of crisis. Use graphs and visuals to show a future where the market shrinks. It's crucial for management to feel the same sense of urgency as the frontline staff."

Large corporations can drive greater innovation than startups

Summarizing the talk session's significance of hacking large corporations in today's era, Professor Iriyama stated:

"I believe the best state for both companies and society is when employees feel, 'I'm doing this work because I'm here at this company.' They could leave anytime, but they stay because the company's resources are crucial for building the future they want, and they resonate with its vision. People with that mindset can keep hacking the company, even if it means stirring things up. And if more people like that emerge, large corporations—with their abundant resources—can drive innovations with greater impact than startups." (Professor Iriyama)

Mr. Yoshida concluded the talk session by stating, "Changing large corporations isn't even the goal itself, but a means to an end. Reading the chapters by you and the other skill holders featured in this book, I realized that beyond that, there are dreams you want to achieve and social issues you want to solve. You're using large corporations as the optimal means to realize those goals. Let's all make sure to stir up a little trouble every day."

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The Ultimate Guide to Hacking Large Corporations: For When You're Frustrated That Your Company Won't Change! Now on sale! Details here

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