The Art of "Stepping Outside the Lines": Expanding Exciting Possibilities Both Inside and Outside Large Corporations

This series explores new "possibilities for large corporations" through dialogues on themes related to corporate transformation. It examines "the potential of large corporations and the techniques to realize it" by interviewing individuals challenging transformation within companies affiliated with ONE JAPAN, a voluntary organization.

*ONE JAPAN: A practical community gathering corporate volunteer groups centered around young and mid-career employees from large corporations

This time's guests are Nobutake Sato from Prime Assistance (headquartered at Sompo Japan Insurance) and Kenta Iwata from Tokyu Corporation. Masahide Yoshida, representing the Dentsu Inc. Youth Research Department and a member of ONE JAPAN, interviewed these two individuals. While belonging to large corporations, they have expanded their activities beyond their companies based on "interesting things" and "things they want to do," enriching both their work and lives. They discussed the value and potential of crossing boundaries.

Acting on "What Seems Interesting" First, Not Calculated Gain or Obligation

Yoshida: Today, I'd like to discuss the theme of "diversity within oneself" – how stepping slightly outside the box while working at a major corporation can benefit both your main job and your life. First, could you both tell us how you've stepped outside the box?

Sato: I moved from a major IT vendor to Sompo Japan Insurance. After working in IT and corporate planning, I'm now seconded to a group company handling new business development. In terms of crossing boundaries, besides joining ONE JAPAN, I've launched an internal volunteer group, partnered with Work Design Lab to support regional businesses, and—driven by my love for potatoes —served as an ambassador for the Japan Fried Potato Association. Lately, I've been learning coaching to hold 1-on-1 meetings with external parties, trying my hand at a YouTube channel, and supporting startup business development—basically, I keep stepping outside my comfort zone for anything that interests me (laughs).

Iwata: I joined Tokyu Corporation right after graduation and worked in HR, focusing on work-style reform and talent development. My encounter with ONE JAPAN during that time was inspiring, leading me to also get involved in new business development using the company's intrapreneurship program. For external activities, since 2021, I've been hired as a side-hustle talent by Shibuya Ward and have been working alongside them. I'm also interested in community building and town development, so I participate in Aoyama Gakuin University's Workshop Designer Training Program and live at and help run SHIMOKITA COLLEGE, a residential educational facility.

Yoshida: Thank you. I find both of your approaches to "stepping outside the box" very interesting. Where do you find the inspiration for these activities?

Iwata: For me, it often starts with information shared by people I meet. The Aoyama Gakuin program, for example, began because a ONE JAPAN member was taking it and it sounded interesting. I think it stems from information gained within existing communities that then expands.

Sato: For me too, it's often catching information shared by people I've met or being invited to participate. It's like a snowball effect expanding from existing communities and connections, right?

Yoshida: I see. While many people share your desire to join communities that interest them, I imagine quite a few hesitate, thinking, "What if I fail?" Amidst all the information and people you encounter, you constantly have to decide whether to jump in or not. How do you manage your own actions?

Sato: Whether it seems interesting is a major deciding factor for me. If it looks fun, I dive right in. If I try it and it's not for me, I can always back out.

Iwata: I also take the stance of trying things if they seem interesting. You rarely get 100% certainty from the start. So, if I'm intrigued, I take the first step. If I get about 60-70% certainty there, I take the second step. That's how I gradually dive deeper. Since it's through connections with people I know, the level of interest is already pretty high, I feel.

Sato: That's definitely true. I do feel like information and people that appeal to me tend to gather here (laughs).

Yoshida: You mentioned the snowball effect earlier. Rather than suddenly diving into a place with no connections, it's more like expanding the community through a chain reaction. That might be why there's little risk of major failure from the start.

When you have your own perspective on "how to find things interesting," everything connects.

Yoshida: "Whether it's interesting or not" feels like the ultimate answer. But when I talk to young people in their first year of work for youth research, they sometimes express frustration: "I don't even know what I find interesting in the first place." What is interesting for you two?

Sato: First, I think it's interesting when you have some personal purpose, and that purpose aligns with the community's goals. For me, I love French fries and want to share their appeal, so I find the activities of the Japan French Fry Association enjoyable. Another pattern is feeling it's interesting because of the specific members involved. Like, "This person seems fun to be with," or "I'd like to discuss a certain theme with this person."

Yoshida: So, it doesn't necessarily have to be "theme first," right?

Iwata: Who you do it with is important, right? Also, I think imagination is crucial. This has two meanings: "associative thinking" and "imagination for the future." Regarding associative thinking, if you have something you like or are good at, the breadth of what you find interesting changes depending on how much you can associate and connect that to other things. Imagination for the future means thinking along the axis of whether it connects to your ideal future or vision. In my case, I was interested in themes like community building and lifestyle. When I imagined things connected to that axis, all sorts of things in the world started seeming interesting.

Yoshida: So having a strong life theme changes how you access different things, right? Now that you mention it, since my life theme is understanding people and psychological insight, I definitely tend to connect things back to that theme whether I'm watching a movie or talking to someone (laughs).

Iwata: Changing your perspective really does transform how you see things, doesn't it?

Yoshida: That's right. Maybe "perspective" is a closer expression than "theme." When you have your own "perspective for finding things interesting," things that were just single points start connecting to other points.

Defining "It was worth doing" in a long-term, multifaceted way

Yoshida: Listening to both of you, I wondered if you might not be thinking in terms of "main work vs. other things" or "main vs. side." How do you feel about that distinction?

Iwata: Exactly. I feel the distinctions between each activity are blurring. Of course, some activities are my main source of income, so I balance them, but depending on the situation, I might allocate the most resources to activities that don't generate income.

Sato: I think the "must-do" mindset leads to that "main work vs. everything else" thinking. But when everything is a "want"—when you're doing things because you want to—even obligatory tasks can be approached with enjoyment. Plus, you can apply insights gained from one area to another. Looking at it that way, maybe resource allocation is determined by where your interests lie.

Yoshida: I see. I think both of you have a sense that your current activities connect to something in the future. You seem to view that timeline as long-term, not something you'd only do if there were immediate returns. Don't you often get asked, "What are you aiming for?" (laughs)? I suspect that question stems from the idea that all activities should be a means to a specific end. But I feel like your understanding of "meaning" or "reward" is more layered—you define "it was worth doing" in multifaceted ways, right?

Iwata: That's right. For example, we're currently planning to build a new share house. We don't necessarily envision creating a specific town or community in the future. It just happened to be a time when we needed to move, so we thought, "Why not build a house we'd actually want to live in?" Honestly, we don't see a clear future yet, but we can glimpse a somewhat enjoyable future ahead, so we're heading in that direction.

Sato: When you define yourself within an organization, you tend to think about climbing the ladder or setting goals based on the organization's existence. But fundamentally, it should start with individuals possessing their own will. Those individuals connect to form teams, which then become organizations. Incidentally, my motto is "Party Your Life." The word "party" carries two meanings for me: "enjoyment" and "team." So, when people are happy, new relationships form, or I get fresh inspiration, that's when I feel, "I'm glad I did that."

Iwata: That's wonderful. Just as everyone enjoys parties in their own way, work and life shouldn't be bound by a single ideal of how things "should" be, right?

What is the value of cross-border talent for large corporations?

Yoshida: Conversely, from the corporate side, there's often an excessive fear that allowing individuals to enjoy things their own way will disrupt discipline. Unfortunately, this can lead to cases where people who deviate from the majority's established path are excluded. But when considering the future of large corporations and how companies engage with society, I'd like to ask you both directly: what kind of potential do individuals like yourselves bring to a company?

Iwata: I think having people who face different directions within an organization, rather than everyone facing the same way, holds value as part of a portfolio. While such individuals sometimes leave due to cultural mismatches, retaining people with values distinct from the majority can enrich the talent portfolio and further expand a company's possibilities. From a Diversity & Inclusion perspective, embracing diversity and individuality is crucial for companies. I hope we can become a model case for that.

Sato: Precisely, we're entering a world of diversity and inclusion. To create something new, you need experiences from the outside world, experiences different from others. Those who cross boundaries have experienced this firsthand, and I believe they can achieve true inclusion. We're in a transitional phase now, so friction is inevitable, but I think those who cross boundaries will be valued later.

Yoshida: I think we're shifting from an era where performance grew simply by spinning things at high speed without deliberately creating friction, to one where we must increase the friction coefficient to spark new initiatives. In that sense, cross-border talent who can induce healthy friction within an organization seem poised to play a vital role.

One last question: Why did you both choose your current work-life style within the environment of a large corporation? I imagine you're sometimes asked, "Why not go to a more agile startup or become independent?"

Iwata: I believe there are things only large corporations can accomplish. Projects like building a new town or transforming Shibuya's physical infrastructure on such a massive scale are impossible for individuals. They require the functions, track record, and trust that large corporations possess. As long as there are things I want to achieve within a large corporation, I see value in staying there. However, I also feel there's no need to remain solely within a large corporation, as there are personal ideals that can't be realized within that environment alone.

Sato: I think large corporations have their own essential role. Society functions partly because of the businesses large corporations have successfully built. And because large corporations support the current infrastructure, new companies can emerge to challenge the status quo, which helps invigorate society. Having spent a long time within a large corporation, I feel strongly about wanting to improve that very foundation.

Iwata: Indeed, precisely because the achievements and power of large corporations have created the core foundations of society, there may be a desire to upgrade that very foundation.

Yoshida: Seeing people like you two practice this kind of "non-conformity" within large corporations offers significant hope to job seekers anxious about working for big companies and to young employees feeling stifled within them. Thank you both for today!