The new service "Indwelling Creators" begins.

To solve the frustration of "Even with cutting-edge tools and external experts, innovation just doesn't seem to progress..." we are pleased to introduce our new service: "Indwelling Creators."

We'll explain "Indwelling" in more detail another time, but its meaning is "to reside within." Literally, experienced Dentsu Inc. creators reside within the client's premises for contracted hours, aiming to activate the creativity of organizational members and foster a culture where innovation occurs spontaneously and sustainably.

Today, let's discuss how Indwelling Creators views "What is an organization?" and "What drives an organization?"

At Indwelling Creators, we view an "organization" not as an "information processing device," but as a "knowledge-creating ecosystem." And we believe the "driving force behind an organization" lies not in "correct instructions," but in "dialogue." You might be thinking, "Hmm, well, that makes sense..." But this is very important, so please bear with me a little longer.

For example, you might hear stories where a company mobilizes many members, from the president down to the front lines, and everyone agrees on a "purpose." Yet, they struggle because this purpose doesn't permeate the organization, and ultimately, no real change happens. At Indwelling Creators, we believe the root cause lies in a certain "view of organizations." This view assumes that if you give the "correct instruction" – the "purpose" – the organization, as an "information processing device," will automatically function correctly.

A "correct" directive that faces no opposition is only "correct" because it stays within the confines of conventional wisdom that binds everyone. Naturally, no matter how faithfully it's executed, it won't spark innovation that breaks those conventions.

What's needed here is "dialogue." "New value" emerges from the intense conflict (dialogue) between two seemingly incompatible values. It requires a dynamic, back-and-forth process of relentless thinking—not choosing one over the other, but figuring out how to make both coexist.

In the context of "purpose" mentioned earlier, it is only when a gap exists between the "realistic idealism" proclaimed by management and the "reality on the ground" that a ripple of change emerges within the organization, sparking intense conflict. It is from this back-and-forth struggle between the two that "new value" is born.

The emphasis on "dialogue" stems from a view of the organization as a "knowledge-creating ecosystem." Because we see each member not as a rational component but as a unique creator-in-training, we deliberately present contradictions rather than giving "correct instructions," aiming to overcome them together.

In fact, it seems many people are unconsciously trapped by the shackles of "information processing devices" and "correct instructions." Liberating them from this is the role of Indwelling Creators.

This initiative is fundamentally based on Professor Ikujiro Nonaka's management philosophy. For instance, the emphasis on "dialogue" centered around middle management, rather than one-way top-down or bottom-up approaches, stems from the "Middle-Up-Down" theory.

Indwelling Creators aims to unleash each member's individuality and achieve innovation that is uniquely "true to the organization." While we already have some achievements, this project is still in its early stages. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.

【Contact Us Here】
opeq78@dentsu.co.jp, Contact: Yamada

By the way, every year around this time in this column, I talk about our family's osechi dishes.

This year, we finished making it amidst much commotion, but the simmered vegetables are always tricky. We cook taro, Kyoto carrots, lotus root, udo, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, snow peas, ginkgo nuts, and fresh wheat gluten separately in different pots with different seasonings, but usually something isn't quite right. I suppose it's because I don't "communicate" enough with each ingredient. Maybe that's the decisive difference between professionals and amateurs...

Please, help yourself!

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