To instill a company's "purpose" in employees. What role does the philosophical dialogue approach play? (Part 1)

In recent years, an increasing number of companies have been formulating their "purpose" as their raison d'être. Purpose lies at the foundation of elements like "vision," which represents an ideal future state, and "mission," which defines a social responsibility. Establishing this purpose contributes to enhancing corporate value and motivating employees.

Against this backdrop, in March 2023, Yosuke Horikoshi,a Specially Appointed Researcher at the Kamihiro Chair for Symbiosis at the University of Tokyo's Center for International Philosophy of Symbiosis (UTCP) , and Dentsu Inc. jointly launched the "My Purpose Development Program," which utilizes "philosophical dialogue."

This time, we interviewed Yosuke Horikoshi from the University of Tokyo, a practitioner of philosophical dialogue, and Naota Nakamachi from Dentsu Inc., who developed the program. In Part 1, we introduce the background behind the program's launch and an overview of the service.

The Meeting of a Researcher Practicing Philosophical Dialogue and a Corporate Branding Expert

Q. Increasingly, companies are not only setting corporate-level purposes but also beginning to focus on establishing employees' "My Purpose." How this My Purpose development connects with philosophy is a very intriguing point. First, could you tell us about the activities you've been involved in, Mr. Horikoshi, and why you, Mr. Nakamachi from Dentsu Inc., encountered philosophy?

Horikoshi: The UTCP, where I belong, isn't just about philosophical research. It brings together researchers focused on themes like social practice, under the principle of "philosophy open to the public." The "philosophical dialogue" I work on is a method where participants deepen their thinking by speaking in their own words, based on their own experiences, and posing questions to each other. Initially, it was mainly practiced in educational institutions like schools, but in recent years, opportunities to practice it in companies have increased as part of "philosophical consulting."

Nakamachi: My specialty, in a nutshell, is corporate branding. I consult on enhancing corporate value by formulating a company's vision, mission, and purpose, and then determining how to instill that purpose within the workforce. I also advise on how to brand the company externally.

In recent years, purpose has become critically important for companies, leading many to actively develop their own. However, a significant challenge has emerged: companies that have established a purpose often struggle to embed it among employees and to translate that purpose into action. Furthermore, recent trends demand that employees not merely follow directives from above but act proactively and autonomously on the front lines. Therefore, it's not enough for a company to simply declare its purpose; employees must internalize it as their "personal purpose." These challenges tend to be more pronounced in large corporations with many employees.

Out of personal interest, I had been participating in Mr. Horikoshi's philosophy dialogue workshops for about five years. Initially, I started participating to broaden my own knowledge. However, while grappling daily with corporate purpose-related challenges, I came to realize that Mr. Horikoshi's philosophy dialogue could be a highly effective method.

Coincidentally, around that time, I received the Gold Prize in the Japan Advertising Association (JAAA) essay contest in March 2022. After Mr. Horikoshi read my winning paper, we thought about what we could concretely collaborate on together, and that's how this program development began.

Q. Many readers might imagine that philosophy researchers are primarily interested in philosophy itself, such as the pursuit of truth. Were you, Mr. Horikoshi, originally interested in the practical application of philosophy to society?

Horikoshi: In my case, I was interested in both social practice and the exploration of philosophy itself. I've been engaged in philosophical dialogue since my undergraduate days and continued my philosophical research through my doctoral studies. That said, within my research, philosophical dialogue was positioned as a sub-theme. However, in recent years, a trend has emerged in Japanese society to incorporate philosophical dialogue into education and business settings. This shift also prompted me to transition the main focus of my research toward social practice through philosophical dialogue.

A customizable program centered on philosophical dialogue, tailored to specific objectives

Q. Professor Horikoshi, you already have extensive experience consulting for educational institutions and companies. What specific programs can you offer client companies through this "My Purpose Formulation Program"?

Nakamachi: This program provides training and workshops to help each employee formulate their "My Purpose" – the meaning of their work within the company – based on the corporate purpose. The goal is to create an environment where employees take ownership of the company's purpose and engage with it proactively and autonomously. We may be involved in supporting the process from management to the front lines, or we may provide training and facilitation support to enable the front lines to run independently.

Examples of specific programs we offer include:

・Conducting study sessions on the business applications of philosophical thinking and philosophical dialogue
・Planning and facilitating workshops utilizing philosophical dialogue
・Facilitation training for philosophical dialogue
・Development of facilitation manuals, e-learning programs, and worksheets for personal purpose formulation
・Development of integrated internal communication initiatives centered on purpose-driven initiatives, including content for company-wide dissemination, recognition programs, and tiered training

Of course, the scale and approach can be flexibly customized based on the client company's needs. For large organizations with many employees, providing the thinking process through methods like e-learning can be effective for widespread adoption. Also, since many companies now conduct one-on-one interviews, we sometimes incorporate purpose-related dialogue and personal purpose development into these interviews between middle managers and frontline employees.

Horikoshi: An example of the philosophical dialogue approach is illustrated in the diagram below. In philosophical dialogue, we thoroughly re-examine words, concepts, and ways of thinking that are often left ambiguous.

Q. Could you elaborate a bit more on why philosophical dialogue is effective for embedding corporate purpose and developing personal purpose?

Horikoshi: I believe corporate purpose is inherently difficult for employees to internalize. Since it's established within the company's larger framework, employees often struggle to truly make it their own just by seeing or reading it. By asking, "How do you interpret it?", it sparks the realization: "It's okay to interpret the company's purpose from my own perspective." That's where the permeation of purpose begins.

When deciding whether to actively engage with something, people place great importance on whether there is room or space for them to participate. It's okay to add your own interpretation to the purpose, to put it into your own words, or to raise questions if you have them. By creating such an environment through philosophical dialogue, we can foster a sense of belonging to the organization, a sense of participation, and an understanding of the purpose.

There is meaning in articulating thoughts about things we haven't actively considered before, including the act of posing questions. Questions like "What is the social value of work?" or "What does it mean to work?" can leave us feeling unsettled when we actually try to answer them, even if we thought we understood. Doubts might arise about things we took for granted, like "Isn't this wrong?" Philosophical dialogue uses this very unease as its driving force. This approach is also applicable to formulating personal purpose. By considering what one should do in relation to the organization's purpose, one's personal purpose emerges. This is the significance and novelty of using philosophical dialogue.

We've seen that a company's purpose isn't just about defining it; its value truly shines through when it permeates the workforce and is put into action. For this, the method of philosophical dialogue plays a significant role. In the second part, we'll explore how this program transforms branding and discuss future prospects for utilizing philosophical dialogue.

• To instill corporate "purpose" in employees: What role does the philosophical dialogue approach play? (Part 2)