Japan’s Unexpected Gateway to Europe

Cris Vlad met with Talent & Engagement Partner Hideki Ishida of IBM Japan to discuss how innovation occurs at his company.

CV: Ishida-san, I’ve known and have had the pleasure of working with you for about three years. You have always inspired me as one of the most innovative and energetic people I have ever met. Where do you get your inspiration?

HI: Everywhere! Everywhere I go, every single client I meet inspires me to think differently and try to come up with a new solution, a new way of doing things, which redefines reality and benefits everyone involved. When I started my career, I was always impressed by my grandfather, Tatsuhiko Ichihashi, who wrote a book named “Guys who know how to put up a festival also know how to grow a business” (「祭り」をつくれる男が企業を伸ばす). The book was published in 1984, but it still is so relevant and real.

Good businesses are fun, dynamic, engaging and inspiring. They are run by people full of life, people with vision and commitment, people with an unwavering love for life, customers, employees, stakeholders and society. Such people are the most valuable asset of any smart business and they know how to create meaningful opportunities when everyone else sees only roadblocks and impediments.

CV: So, to your mind, business is something like a show or a big event?

HI: Fun businesses are really big events and smart businesspeople are also “event-makers.” [As Shakespeare used to say,] “All the world’s a stage…” right? Knowing what and whom to have on the stage at the right time and being able to skillfully coordinate awe and excitement leads to the ultimate production of a great show. Businesses which do not awe, which do not inspire their customers and employees, end up being pure transactions—transactions which might be good to have, but that no one really believes in. Innovation does not really happen there.

CV: So, where does innovation happen?

HI: Innovation happens where people are genuinely happy and proud. Happy with the environment, with the structure and the organizations they belong to, proud with the brands they work for and represent, proud of their own creation. This simple truth seems to have gone into oblivion in our rush for mass production and mass consumption. This is a great time, I believe, for a lot of businesses to look deep inside, to rediscover and maybe redefine their identity and, while doing so, make every single effort to bring fun back to life.

CV: That is so true—being seen as having fun, truly enjoying your job, seems to have recently become a bit of a taboo. Enjoying your job seems to be an indication to many that you are not working hard enough, that you are not serious or fully dedicated to your work.

HI: That’s exactly what people who are not really serious or fully dedicated to work themselves may think. Being results-driven doesn’t mean that you have to frown, yell, create tons of powerpoint presentations or cry in front of a computer. Personally, I believe that smart business people are those who spend as much time as possible where their business takes place, where their clients are and where pain points are waiting to be solved. That is where true value creation is. Smart business people in 2018, to my mind, are focused on always creating new realities, always transforming the current state of affairs. They are striving to recreate, to innovate and to develop new, higher standards. They are mobile, agile and they work everywhere. They do not need a certain number of office walls, ceilings or floors to define their creativity. They create value everywhere they go and they are appreciated for their commitment to innovation.

CV: It obviously takes a lot of courage to do that.

HI: Of course it does. Most of all, it takes the courage to be different. In our rush for growth and obsession with standardization, just-in-time production and conformity, many of us have simply forgotten to be human. Children have been raised to obey, to conform, to study exactly the same textbooks as everyone else in order to pass standard exams and aim to join big-name organizations. Many adults too have grown to think that being different is dangerous. But, is it really? What is the real danger? I personally see diversity as a core competency for innovation, for growth and meaningful transformation. Groupism is something of the past. It is something reminiscent of the just-in-time mass manufacturing days. Humanity today has evolved and our societies have become much more inclusive than we are ready to admit.

Businesses need innovation and people need inspiration. We need to learn how to best tap into our diverse pool of talent in order to bring about meaningful innovation and growth.

CV: How can we do that?

HI: Collaboration, collaboration and collaboration once again. For example, our collaboration with BMW to produce the first IoT empowered car in the world. In every smart business, collaboration is the sweet spot in employee engagement and customer centricity. Modern organizations raise talent who know how to create ecosystems of collaboration and co-creation, both internally and externally. Knowing how and having the courage to reach out to those who can help create new and meaningful realities is already mandatory for the modern business person. Sitting inside an office and waiting to be told what to do simply does not work any longer.

CV: Are there any practices you would recommend for modern business creation?

HI: There are many, as you know well. Design Thinking, for example, is one of them. Design Thinking the art of constant innovation through timely and interactive customer engagement. It may even be the hinge on which a product thrives or dies. Constantly reaching out to customers and engaging them in product and service development is what many companies are doing today. Our customers love to be involved in the process of creation and they are readier than ever to offer candid contributions. We cannot talk about customer engagement without having the customer at the very center of everything we do. This is what real customer centricity is all about. Offering our customers an opportunity to co-create, to be part of the development of a certain product or service is all it takes to turn them into ardent ambassadors of that product or service. This redefines everything we do—it redefines customer engagement, it redefines marketing, it redefines sales.

CV: … and how can we determine our talent to start thinking and acting that way?

HI: Many people are already doing this, Cristian. Many organizations are already working hard on bringing fun back to business, while clearing away HP tedium. In order to create an ultimate employee experience, they employ advanced ontological design, creating spaces conducive to creativity and innovation. Many businesses are already investing in developing sustainable innovation cultures, environments where everyone feels safe, welcome and included. Psychological safety is an absolute must in our rapidly changing workplace. Smart organizations develop and communicate their Employee Value Propositions, just as much as they communicate their Customer Value Propositions. We know that our employees are those who create and deliver ultimate value to our customers, therefore we make every single effort to engage them and to create healthy and agile working environments.

CV: Ishida-san, one last question: how do you stay up to date with so many things on your plate?

HI: I read—a lot. I read everything I can lay my hands on. I am especially inspired by the Monocle magazine and their podcast programs. I am also constantly inspired by technology. Things which we used to dream of are rapidly becoming part of our reality. Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, IoT, AI, Big Data, Cognitive – to name just a few. Smart and savvy businesses all over the world already carry out their international meetings in virtual reality – no more tedious phone calls, Webex meetings or any other kind rigid communications. The business world is becoming so dynamic and professional teams are adopting agile practices. The boring business world as we know it is rapidly becoming a matter of the past. Modern organizations are engaging their talent through a variety of new digital solutions, intelligent applications and interactive platforms of communications. At IBM, we are working closely with our clients to bring fun back into every single business operation. In our Talent & Engagement practice, we constantly encourage our clients to embrace modern technology and to develop professionals capable of mastering and enjoying these technologies in order to create value for their customers, employees and society in a dynamic manner.

CV: Thank you, Ishida-san. I can already anticipate a lot more fun coming our way!

Hideki Ishida

Partner / Talent & Engagement; Cognitive Process Transformation / Cognitive Process Re-engineering & Service; IBM Japan Ltd.

Hideki is leading HR Transformation Practice at IBM Japan. He specializes in people-related transformation practice with over 16 years of experience providing consulting services. His expertise area is HR strategy and transformation, such as Global Talent Management including Succession Planning, HR Systems and Programs Redesign, HR business process Re-Engineering, HRIS Design and Implementation, Shared Service Centre Design and Launch Support, BPO Advisory and transition support, Learning & Development Design (including e-Learning), Executive Program development and Facilitation, Change Management and HR compliance risk assessment. Prior to joining IBM, Hideki led HR Transformation practice at PwC for over 5 years. In addition, he led HR Transformation practice at Deloitte for 2 years. He focused on building HR Delivery Model for more contribution to real business leveraging Mobile, Social and Cloud practices in line with CAMSS strategy. Recently, he has been supporting global clients with their innovation and business transformation efforts within the region and overseas.

Cristian Vlad

GLOBIS Partner Faculty; IBM Global Business Services, Talent & Engagement Associate Partner; President & CEO, JCE Japan Creative Enterprise

A seasoned veteran of business transformation, organizational development and innovation initiatives, both in terms of product and organizational innovation, Cristian Vlad is the President and CEO of JCE Japan Creative Enterprise, a young and dynamic agency which helps corporate teams transform their business and manage their talent. Cristian has been advising global clients on the role of diversity, human capital, creativity and corporate communications as strategic business drivers to foster innovation and stimulate business growth. He has been recognized by both multinational corporations and emerging enterprises as a thought leader in the areas of business strategy, relationship management, organizational development and architecture, leadership, social media, collaborative environments, people operations, transformation and business model innovation. In parallel, Cristian is an IBM Global Business Services consultant, advising corporate clients on Talent and Organizational Transformation projects. Prior to his current role, Cristian was project manager at Toyota Motor Corporation, where he led a team of advanced product development professionals within the Corporate Value Creation Department. He also consulted on numerous organizational changes, corporate rebranding and transformation projects globally, in a wide rage of industries. Cristian holds an MA in International Relations from Hirosaki University and a dual BA in Communications and Foreign Language Education from the University of Bucharest. Cristian currently resides in Fukuoka, Hong Kong and San Francisco.