Kazuo Inamori: People Lose Courage Because They Overprotect Themselves

Original

People lose courage because they overprotect themselves. Worrying about "whether I will be criticized, laughed at, or disliked," these mindsets reflect excessive self-protection. Not thinking too much about oneself, putting oneself on the line, and embracing the state of "not caring if others laugh or despise"—this embodies courage, or guts.

Sound judgment requires courage

Running a business is extremely difficult. Although it is difficult, we must not think of it as too daunting. It is said that great people tend to simplify difficult matters. Therefore, it is crucial for us to also view business operations simply. Additionally, having courage in the face of challenges is equally important; we must never act in a cowardly manner. This may seem trivial, but it is actually vital in corporate management.

Most people rely solely on their own efforts when starting a business, but as the business expands, relying on individual effort alone becomes completely insufficient. Thus, entrepreneurs begin to sincerely hope that their colleagues can become excellent managers.

One must have courage when facing challenges. The most intense combat sports, such as boxing, or other sports like rugby, require athletes to possess a burning fighting spirit and courage. Managers must possess a fighting spirit and courage comparable to those of athletes. Courage requires a certain physical foundation. For those who are naturally strong and bold, cultivating courage is not difficult. Those who are physically weak should strengthen their bodies through disciplines like karate to develop physical courage. As long as one has confidence in their body, they can strengthen their spirit. Even those who appear physically small can be strong if they are mentally powerful.

The Courage to Overcome Negative Factors

Courage is a vital factor for making judgments. When managing a business, if decisions are made based on principles and the criterion of "what is right," operations can proceed smoothly. However, due to various constraints, we often fail to use "principles" (that is, "what is right") as the basis for judgment.

For example, when acquiring land to build a factory, some may suggest, "Local customs here require preparing gifts and showing respect to that person." In such cases, we tend to abandon the benchmarks of "what is right?" and "what are the principles?" Instead, we try to satisfy others' conditions, avoid trouble and conflicts, and push things forward tactfully, mistakenly believing this approach constitutes true management. In reality, business judgments must be based on principles and what we personally believe is right.

But can we make judgments simply by having such benchmarks? That would oversimplify things, as many unforeseen conditions may arise. In such moments, courage is needed to uphold what is right in the right way. For instance: "Do not act unreasonably; do not bully the weak." Additionally, we must rely on principles to judge matters calmly. Doing so may invite disasters, threats, criticism, hostility, contempt, or mockery—even exclusion within the organization. Those who can accept all of this are those with true courage.

As long as we exercise such courage to make correct judgments, we can push things forward smoothly. Conversely, if we overemphasize negative factors and draw conclusions from them, we often complicate the situation and fall into an insoluble predicament. This stems from leaders' lack of courage. To make "excellent judgments that uphold principles," courage is indispensable. Indeed, those without courage cannot make correct judgments.

No Cowardly Behavior

When making decisions, if a leader lacks courage, avoids facing issues directly, hesitates, or acts out of fear, such weaknesses are immediately apparent. As a result, subordinates will quickly lose trust and think contemptuously: "So that's all he or she is capable of."

Moreover, such leaders' subordinates will neither strive desperately nor view cowardice as shameful. If a leader asks a subordinate, "Why didn't you hold your ground here?" the response might be, "Persistence would be foolish, there's no need to suffer like that." In other words, subordinates will normalize compromise.

Originally, we should teach subordinates: "Compromise should be a last resort, never arbitrary." But instead, subordinates treat compromise as a tactic for navigating social norms or interacting with others. Indeed, in worldly affairs, one cannot rely solely on reason; occasional compromise is inevitable. However, compromise must not become a habit, a nuance leaders often fail to convey clearly to subordinates.

Especially when leaders exhibit cowardly behavior, subordinates instantly detect it and lose respect for their superiors. They may even think, "So problems can be solved this way," and resort to opportunistic methods thereafter. That is, subordinates will rationalize: "Cowardly behavior isn't so bad. After all, if my boss, team leader, or even the company president lacks courage, why should I take unnecessary risks or bring on hardship?"

Knowledge, Insight, and Guts

"To expand a business, managers need various types of knowledge, but they must also possess insight." In other words, knowledge must be elevated to the level of insight.

So, what does elevating one's thinking to the level of insight entail? It means not just knowing something, but transforming it into a belief. Insight is knowledge transformed into conviction. Moreover, staying at the level of insight alone is insufficient; there is a higher level beyond.

As leaders (managers, for example), one must also possess guts, which combine courage and insight. In other words, knowledge elevated to the height of belief paired with courage constitutes guts. "He talks convincingly, but never acts on his words," such people are called empty talkers. However, if one can elevate the principles he or she advocates to the height of belief, he or she becomes a person of insight. If one can take one step further: "believing something should be done a certain way, elevating that belief to a conviction, and then implementing it," this is called guts. Those who can articulate their ideas and turn them into reality possess guts.

When knowledge is elevated to the height of belief, it enables one to distinguish right from wrong. This knowledge guides the analysis and judgment of matters. In other words, insight determines whether something is good or bad. But insight alone cannot drive implementation; this is where courage is needed to act, and that’s what we call ‘guts’ — the union of courage and insight.

People lose courage because they overprotect themselves. Worrying about "whether I will be criticized, laughed at, or disliked," these are all mindsets of excessive self-protection. Not thinking too much about oneself, putting oneself on the line, and embracing the state of "not caring if others laugh at or despise me"—this is courage, or guts.