In-depth interpretation of Kazuo Inamori's "12 Management Principles" to help you break through the bottleneck of enterprise management

Kazuo Inamori's 12 business management principles: Each one is the cornerstone of success

What we are going to talk about today is Mr. Inamori Kazuo's proposal on business management.12 PrinciplesThe legendary entrepreneur led two Fortune 500 companies, Kyocera and KDDI, to global success, and he also helped Japan Airlines recover successfully through these 12 principles.

So what are these principles? What is the underlying meaning behind them? Let me take you through them one by one.

Clarify the meaning of your career

Have you ever asked yourself, what is the meaning of your career? It is not simply to make money, but whether you are creating real value for customers, employees and even society?

Kazuo Inamori pointed out that if you cannot clearly define the meaning of your business, your company may just be an idling machine. When you understand the deeper meaning of your business, you can create value beyond money for your customers and employees. This sense of value can not only attract outstanding talents and loyal customers, but also bring you more resources and support. You are no longer just doing a business, but pursuing a higher goal.

Set specific goals

Sailing without a goal is like a ship drifting on the sea, just drifting with the current. It is like driving a car without setting a navigation destination, you will never reach where you want to go.

Kazuo Inamori reminds us that setting specific goals is crucial. It is not just a number or achievement, but also a direction indicator for the future of the company and the team. The realization of each specific goal is an important step towards the success of the company.

• Many entrepreneurs always work hard but neglect to set clear goals. For example, where will our company go this year? How many people will the team grow to? These questions are often passed over.
• For example, what are the problems and challenges we are facing now? What specific data goals should we set to effectively solve these problems?
• It is not just entrepreneurs who need to set goals for themselves, but more importantly, these goals need to be broken down and assigned to employees.

You should know that most employees do not take the initiative to set high standards. Before they have received systematic training, their work results are usually only at the level of 60 points. You need to help them learn to set higher goals so that they can pursue 80 points, 90 points, or even 100 points or 120 points.

After all, if goals aren’t clear, employees are left scratching their heads and unable to understand how to improve performance.

Have a strong desire

Passion is the catalyst for success. Without strong desire, there is no motivation to move forward.

Kazuo Inamori believes thatStrong desireIt is the foundation that allows you to overcome all difficulties.

Imagine that when you are faced with a difficult choice or dilemma, if you don’t have firm convictions, you are likely to give up.

When you have a strong desire, it will not only motivate yourself, but also infect your team and the people around you.

You will attract like-minded people who will work with you to achieve your goals.

Unremitting efforts

Hard work is the foundation of success. Even if you have more talent and resources, if you don’t work as hard as others, success is nothing but a castle in the air. Kazuo Inamori emphasized,Diligence is irreplaceableNo matter how smart you are or how good your opportunities are, only sustained effort can ensure you stand out from the competition.

To give a simple example, even if an athlete is extremely talented, if he does not train hard, he will find it difficult to win in a fierce competition. The same is true for entrepreneurship. Without unremitting efforts, any genius business plan will fail.

Maximize sales and minimize costs

Inamori Kazuo emphasized in his management that every aspect of the enterprise should pursueMaximize sales and minimize costsThis is not simply a matter of “selling more and spending less”, but requires a detailed analysis of the entire business process to find every link that can improve efficiency.

Imagine you are a chef. You not only have to consider whether the dishes sell well, but also have to control the cost of ingredients. If every dish sells well, but the cost remains high, the profit will be greatly compressed.

Pricing is business

Pricing is never simpleSet a low priceIt can attract customers.

In the words of Kazuo Inamori,We must set the price to the highest price that consumers are most willing to pay.It is not like what everyone says that we sell at a low price but in large quantities. We should set a high price that consumers are willing to accept. This is the essence of pricing.

For example, luxury cars and economy cars have their own markets. Even if luxury cars are priced high, there are still a large number of customers willing to buy them. This is because the most suitable pricing range has been found.

Strong will

On the road of business, setbacks and difficulties are inevitable. Kazuo Inamori emphasized that entrepreneurs need to haveStrong willNo matter how big the difficulties are, we should never give up easily. This kind of tenacious willpower is the key to making the company survive in difficult times.

If you give up, all your efforts will be wasted. Just like a tree growing in the wind and rain, only those who always take root in the soil can grow into a towering tree.

Competitive Awareness

Market competition is everywhere, and we should regard competition as a driving force for progress. Kazuo Inamori believes thatCompetitive AwarenessIt can promote the continuous innovation and growth of enterprises. Every competition is an opportunity to improve yourself. You must dare to face the competition and stand out from the competition.

Competition is like a marathon. You not only have to run fast, but also have enough endurance to persevere to the end.

courage

courageIt is an important quality to face any difficulties. Kazuo Inamori said that managers must have the courage to face difficulties, and must not be timid in decision-making or action. Courage is not fearlessness, but the determination to move forward even when afraid.

Think about your first time diving. Although you were nervous, the moment you jumped, you overcame your fear and took a step towards new growth.

continue to innovate

Repeating past success does not guarantee future success. Kazuo Inamori reminds us,Innovation is the key to staying competitiveWhether it is products, services or business models, continuous innovation is needed to remain invincible in the ever-changing market.

If you only do what you did yesterday, you may be eliminated tomorrow. Enterprises must continue to innovate in order to obtain continuous profits.

Focus on the interests of others

In business, success can only be achieved when we focus on the interests of our partners, employees and customers.Win-winKazuo Inamori emphasized,Business is not just about making profits for yourself, but to achieve a balance of interests among all parties. Only when all stakeholders can benefit from it can the enterprise truly develop for a long time.

Just like a bridge, it can only be passed safely if both sides are strong.

Keep an optimistic attitude

the last point,OptimismIt is the best weapon to face all uncertainties. No matter how big the challenge is, staying optimistic can help you overcome negative emotions and find the motivation to move forward in difficult situations.

Kazuo Inamori tells us that running a business is like a long-distance race, and only by staying optimistic can you persevere to the end.

Summary: These principles will shape the future of your business

Through these 12 principles of Kazuo Inamori, we can easily see that running a business is not only a technical job, but also an art. It requires leaders to have firm beliefs, strong desires and unparalleled courage. Each principle can enable a company to stand firm in the wind and rain and push it to a higher peak.

As an entrepreneur, you should keep these principles in mind and apply them in your daily operations. No matter what stage you are in, these principles can help you go further. Internalize them as your code of conduct, and you will find that you can not only become an excellent entrepreneur, but also lead your team to continuous growth and breakthroughs.

So, are you ready now?