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Cash flow management involves monitoring how much money is deposited and how much is withdrawn over a certain period. The income statement shows how much revenue a company has earned and how much profit it has made during the current period, but a company can still go bankrupt even when it is in the black. This may seem like an inexplicable phenomenon, but it is a fact. The reason this happens is that "funds" in a company are akin to "blood" in the human body; if the flow is cut off, no matter how healthy the body is, life cannot be sustained. Cash flow management is like boxing. The income statement is like a baseball pennant race; there may be months when the company is in the red, but as long as it can turn a profit by the end of the fiscal period, that is sufficient. However, cash flow management is like a boxing match; even if you know that 100 million yen will be deposited tomorrow, if you cannot prepare the necessary funds today and end up issuing a bounced check, the company will be knocked out. In other words, while profit is certainly necessary for a company to survive, cash flow management is also extremely important. *For more details on the column, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

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A lasting organization has the presence of storytellers. A representative example is the "company history." The company history is its own history, but its purposes are twofold: 1. To leave behind examples of management decisions for those who follow, and 2. To educate and instill an understanding of how we arrived at today. Through the company history, one learns the important values of the company. A close analogy would be a fairy tale. Every Japanese person knows "Kintaro of Ashigara Mountain." This is because it is passed down across generations. Important matters are conveyed within the same ethnicity and inherited by the next generation. A crucial element of the mindset of like-minded individuals is identity. Growing companies have storytellers. These storytellers do not simply say, "Do this" or "Do that." They help others understand why this is necessary and why that is important. It is because they can convey the reasons that people are motivated to act. Identity is the treasure chest of a company that solves the "why." The storytellers of the company are you, the executives and leaders. *For more details on the column, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

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In the founding period of a company, there are no customers, partners, facilities, goodwill, or employees as we know them today. In other words, starting from a situation of "nothingness"—lacking people, goods, money, achievements, and trust—is a commonality in the founding stages of businesses throughout history and across cultures. The only thing that one can hold onto during this time is the "effort rhythm" of wanting to please customers somehow and working diligently with a single-minded focus. This transforms into enthusiasm and sincerity, allowing the company to overcome various challenges and grow into its current form. Moreover, companies that inherit the baton from their predecessors cherish and carry forward the family rules, business teachings, and lessons passed down through generations. Such founding spirit remains valid over time; when a company forgets this spirit, it tends to lose its direction, leading to various management issues. The struggles and stories from the founding period are often unknown to current employees, making it crucial to understand the origins that shaped the present state and content of the company. Knowing this history helps in understanding the values and perspectives of the management, which in turn leads to a unification of values as corporate individuals and professionals. *For more details on the column, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

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Through 30 years of management consulting activities, I have discovered several absolute laws necessary for company management, one of which is that companies where the president spends a lot of one-on-one time with employees will definitely grow. One-on-one interaction with employees means personal interviews, discussions about sales and field trends, and educational sessions from the president. Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a management plan presentation for a certain company. When they first started the management plan presentations 16 years ago, they had 60 employees, and now they have grown to 250. This time, the presentation was held at the same venue as 16 years ago, returning to the origin after 16 years. Back then, the president was the sole star, with a management style akin to a king and a pawn. In this presentation, there were multiple stars (executives) who confidently presented, showcasing their growth and the expanded team. Thanks to the efforts of the president, executives, and employees, the company has grown significantly. The president of this company also values interaction with employees, creating time for it, and holds study sessions for employees regardless of weekends. *For more details on the column, you can view it through the related link. Please feel free to contact us for more information.*

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The income statement is based on annual figures, while the balance sheet represents the flow of funds at a specific point in time. Therefore, when selecting the fiscal month, the weight given to the balance sheet is higher than that of the income statement. What must be particularly considered is the balance between total current assets and total current liabilities, with the ideal situation being when total current assets exceed total current liabilities. However, the composition of total current assets is also questioned. The worst scenario is when 2. inventory reaches its highest amount throughout the year, while the best scenario is when 5. cash and cash equivalents are at their highest when preparing the financial statements. Since the balance sheet reflects the flow of funds at a specific point in time within the 12 months of the year, it should represent the optimal financial flow for the company. *For detailed content of the column, please refer to the related links. For more information, feel free to contact us.*

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A year consists of 12 months, and it is a battle of 12 rounds. There are various ways to fight, but in principle, "early half dam-type management is good." Early half dam-type management means securing 60-70% of the annual required operating profit in the first half of the year, specifically from April to September in the case of a March fiscal year-end. From a different perspective, ideally, a year with 12 rounds would be a battle of 12 wins and 0 losses, but in reality, it is more like 10 wins and 2 losses or 9 wins and 3 losses. If we assume 9 wins and 3 losses, it means selecting the fiscal month in such a way that 5-6 of those wins occur in the first half of the year. The reason why the first half is better is that it allows for flexibility in searching for products during months when a deficit is expected in the second half, and it also provides leeway for preparing measures for the next fiscal year. Companies that rely on a second-half push often exhaust their resources before reaching the fiscal month, resulting in delayed responses for the next period. *For more detailed content of the column, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.

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If it is a corporate entity, there is an obligation to prepare financial statements every year, report them to the relevant tax office and national tax authorities, and pay the necessary taxes. However, the significance of financial statements for many companies is often seen as documents to be submitted to financial institutions, isn't it? Financial institutions aim to verify and confirm the contents of loan applications with specific figures. Loan officers and relationship managers compare the information they gather with documents such as financial statements. In other words, they analyze the financial condition, business situation, and repayment ability using three periods of financial statements to determine credit risk ratings and debtor classifications. Do you know which month of the year represents the best financial condition for your company? While the best way to appeal to customers is through your own products, the most effective tool for maximizing your company's appeal in transactions with existing financial institutions and new ones is the financial statement. Most companies determine their fiscal month based on the designation of their tax accountant, and few have chosen it according to their strategic development. *For more details on the column, please refer to the related link. For further inquiries, please feel free to contact us.

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What are the value judgment criteria that the top executives and management should align on? 1. Management philosophy and the company's value of existence 2. Understanding and agreement on the company-wide vision 3. Management plans and management goals 4. Basic policy for human resource development 5. Basic policy for product development 6. Basic policy for building relationships with customers 7. Basic policy regarding internal systems 8. Fundamental thinking that serves as judgment criteria 9. Basic thinking on personnel and talent evaluation 10. Expectations (values) for executives and management The top executives must communicate these ten items of values and judgment criteria as the leader's intent to the employees. In a parent-child relationship, children become independent by learning the value judgment criteria, ways of acting, and behavior from their parents as adults. It is the same in this context. The highest decision-maker in a company is the manager. By having many employees understand the manager's value judgment criteria, employees become capable of making their own judgments. Consequently, the dependency on the president decreases. Executives play an important role in this process. *For detailed content of the column, please refer to the related links. For more information, feel free to contact us.

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Everyone knows themselves well. There are no employees who cannot answer questions about their date of birth, blood type, zodiac sign, or the origin of their name. However, when asked about the company's founding date, number of employees, annual sales, history, main bank, or the selling points of products, few employees can provide adequate answers. It's not just "the grass is greener on the other side"; employees know less about their own company than the president imagines. If you think this is hard to believe, it would be beneficial to create a test from your company's brochures or website and conduct it to understand the reality. Many would be astonished by the results. When you think about it calmly, it is quite remarkable that small and medium-sized enterprises attempt to compete without knowing their own company’s overview or products. They spend time without any sense of problem awareness, which leads to stagnation. Such a group can be described as a rabble. In other words, they cannot be recognized as members of a fighting group. *For more details on the column, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

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For example, if sales and operating profit decrease from the previous year, it results in a state of declining revenue and profit. The response to this situation follows the steps below: 1. Companies in a state of declining revenue and profit should implement cash-centered measures to stop the bleeding and provide a transfusion to escape that state. 2. This will lead to a state of declining revenue but increasing profit. However, this management condition is akin to a boxer maintaining a weight loss regimen for 365 days, which cannot last long. 3. Eventually, the desire for food becomes overwhelming, leading to the development of a sales expansion strategy. 4. Next, the company will enter a state of increasing revenue but declining profit, and ultimately transition to a state of increasing revenue and profit. This process follows the trajectory of management improvement theory. In medicine, pathology is based on numerous cases, and treatment theories are constructed from that. New discoveries and technologies are then developed on top of that. Similarly, companies can have their own ailments, and there are fundamental ways to address them. This is the basic model of how a company fights and serves as the foundation for its continued prosperity. By solidifying this foundation, a company can exert its strength, just like in the world of sports. *For more details on the column, you can view it through the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

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Long-established shops and companies have something in common. That is, the name of the shop or company is more well-known than the name of the owner. Of course, in the early days of establishment, it is the founder's strong personality that paves the way and creates the foundation. As this foundation is passed down through generations, the basic model of the shop or company is formed, solidified, polished, and ultimately, a "unique way of fighting for the company" is established. So, what is necessary for companies with a short history, meaning those currently managed by their founders or second-generation companies? First, it is essential to create a basic model for the company's way of fighting. This basic model is the theory = principles and rules for the company to continue to thrive. It is important to bring this to a level where one knows it, understands it, and can execute it. To illustrate the theory with a baseball example: in the bottom of the ninth inning, with a score of 2 to 1 against, and no outs with a runner on first base, the theory would dictate that the batter should lay down a bunt to advance the runner to second base. Winning teams can execute this reliably, which is why they win. *For more details on the column, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.

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What types of bases exist within a company? ■Management philosophy: The base that unifies the organization ■Employees who can practice reporting, communication, and consultation: The base of human resources ■Basic operations: The base for business execution (80% of work is routine) ■Core products: The base for products, sales, gross profit, and funding structure ■Main customers (A-rank customers): The base for customer, sales, and gross profit composition ■Busy periods, monthly: The base for calculating wins and losses over 12 rounds (how many wins and how many losses) Looking at a company's product composition, companies with core products are strong. If core products account for 700 million out of 1 billion in sales, the base rate is 70%, and it is sufficient to create products to fill the remaining 30%. However, a company with a base rate of 50% must also create products to fill the remaining 50%, and to overcome this, it must "anticipate time" in product creation to win. Anticipating time means that the period for creating products must equal the time frame of 1 month, 2 months, or 3 months ahead for the company, and if it is 3 months ahead, it must work as if it has 90 days of work in one month. *For detailed content of the column, please refer to the related links. For more information, feel free to contact us.

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Stability allows for the creation of battles. The term "base" is a commonly heard expression. The representative indicators that reflect the state of management include: ■ Stability - Represents the stability and risk level of management ■ Profitability - Represents the structure of sales and expenses to secure profits ■ Productivity - Represents the quantity and quality of sales and gross profit generated by employees ■ Turnover - Represents the turnover and utilization of goods and assets, which are one source of profit ■ Growth - Represents the degree of growth in scale compared to the past, present, and future All management indicators are based on balance. For example, when making capital investments, profitability may temporarily decline, but growth will increase. In other words, there are management indicators that are crucial at any given moment due to management strategies, but when asked which is the most important among them, I am convinced it is "stability." In battle, having something that can be read as "they will probably do this much..." allows for the development of tactics and combat strategies. That which can be read = the base. *For more details on the column, you can view it through the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

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■A Company Experiencing Rapid Growth The growth of a company is proportional to the speed of growth of its management, but not to the speed of growth of its employees. As the scale of the company grows, it is necessary to change the gears of organizational management. At that time, it is often the case that executives who have worked hard together since the founding are unable to adapt to changes in management methods such as public management, and signs of power harassment from positions begin to emerge. ■A President Who Is Too Compassionate The management is aware that the growth of the founding executives is slow due to the company's rapid growth. Compassionate managers are patient and endure, but they worry daily about the perspectives of mid-level and junior employees. During the growth phase of the company, where significant changes in steering methods are required for various reasons, gaps within the company frequently occur. ■A Company Where Mid-Level and Junior Employees Are Growing Compared to Founding Members The gap in work capabilities between founding members and mid-level and junior employees has diminished. If founding members lack management skills, the differences in work will disappear, making it difficult for them to maintain their positions and status. *For more details on the column, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

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■Stagnant Executives Are Seen Through by Employees With the changes of the times, a large number of veteran executives are emerging. The change of the times means that the market has begun to deny past ways of working. The previous veteran executives emerged because they could not keep up with the changes in their roles due to the speed of the company's growth. Recently, the gap in work capabilities between veteran executives and mid-level and junior employees has diminished. Employees initially follow executives who can do their jobs well because they want to learn. ■Veteran Executives Who Can Only Respond with Power Harassment However, once employees who have learned the job begin to feel that there is nothing more to absorb from that executive, their perception and response towards that executive change. If that executive has personal charm, the level of respect remains unchanged. However, if the executive lacks personal charm, there may be cases where they are not regarded as an executive. In such cases, the executive may resort to power harassment by exploiting their position, becoming a veteran executive. *For more detailed content of the column, please refer to the related links. For further information, feel free to contact us.*

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The company is a human zoo, designed to fail. The characteristic of a typical organization is that people with similar values gather together. For example, in the world of sports and hobbies, various organizations are characterized by the gathering of people with similar values. In small and medium-sized enterprises, people with different values, shaped by different environments and preferences, happen to live in the same area and accept the conditions to form an organization. Because people with differing values, backgrounds, generations, and genders come together to create an organization, it tends to lack cohesion. Therefore, it is important for you, as the team leader, to communicate and ensure understanding of the value judgment criteria you are considering. If you create a system, you may initially be able to drive it with the power of the team leader. However, if the sense of being forced to do it becomes strong, it won't last long. What is important is to teach perspectives and ways of thinking such as: ■ Why are we doing this? ■ Why is this perspective necessary? ■ Why does this happen? ■ What should we do in this situation? Without addressing these questions, it will not become a habit. *For more detailed content of the column, you can view it through the related links. For more information, please feel free to contact us.

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The team's performance is designed not to improve. Understanding this fact begins to reveal the meaning of achieving results through leadership and management. Small and medium-sized enterprises have a structure where profits do not materialize unless they do something beyond the monthly routine work, and without considering measures for performance gaps, achieving goals is impossible. Creating performance requires both activity and management as two wheels. Activity refers to sales and production activities aimed at securing sales and profits. In contrast, management involves the task of checking whether things are deviating from the ideal state. Interestingly, if activities are neglected, sales, gross profit margins, profits, productivity, and funds naturally decrease. On the other hand, if management is neglected, expenses, accounts receivable, and inventory naturally increase. In other words, if a group is not controlled, activities will be carried out according to individual judgment, and management is often neglected because it is seen as troublesome. Therefore, performance is structured in such a way that it does not improve unless the functions of controlled activities and management by people or teams are incorporated. *For more detailed content of the column, you can view it through the related link. For more information, please feel free to contact us.*

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Teamwork refers to the ability to take individual actions while maintaining a coordinated effort as a team. The importance of teamwork lies not just in improving the relationships among the people involved, but in achieving things that are difficult to accomplish with individual abilities alone, which can be accomplished by the team. Simply gathering the necessary number of people to do a job does not guarantee effective teamwork. A team fundamentally begins with all members having a sense of ownership as part of the team, sharing a common purpose and goals, and engaging in a process to achieve them. To strengthen teamwork, it is necessary to focus on team building, with four key points: ■ Sharing purpose and goals (understanding the purpose, goals, and methods) ■ Enhancing participation willingness (understanding what one needs to do) ■ Skill improvement (enhancing one's capabilities in their assigned tasks) ■ Cooperation (knowing and adhering to team rules) *For more detailed information, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for further inquiries.

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Participation means thinking for oneself, making judgments, taking action, and taking responsibility. In contrast, mere attendance means just being present. The goals and objectives of the company and team are the same for all employees. However, the roles of management, leaders, and members are different. There are countless themes that cannot lead to results with just one manager or one leader. It is when all members think for themselves, make judgments, and take action regarding their roles and responsibilities within their team that a sense of ownership begins to emerge. This leads to a strong commitment to achieving results. Consequently, the sense of joy when accomplishments are achieved becomes more profound. Companies that can strongly evoke this sense of experience become "companies where employees feel joy in their work." Employees feel fulfilled because they know they are needed by their company and team, making them happy as workers. Members desire not only personal satisfaction from the company, such as rewards and promotions, but also satisfaction from achieving the company's goals and the joy of participating in that process. *For more details on the column, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

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■What is Shared Management? As the environment changes, adapting to it is the same for society, industries, companies, and individuals. In a mature society where work becomes more complex, all employees working within an organization are required to perform two types of tasks: operational work on the ground and work that drives the team. The style of adapting to these changes is called Shared Management. As diverse leadership is needed to drive teams, there are increasing cases where a single leader cannot handle the situation alone. Instead of having a few individuals manage the organization concurrently, it is necessary to assign the role of job leader to sub-leaders and mid-level employees for each required functional role, changing the standard level within the organization and enabling all employees to drive the organization. *For more details on the column, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.

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The management style is a multifunctional development management. It is at a stage where efforts are being made to promote corporate scale expansion through activities and to smoothly operate the internal management aspects. While expanding and growing through multifaceted development and the introduction of multifunctional systems (such as multiple business divisions and headquarters systems), there is often a lack of staff functions, leading to a state of overall functional paralysis. There is a need to subdivide organizational functions, but responses to organizational management, such as work division, responsibilities, operation manuals, and the establishment of various regulations, are lagging behind. Additionally, there is a shortage of human resources to entrust key departmental roles, and the clash between those who struggle with organizational management and those who promote it—between the old and the new—hinders the subdivision of organizational functions, leading to increasing frustration for management. There is an inability to delve deeply into product composition and characteristics that should target specific markets and customer traits, and product development and exploration are also falling behind. Due to the lack of a management foundation to accommodate scale expansion, various turnover rates (accounts receivable and inventory assets) are deteriorating. Furthermore, the liquidity of real assets is slowing down, but many companies are unable to grasp the factors behind this, resulting in reactive responses. As the "old" and "new" clash, if they do not successfully integrate, it will lead to a destruction of the organizational culture.

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The founder and president, struggling to survive, suddenly realizes that the annual sales have reached 700 to 800 million yen. Up to this point, the company has grown with a sense of unity centered around the president's leadership. The key characteristic at this stage is the turning point where the president begins to step away from the front lines. In other words, it is also the time when the entrepreneur starts to shed their role as the head of sales and production and begins to challenge themselves with the responsibilities of management. This turning point brings about changes within the company, and the inability to adapt to these changes prevents them from breaking through the 1 billion yen (with 30 employees) barrier. The speed of a company's growth is significantly faster than the speed of individual growth. Furthermore, the growth speed of the entrepreneur is notably faster than that of the employees, which creates distortions in a growing company. The president tries to challenge themselves with the true responsibilities of management but begins to have concerns about their vision and the capabilities of veteran executives. They implement various measures, but the frustration of not succeeding leads to a sense of irritation for the entrepreneur. In other words, the desire of the entrepreneur to create a company that feels like a proper company, combined with executives who cannot respond to this and internal systems and strategies that are not functioning well, obstructs the path to breaking through the 1 billion yen barrier.

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There are two main points regarding management transformation in growing companies. The first point is that as the workload increases, the number of people will also increase. Therefore, it is necessary to establish rules and standards and to systematize them. In other words, it is about creating the company's structure. The second point is that the president must break free from being a walking rulebook and promote a change in consciousness to operate the company with all employees. When the entire company is changing, the one who must change the most is actually the management. It is required for the management to break free from being a walking rulebook and to create a company that resembles a company, that is, to operate the company as an organization. If we do not build the skills of management, the president's motivation alone, equating to a rhythm of hard work, will not be enough to overcome the barriers to growth. However, it is important to clarify that those who wish to grow the company in a healthy sense must build management skills that correspond to that scale. A company is not good just because it is large, nor is it bad just because it is small. The crucial point is what kind of company the management wants to create, centered around themselves, that fits their size. It is essential to clarify that intention.

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Is this kind of situation not occurring in your growing company, where the number of employees is increasing? The essence of corporate growth is the increase in work. It is not the case that a company grows simply because the number of employees increases. The essence is that a company grows because the amount of work increases. If new people come in and can immediately handle the company's tasks, there would be no problem, but that is not the case. While the number of new employees increases, the upper management is too busy to provide training. However, since the number of employees is increasing, the workplace becomes chaotic, and work becomes concentrated on a few individuals, making them busier than before. A typical example of this is the manager. Managers ideally want to lead their teams, but due to a lack of manpower and being busy, they tend to get stuck in day-to-day operations. As a result, a vicious cycle develops, and playing managers become exhausted. This phenomenon is actually more pronounced in companies that are experiencing growth. In other words, while the company may appear to be growing, the reality is that only players are increasing, and the workplace is in a state of confusion like a kite with its string cut. There is no system to control people and teams, so the workplace operates like a collection of individual businesses.

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As the company grows, the workload increases, but an increase in personnel does not necessarily indicate company growth. Training new employees takes time, which can lead to decreased productivity and increased waste. Managers often find themselves overwhelmed with managing their subordinates and become engrossed in on-site operations, leading to exhaustion. This phenomenon is particularly evident in growing companies, where the company may appear to be thriving, but the on-site situation is chaotic. Due to the absence of a system for managing the organization, the company functions like a collection of individual enterprises. Each time the company hits a wall in its growth process, it is necessary to reassess the approach to management. During the startup phase, the president directly manages the operations, but during a period of rapid growth, the role of department heads becomes essential. Once the company enters a stable phase, an organizational chart is established, and departments are solidified; however, it is difficult for the president to step back from on-site management, resulting in many companies being unable to overcome growth barriers. The key points for management in growing companies are to ensure that the number of personnel and the rules and systems are aligned with the increase in workload, as well as for the president to shift away from an on-site-centric mindset and focus on building the company’s structure. Companies that wish to expand healthily must build management techniques appropriate to their scale.

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■Growth Trajectory from the Expansion Growth Phase As we enter the expansion growth phase and aim to become a 10 billion yen company, we transition into the expansion growth period. The expansion growth phase allows for a system that can aim for a 10 billion yen company through multifaceted development and the introduction of multifunctional capabilities. To surpass 5 billion and aim for 10 billion, it is essential to enhance the multifaceted development and the content of multifunctionality. Expansion means "to broaden and also enrich the content." Without enriching this content, one cannot become a 10 billion yen company. The growth speed of a company is certainly faster than that of individuals. However, the key is how to eliminate this speed gap. During this period, it is necessary to shed the "management style of the king and the pawn" and give birth to "executive managers." The growth trajectory of small and medium-sized enterprises is from the birth phase to the expansion growth phase. ■A Good Company is One that Continues to Prosper Your company may have dreams and visions such as "I want to surpass 1 billion," "I want to surpass 3 billion," or "I want to surpass 5 billion." On the other hand, there is also the perspective that our company is fine at 700 million. This is one way of thinking. A company is not necessarily a good company because it is large, nor is it a bad company because it is small. A good company is one that continues to prosper.

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■Expansion Growth Period This period experiences growth through multifaceted development and the introduction of multifunctionality (implementation of multiple business divisions and headquarters system), becoming a 5 billion company. However, while it appears to be a medium-sized enterprise externally, the content of each multifaceted and multifunctional aspect remains that of a small to medium-sized enterprise, resulting in a phenomenon of significant gaps. The company expands through the establishment of sales offices. However, when examining the content of those sales offices, they are essentially small to medium-sized enterprises. In a small to medium-sized enterprise that operates from a single location, the president is present, allowing for quick responses to issues and easy communication of company policies. In contrast, the sales office is led by a sales office manager. Therefore, the internal structure of the sales office is actually weaker than that of a small to medium-sized enterprise. In other words, "the gross is a medium-sized enterprise, but the internal structure of each aspect is often weaker than that of small to medium-sized enterprises." This leads to various gaps frequently occurring. To surpass the 5 billion mark during this expansion growth period, it is essential to implement multifunctionality, namely the headquarters and business division systems; otherwise, operations will not run smoothly. Additionally, a characteristic of this scale is the clash between the "old" and "new" in various aspects. Through this clash, if the necessary elements for the company are not integrated, it will become difficult to manage from a human resources perspective.

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Entering a period of expansion and growth, the stage aiming for 5 billion can be divided into two parts. ■ Decline and Bankruptcy Period This is a very dangerous state when growth slows down without substance, often leading to the worst-case scenario. Companies of this scale may have a considerable size, but lack substantial backing. They are desperately struggling to break away from the management styles of Ousho and Ayumu. The growth potential is what provides them with a grace period for this transformation. Once sales exceed 3 billion, the amounts of 'incoming and outgoing money' fundamentally change by a digit. For small and medium-sized enterprises, a change of one digit can create a situation that is difficult to manage solely with the president's assets, especially when considering financial institution strategies. Therefore, while consuming the "food" of growth potential, they must also develop the "blood and flesh" of balance to maintain their body.

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■Expansion Growth Period The expansion growth period refers to a company that has broken through the billion-dollar barrier and aims for three billion. It actively promotes multifaceted development centered around the power of its management. This multifaceted development involves the expansion of branches, stores, and areas. Therefore, it is inevitable that gross sales will increase. However, when growing from one billion to three billion, the internal structure of the company often does not keep pace. Inevitably, a tendency for "expansion" precedes the growth period. In cases aiming for three billion, the company lacks the pieces of a shogi game, such as gold, silver, rook, and bishop, resulting in a "king and pawn management style." If the king stumbles, everyone stumbles, creating instability; however, on the other hand, there is also momentum as a company. If the current president feels, "My company is at eight billion, and I want to somehow break through ten billion," then as a manager, they must challenge themselves in their role as a leader.

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When entering a stable period, companies can be divided into three patterns. The next phase after the stable period is marked by the threshold of 1 billion in general scale. There is a clear difference between companies that surpass 1 billion and those that do not. These differences can be categorized into the following three patterns. ■ Stagnation and Decline Period When a company reaches a stable period and the president fails to propose the next growth strategy, the company quickly falls into a rut. A rut is defined as doing the same thing for three years. This leads to a decline in performance. The stable period does not mean that performance remains consistently stable; it simply indicates that a foundation has been somewhat established. The operating level at which small and medium-sized enterprises break even is typically around 95 to 98%. If the gross profit margin drops by 3% or 4%, the company can quickly fall into the red. It is important to understand that companies that cannot propose further growth strategies will soon enter a stagnation and decline period. ■ Mild Growth Period The mild growth period refers to a situation where a company is experiencing slight growth due to favorable product selection, customer selection, and industry selection. While dealing with excellent products and good customers, if no actions are taken, there may be slight growth along the current trajectory, but the company will not be able to break through the 1 billion barrier.

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■Stabilization Period When looking at the stabilization period in terms of sales, it is about 500 million yen for manufacturers, around 1 billion yen for wholesalers, and about 700 million yen for retailers. Entering the stabilization period brings two significant changes within the company. The first is that comparisons to the previous year can begin to be made. The second is that management starts to distance itself from the front lines. In small and medium-sized enterprises, the president leads from the front and drives growth. However, once in the stabilization period, it becomes necessary to have a factory manager to oversee the factory and a sales manager for sales. As a result, the need arises for management to step away from day-to-day operations and shift the company's direction towards organizational management. The number of employees also grows from 10 to 20, and from 20 to 30. It becomes difficult for the president to remain the top leader on the ground indefinitely. The president must shift gears to focus on management tasks. In other words, without building management techniques suited to the company, further growth cannot be expected.

• Management Seminar
• Management Skills Seminar

Humans are born and go through a growth process that includes kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, university, and adulthood. At each of these milestones, there are encounters with people, entrance exams, and graduations. Additionally, significant life events such as coming of age ceremonies and employment also occur. Similarly, companies have their own fundamental growth trajectories. ■ Birth Stage First is the birth stage. This is the period shortly after a company is established, which every company experiences. The survival rate of a company is more stringent than the survival rate of humans. It is said that the survival probability of a newly established company surviving for ten years is about 20-30%. ■ Foundation Stage Once the birth stage is over, the foundation stage begins. This is the period when the foundation of products and customers gradually starts to take shape. ■ Rapid Growth Stage Next, the company enters the rapid growth stage. This occurs when the selection of products, industries, areas, and customers is favorable, leading to an increase in the number of customers and business opportunities, resulting in rapid growth. The increase in the number of employees does not cause rapid growth; rather, it is the increase in business opportunities that inevitably leads to an increase in the number of employees. This is how a company experiences rapid growth.

• Management Seminar
• Management Skills Seminar

The economic environment surrounding us has become too advanced, complex, and specialized, leading to a time when past experiences are no longer useful. In other words, there is a significant change occurring where we must improve the quality of our work to survive. This need to enhance work quality applies to all members. To achieve this, we must change the nature of our work. In addition to bringing the team together, team leaders are required to take on new challenges in strategic areas such as product development, technology development, and sales area/channel development to deliver work and results to the team. Sub-leaders need to manage the team as representatives of the team leader. This is necessary because even if the leader engages in strategic actions, the team requires functionality to operate effectively. If we do not cultivate individuals to take on these roles, leaders will not be able to engage in strategic actions. Each member is expected to enhance their practical processing abilities. Furthermore, it is essential for all employees to take responsibility for their roles, demonstrate leadership regardless of their position in relation to superiors or subordinates, and actively pursue goals and objectives. There is a demand for the overall improvement of all employees, and it is required that the way the team operates is a collective effort from all employees.

• Management Seminar
• Management Skills Seminar

The rapid evolution represented by AI will bring new possibilities and benefits to human life, but what is important is not only how to utilize this change but also to define new perspectives and ways of thinking that accompany it, without clinging to past common sense. As times shift, this is only natural. In a mature society where work becomes more complex, all employees in an organization are required to perform two types of jobs: operational tasks and team management. And it is Sure Management that makes this possible. So, what is Sure Management? As diverse leadership is required to move teams, there are increasing cases where a single leader cannot handle the situation. In the current environment, while there is work available, many companies cannot respond due to a lack of human resources (capabilities and numbers). In this environment, it is important not for a few individuals to manage the organization concurrently, but to establish JOB leaders for each necessary role function, enabling all employees to move the team, change the standard level within the organization, and elevate the level of all employees. To achieve this, it is essential to grant authority for each necessary role function and provide opportunities for individuals to take on leadership roles in their respective functional areas.

• Management Seminar
• Management Skills Seminar

I am also involved with many small and medium-sized enterprises, and the themes that are problematic in their organizational management are often common. Here is one example: 1. There are no goals or standards set, and there is no common objective. 2. Goals are set, but many are baseless mental targets. 3. Progress on decisions made during the month is not monitored. 4. Playing managers are managing while also performing general tasks, leading to strain. 5. Because capable members are made to do everything, there is an imbalance. 6. Different individuals have different ways of working, so efficiency does not improve. 7. Basic actions such as reporting and communication are not being performed. 8. The management policy is not specified, making it unclear what actions to take. 9. Few people act independently; they only move when instructed by the playing manager. 10. They do not know how to manage. 11. They can only execute and evaluate based on the P.D.C.A plan. 12. There is an atmosphere of not following through even if decisions are made. 13. Playing managers do not understand the work of their team members. 14. There is a lack of thinking in terms of teamwork, among other issues. I believe many playing managers are aware of such problems.

• Management Seminar
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There are super-player type managers who are responsible for a large part of the team's performance, but management often does not go well. This is because team members inevitably become dependent on the super-player type manager. Super-player type managers are busy with on-site work, so even when new people join, they cannot teach them. Indeed, people have their strengths and weaknesses. Super-players have their own path to success, and managers have their own path as managers. It's not a matter of which is better or worse; it becomes a theme of role distribution within the team. When a manager is a super-player, team members may hesitate to take initiative, feeling that they are not needed, which leads to a loss of motivation. Unbeknownst to them, the leader becomes like the emperor with no clothes. When organizing a team, it is important to operate in a way that does not rely solely on specific individuals. The more a team depends on certain people, the greater the risk, and the overall level does not improve.

• Management Seminar
• Management Skills Seminar

Did you learn the necessary leadership and management skills to run an organization from your school teachers during your compulsory education? The answer should be NO. This is because such skills are not included in Japan's compulsory education curriculum. As a result, when you enter society and take on that role, you experience being a leader for the first time in a real-world setting. Large companies prepare for promotions by undergoing various training programs. However, small and medium-sized enterprises do not have that luxury. It is not because you, as a leader, lack the ability. It is simply because you are trying to implement something you have never experienced before. In such situations, there are specific issues that arise for playing managers: ■ Neglecting Parenting Syndrome There is a leader, but the focus is primarily on player duties, and there is no movement towards team management, leaving the team adrift. ■ Too Free-Spirited Syndrome There is no establishment of minimum rules for team operations, and members are acting freely. Additionally, there are many areas where the company's policies and departmental policies are not clearly defined, resulting in a lack of a unifying framework for awareness.

• Management Seminar
• Management Skills Seminar

A person who is dedicated solely to management is called a manager, which is commonly seen in large companies. In contrast, a playing manager is someone who also takes on fieldwork while handling management responsibilities, a role typically found in medium and small enterprises. To use a soccer analogy, this person is someone who thinks about strategy and player substitutions while kicking the ball on the field, but in reality, there is no one in the world of soccer who is a playing manager. If you were to stand on the pitch as a playing manager, running while gasping for breath, could you think about player substitutions and strategy? It is a role that is difficult to balance. It is said that honesty begins with knowing one's own limits. If you cannot do it alone, it is wise to seek help from others.

• Management Seminar
• Management Skills Seminar

The structural formation strategy is aimed at: - Achieving management objectives and goals - Making the company more advantageous - Discovering the optimal location - Setting achievable conditions - Establishing an execution foundation - Practicing implementation We will review the structure that forms the backbone of the company and develop a structural formation strategy necessary for the company to continue to thrive. *For more details, please feel free to contact us.*

• Management Seminar
• Management Seminar

Improvement is a shortcut achieved by changing methods. - Changing to a work method that makes it easier for workers without compromising quality. - It is a misconception that improvement cannot be made without excellent ideas; first, implement the obvious things. - Improvement is a change to better means, a selection of methods. - Improvement is the discovery of methods that anyone can do... eliminating tasks that only veterans can perform. - Waste reduction with an awareness of time. To implement business improvements, we will introduce a strategy of discarding routine work for the development of new strategies. *For more details, please feel free to contact us.

• Management Seminar
• Management Seminar

Because we have unique technologies, we can provide services that are different from our competitors, and the more unique technologies we have, the better conditions we create to win in battles. Every company has unique technologies, and reflecting on them and determining how to develop them is key to building a strategy. To find tomorrow's seeds, we will thoroughly inspect the unique technologies that can be utilized within our company and use them to aid in strategy development. ■ Strategy Strategy is about finding a winning location, deciding on the weapons and methods of combat, and concentrating all available resources on a single point to fight through. - Finding a winning location is the "niche gap area." - Deciding on the weapons and methods of combat involves "discovering and utilizing unique technologies." *For more details, please feel free to contact us.

• Management Seminar
• Management Seminar

Now is the era of strategy. Sales and profits cannot be secured by selling the same product to the same customers in the same way. A proactive management strategy that creates a market that should exist is an absolute requirement. The content of concept marketing includes: - The targeted audience to narrow down - What kind of product to target at them - The target - The positioning of existing improvement businesses and new businesses in the market - Existing improvement businesses - What are the goals for new businesses? And what is the timeline for achieving them? For small and medium-sized enterprises, a proactive management strategy that selects a market suitable for their size and ensures the capture of the target audience is an absolute requirement. It is about thinking together about what market the company should survive in and building a strategy. *For more details, please feel free to contact us.

• Management Seminar
• Management Seminar

The way small and medium-sized enterprises fight is often focused on "short-term battles." As a result, short-term strategies tend to dominate, making it difficult to succeed in mid-term developments. Realistically speaking, the driving force behind mid-term product development is also the promoter of annual performance. It is challenging to dedicate oneself solely to mid-term developments. However, if mid-term developments are not pursued, relying only on existing methods will lead to a decline of "10-20%." Therefore, it is essential to engage in both annual performance creation and mid-term development simultaneously; otherwise, there will be no growth in the mid-term. Since there is no specialized function for thinking about and implementing management strategies, a "superman" is needed temporarily to compensate for this gap. This presence creates the history of the company. They are the executives and the senior management.

• Management Seminar
• Management Seminar

Management has its good times and bad times. When executing a medium-term plan, one should also anticipate situations where things do not go well. Often, if one only considers when to pull back after a bad situation arises, they miss the timing. First, I would like you to establish criteria for "under what circumstances to withdraw, to stop, or to scale back." Humans have a peculiar tendency to wishfully think that if just a little more goes well or if we can develop that customer, things will change for the better. However, while clinging to that desire, management can lose its balance. It is important to set criteria for halting execution from the beginning. - Initial signs of failure - Methods to mitigate failure - Ways to withdraw from failure Additionally, from a different perspective, it is necessary to consider the "side effects that may arise and the anticipated losses" when deploying that strategy. Humans are creatures of habit. When trying to do something new, there is often a lot of "no" thinking. The key is how to dispel that. In this case, it is important to examine the inhibiting factors and consider means of overcoming them.

• Management Seminar
• Management Seminar

The mid-term plan creates an environment that is easy to develop, but it is also an environment where one cannot envision the future without creating it. The battle for small and medium-sized enterprises, though small, requires a winning system. This is because the possibility of a single defeat becoming a fatal blow is high. In battle, the key is how to create the conditions for victory. Once the "weapons for battle and which market will be the main battlefield" are determined, the steps to put it into practice are organized. There are no companies that fight to lose. However, because they fight without creating the conditions for victory, the probability of losing increases. Establishing the conditions for victory involves: - Deciding on the weapons for battle - Determining which market will be the main battlefield (area, customers) - Deciding how to expand the battlefield (sales, profits) - Setting the duration of the battle - Organizing the battle and how to create it - Securing funding The process begins by first considering the themes of these points.

• Management Seminar
• Management Seminar