Kodai Ando, ​​President and CEO of Shikigaku Co., Ltd.　

Solving many organizational problems through "Shigaku."

■ Profile

Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1979. Graduated from Waseda University in 2002. Joined NTT Docomo Inc. in the same year, and then joined J:COM Holdings Inc. (now LIKE Inc.) in 2006. He served as Director and Deputy General Manager of Sales at its main subsidiary, J:COM Inc. (now LIKE Staffing Inc.). In 2013, he discovered Shikigaku and went independent. As a Shikigaku lecturer, he contributed to improving the performance of numerous companies. In 2015, he founded Shikigaku Co., Ltd. in order to spread Shikigaku to society as quickly as possible. In 2019, Shikigaku Co., Ltd. was listed on the Mothers market.

Shikigaku Co., Ltd. has a management philosophy of maximizing people's potential by spreading "Shikigaku." It is surprising that the company was listed on the stock market just four years after it was established independently.
We spoke with President Ando about a wide range of topics, from his student days to his encounter with Shikigaku, and what he thinks are the challenges facing organizational management in Japan.

I've been immersed in rugby since high school, and even after entering Waseda University, I was a member of the university's rugby club. I worked part-time at a restaurant once a week, and practiced every other day. I learned a lot from joining the university's rugby club. I felt many times the importance of working hard even when things were tough. Another thing I learned was that rules are absolute.
Of course, I was a member of the sports club, and there were many times when I felt that things were unfair. However, I realized that it was important not to resist it, but to accept it and perform at my best within the environment I was in. After graduating from university, I was fortunate enough to join NTT Docomo and also join the rugby team. However, balancing rugby and work became difficult, so I quit the club after one year and focused on my work. In my fourth year at the company, I heard that a colleague was leaving, which made me reflect on my past and seriously consider my future career. I wondered what would happen if I continued working at NTT Docomo. At the time, I felt that no matter how hard I worked, the company's performance would not change. From now on, I wanted to work in a position where I could feel the company's growth through my own efforts. With this in mind, I left NTT Docomo in my fourth year and joined a new staffing agency.

■ Encounter with Shikigaku

At my new company, Like Co., Ltd., I served as a director and gained a variety of experiences in a position closer to management. However, I was wondering whether I wanted to continue working in the industry I had been in up until then.
It was around this time that I came across a method called "Shikigaku." Shikigaku is a thorough management theory that creates systems based on logic and data, rather than human emotions. I wanted to go independent and start a new business using Shikigaku as its content. I had the opportunity to meet the founder of this theory, and as he was looking for young people to spread Shikigaku, our needs matched and we were able to start our business. Then, in 2015, I founded Shikigaku Co., Ltd. Our services have now been implemented in over 2000 companies, and we are involved in consulting on the management of all kinds of organizations, not just general corporations but also sports teams.

■The product itself is the biggest attraction

There are many consulting companies in Japan alone. Our greatest strength is our product, "Shikigaku." This theory is flawless and flawless. It's true that the world has changed rapidly in recent years, forcing many companies to change accordingly. However, people will continue to work as groups. Anytime two or more people come together, an organization is formed, and these organizations can span a wide range of fields, from sports teams to families. In other words, the "Shikigaku" method can be applied to any organization, regardless of how much the world changes. Our "Shikigaku" product is our competitive advantage, and we believe that our company, which actually uses this theory to manage its organization, is at its strongest. Of course, our company still has areas that need improvement, such as our weak relationships with large corporations. However, we don't view this as a work-related challenge. It's merely a challenge, not a problem. Challenges can be overcome if we keep moving forward, so we don't view them as challenges, but as opportunities for growth.

■The top management must change

Within an organization, there are various hierarchical relationships, such as those between superiors and subordinates. Before I encountered Shikigaku, I believed that people needed to connect heart to heart. Recently, terms like "job satisfaction" and "motivation" have become increasingly important in society. It used to seem obvious that ensuring the psychological stability of each employee was important. However, focusing solely on people's emotions will ultimately lead to a company that is driven solely by emotions, let alone growth, and ultimately, no one will be happy. Therefore, Shikigaku's theory is thorough in guiding organizations not by emotions but by systems. This management theory first changes the way managers think, and ultimately changes the entire organization. What's important here is to have an open-minded attitude, regardless of your position, to question whether you might be the cause and to accept the situation honestly. This attitude is especially essential for managers. When it comes to hiring, we would like to see honest, quick-thinking students join our company.

■Message

There is a lot of information out there, and you may be confused at times. However, personal growth doesn't begin until you take action. I hope you will value the idea of ​​"just giving it a try" without overthinking it too much. And don't resist things you cannot change. I believe that time is a waste of time in terms of your growth. In any case, do your best to do what you can in the environment you are in.

Student Newspaper Online, May 11, 2021, Interview by Miyu Ito, 2th year student at Keio University