I am Yoshida, president of Yamada Shusei Ltd., a professional apparel garment repair group in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture.
Surprisingly, there is no specific leader in a school of sardines, which use the lateral line, an organ that senses the surrounding water currents and pressure, and coordinates the movements of the entire school by moving independently of each other.
Nevertheless, when you actually see a school of sardines, you are so impressed by their controlled and beautiful movements that such explanations are blown away.
We can learn from the sardines about how to build today's organizations.
1. distributed leadership
A school of sardines can function without a specific leader. It is important for management to introduce distributed leadership and create an environment where each team can exercise leadership independently.
2. cooperation and trust
Sardines trust each other and work cooperatively. Management can also strengthen the organization by building trust among employees and fostering a culture of cooperation.
3. quick decision-making
Sardines can change direction in an instant. Management can also maintain the competitiveness of the organization by making quick decisions and responding to change.
The Chinese character for sardine (鰯) is written “weak” on the “fish” side.Sardines survive in the harsh natural world by using their wisdom to compete with larger fish.By emphasizing the autonomy and cooperation of its members, we small and medium-sized enterprises can bring out the flexibility and strength of the entire organization and survive in these uncertain times.
