‘A Leadership close to the people:

Everything begins with empathy and trust’

Fumiko Hayashi, Mayor of Yokohama presents the 119th GRIPS Forum, December 14, 2015.

She was named amongst ‘The 50 Women to Watch’ by The Wall Street Journal in 2004 and awarded the title of ‘Person of the Year’ by The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan in 2014. To date, the mayor of Yokohama, Fumiko Hayashi has had an incredible career as both business leader and now as a political force.

How has she done it? She came to GRIPS to share her insights on the realities and obstacles she has faced as a woman in the male dominated world of top management for the 119^th GRIPS Forum, held Monday December 14.

Hayashi was elected as the first woman mayor of the City of Yokohama in 2009, and reelected in August 2013 for another four year term. Her extraordinary resume which prior to her becoming mayor included a vast array of high profile posts, including President of Fahren Tokyo, President of BMW Tokyo, Chairperson and CEO of Supermarket chain Daiei Inc. and President of Tokyo Nissan Auto Sales.

During a fascinating 90 minute presentation, Hayashi shared anecdotes from her experience of climbing to the top of the business world in Japan, highlighting how the country has changed over the decades in its view toward women in the workforce. Using her two core philosophies of ‘it all comes down to people’ and ‘management with empathy and trust’ she shared the type of leadership she views as critical in order to carve out a successful career path. The message for the audience was clear; organizations can only produce significant results when leaders motivate staff, maximize their leverage and make them feel happy so that they can grow in the job. Her advice included four main principles.

1. Engender omotenashi (the Japanese spirit of hospitality and service) into administrative services

In order to engender omotenashi within the civil administration of Yokohama, Hayashi put what she preaches into practice by visiting the counters of ward offices where her staff works, and heaping praise on them for their hard work. To achieve excellent levels of service, staff themselves must meet the public with a smile and feel like what they do is worthwhile and has value. Hayashi claims she cultivated this principle from her days working in the private sector. Since Mayor Hayashi took office, surveys measuring customer satisfaction levels at government offices across Yokohama showed remarkable improvements. Levels have been maintained at a staggering 95% and in some cases, government offices have reached a 99% satisfaction level. Hayashi perceives these figures as an expression of encouragement from the public and in turn makes sure to encourage her staff in fulfilling the expectations of the public.

2. If there isn’t mutual satisfaction on the part of the service provider and customer, good service

will not materialize

As part of her work in rebuilding Daiei Corporation, Hayashi personally visited each supermarket of the vast Daiei chain one by one to chat to the staff. Hayashi recalls asking one particular staff member how long they had worked in a particular store.

‘28 years? Well thank you very much for your service. This towns’ growth is in part due to the growth of this store you know.’

Hayashi’s words formed the encouragement needed for operational success, and in turn, she was encouraged in her work as their principal. The same proposition carries through to her work as mayor. No matter how good the policy, if you don’t gain trust with the public, you will fail to enforce it.

3. Reach the top by making people positive and happy

Looking back over a remarkable career—she reached the top-level of automobile sales, put a large enterprise back on its feet, achieved great performances in top management positions—Hayashi says there is no tricky scheme, putting her achievements down to genuinely caring for people and showing gratitude. It’s an ethos she has carried for decades never forgetting to let people know that her success is due in part to them having met. And it is with the intention of returning the favor that she has come this far. Hayashi recognizes that with becoming a leader, there is a heavy burden to shoulder, but states that leaders should keep in mind that they were assigned to those positions to bring happiness to their subordinates.

4. Women! Use your intuitive sensibility in business to your advantage

Hayashi started her career in an era well before the introduction of The Equal Employment Opportunity Law of 1986 when the dividing line between men's and women's responsibilities in the workforce was clearly drawn and women were largely relied on to complete routine or menial work with limited status. She set her sights on the top by using the mantra ‘it all comes down to people.’ Hayashi has long worried that in the male dominated world she was inhabiting, there was little room for recognition, reward and empathy– traits in which she claims women are naturally well versed. According to Hayashi, it is these particular traits which are essential in management roles. She believes men and women should exercise their inherent strengths for the betterment of the organization.

Hayashi’s successes as Mayor include being able to dispatch a more unified team of civil servants more expediently in the event of a large scale disaster, and cutting wait times to zero for entry into nurseries for children within Yokohama. These have been achieved on the back of a dedicated team of civil servants that take pride in what they do and that Hayashi herself has tirelessly sought to pay tribute to. Many GRIPS students present for Hayashi’s talk will no doubt go into leadership roles heeding the advice of this trailblazing icon. Fumiko Hayashi’s management style teaches us that whether between staff and supervisor, citizens and city administration or the public and government, empathy and trust is the foundation of everything.

Article by the Public Relations Department, GRIPS.