Management

When founding Kyocera, I worked tirelessly, day and night. Some employees voiced concerns that this pace wasn't sustainable. However, I told my senior employees that if managing a business were likened to running a marathon, we were like amateurs who'd had a late start. An amateur running at an average pace would just fall further behind, so I wanted to run at full speed, even if only for a short time. I worked hard like I was running a marathon at a 100-meter-dash pace.

When asked if they put in effort, many managers say that they're doing their best. But if competitors exert more effort, you'll lose. Efforts should be unparalleled by others.

These unparalleled efforts must be a consistent daily practice. You must not forget that every great achievement is an accumulation of tedious efforts.

Paraphrased from the Seiwajyuku West Japan Year-End Jyukucho Meeting (December 11, 2012)