Today's book is "Throw Away Your Business Books and Go Out into the City" by Yohei Takayama, chairman of the Okuribanto club.
I first read this book in June 2020, right when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Above all, there's Takayama's overwhelming visual appeal, and his title as a professional drinker, claiming to go out drinking 360 days a year.Eating ramen and training on TwitterHe's an interesting person in every way. He's an interesting person in every aspect, and he easily ranks first on my list of celebrities I want to meet.
Back then, I was so busy with work that I didn't really absorb the contents of this book. Now, three years later, having launched the WAITER-U SHOP that I truly wanted to do, I reread it and found myself deeply moved by a parade of its content.
Here are a few of the many anecdotes featured in this book.
Comics are the best business books
First, this book is structured as a story in which Mr. Takayama, a boss who is worried about Mr. Manabe, a serious employee who takes his inability to achieve the desired results in sales too seriously, sends him to Mr. Takayama, who guides him on sales and work-related mindsets through a dialogue format.
The first thing Manabe witnesses is Takayama openly reading manga for extended periods in his Renoir during work hours. He then declares, "Manga are the best business books."
It's true that people deeply involved in business tend to unconsciously gravitate towards the business book section at bookstores, but since business is built on human relationships, I was strangely convinced that perhaps you can actually gain more useful business knowledge from manga.
Takayama recommended "Oishinbo" and "Mejibana Keiji Tachibana" to Manabe-kun. They teach that even top chefs at high-end restaurants need the humility to acknowledge that delicious food is delicious, and they also provide topics that can be used in meals, such as the fact that eating eel on the Day of the Ox in summer has been a tradition since the Edo period. I think viewers can gain something from watching them.
Souvenir stamp rally
When people take paid leave to travel, most will buy local souvenirs to bring back, but I doubt many take the time to carefully choose them. What's amazing about Mr. Takayama is that he's turned this into content and transformed it into a groundbreaking communication tool for connecting with colleagues he doesn't usually talk to. It's called "Souvenir Stamp Rally."
For example, they collect famous sweets from all 47 prefectures, like a stamp rally, such as Shiroi Koibito from Hokkaido or Torimon from Hakata. And they go around the company themselves to collect them. Isn't that amazing?
This is a truly innovative approach, as it encourages those preparing souvenirs to think, "I'll buy this for that person." And there's more!
Keep all the condiments on your desk.
Apparently, during lunchtime, people from various departments gather at Mr. Takayama's desk looking for condiments to change the flavor of their bento boxes. From olive oil to Crazy Salt, from soy sauce to Worcestershire sauce. He even goes so far as to promote the idea that adding a little olive oil to Cup Noodles Seafood flavor makes it delicious, through the company's mailing list. I'm truly impressed. In the book, this is called the "Matsuya Theory." Anyone who has been to Matsuya can probably imagine what I mean.
Be pop when you're in a pinch.
This book doesn't offer any specific advice like, "This is what you should do to deal with a difficult boss!", but rather it's packed with the fundamental mindset needed to persevere and not crumble even in the face of a crisis.
As the title of this book suggests, you can learn more by going out into the city and experiencing firsthand what people are thinking, buying, worrying about, wanting, and afraid of, rather than just studying by reading webinars and books.
