A video that all of you should absolutely watch

A feedback to the video that Ken introduced to us about smiling from TED and the metro laugh. It's been a while but I felt that I want to share something related to those two videos.

Please watch! It will make your day.

HAHA! Did you enjoy it?:)

As Charlie Todd explained in the very beginning, he is the founder of Improv Everywhere. What this performance group does is that they create laugh and joy in public places where there's no shared experience of absurdity. I completely fell in love with this idea. Once that experience becomes mutual with other people, it turns out to be something meaningful. 

Plus, we already know about the power of smiling. I strongly believe that this world will become a better place if we respect shared moments of laugh between the interaction of individuals.

If you feel that everyday life is boring, why don't you make it more laughable with a single action? 

Fill your life with laugh. Though your sad or mad, just smile! Happiness will lead the way:)

Chapter 2 and 3

One of the leaders that I personally look up to is Walt Disney. Yes, as everyone knows he is the founder of The Walt Disney Company that creates animation and manages Disney Land. His company had been thriving in those days and still in present.

Walt Disney 

What made him so successful? The answer is simple. He believed in what he was doing and pursued his dream vigorously without any hesitations, even if people around told him that it is impossible.

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."--- Walt Disney

Before his industry became prosperous, animations were completely silent. That was the way animations were and how they were kept. It was thought that making drawings talk was unimaginable. However, Disney challenged this norm. He simply believed that he was able to make drawings speak. And he did. He recorded his voice over the animation of Mickey Mouse, which became the first talking and most successful throughout history.

In addition to his strong pursuit of own beliefs, he was also extremely optimistic. He never stopped challenging the impossible. In fact, he took every adversity as a obstacle that would make himself stronger. Indeed, he surely did achieve to make fantasy into a reality.

"I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic to know that life is a complex matter."---Walt Disney

There are many more qualities that made Walt Disney a good and distinct leader. He has left us with a lot of amazing quotes that explain how he was as a human being. Even after 50 years since his death, his preaches keep on inspiring others and will also continue to do so in the future.

Oranges and Chocolates

The activity we did in class was really fun! It made me think of ways how both sides will benefit throughout efficient negotiations. This time it was simple using oranges and chocolates(snake eggs), however, what the society as a whole is lacking right now is this win-win situation. If all companies and countries apply this in real life situations, that will solve many of the issues this current world is struggling in present such as poverty, global warming etc.
One of the areas that I'm interested in is Social business. Social business is a business that works for the social collective good. This whole concept was created by a Bangladeshi university professor Muhammad Yunus who created the famous Grameen Bank. In short, he came up with a whole new idea of banking called microfinance which lends money for the poor who were previously excluded from borrowing money. His concept was innovative saving many lives, and a number of leaders look up to him ever since this concept came out.

Muhammad Yunus

Another social business company that I really like is Table For Two. This company created a system that when a person in a developed nation buys a Table For Two product, a partial amount of the price is given to developing nations which equals for one meal. A meal made by the Table For Two that is served for the people in the developed nations is more nutritious and healthier than other meals. Therefore, this creates a win-win situation. People in the developed nations are able to get healthier food which will solve many of the problems of obesity and other types of disorders related to over-consumption of food, whereas people in the developing nation are able to receive a free meal which enables them to do away with starvation.

Creating a win-win situation is not easy. However, it is probably the best way to solve many of the problems that this world is coping with right now:)

Pictures taken by,

http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/muhammad-yunus-a-hero-to-many

http://www.mitsui.com/jp/en/csr/contribution/employee_participation/tft/index.html

Chapter 1

I already knew about Shackleton and his glory as a great leader because I've learned a little at my cram school(But Haru told me she doesn't remember lol). However, it was my first time to know him in detail and all the accomplishments that he achieved. 

I've noticed that I've already been implementing the strategy "Never lose sight of the ultimate goal, and focus energy on shot-term objectives." naturally in my real life. Perhaps not only me but everyone unconsciously uses this strategy without even considering about it. 

For example, the ultimate goal of the students organization that I'm working right now is to revive the Tohoku area and help them reconstruct their beauty that they have lost due to the earthquake. Nevertheless, the goal itself is too vague and too hard to achieve for only a number university students without any support from the government. Instead of blindly rushing into the ultimate goal, we set short-term goals such as selling special products in order to revitalize its industry and holding events in Tokyo that would keep the memory of the 3.11 in people's minds. 

Sanriku Marche at Yurakucho. Shiho and Koji(not in this picture) came too!

Collecting messages at Tokyo Tower

Inside of each short-term goal, there are smaller goals and tasks including collecting volunteer members, organizing meetings between the members of the organization, and preparing for the actual event.

These things are steps that are necessary in order to achieve the ultimate goal. They're just normal steps that everyone will take without putting so much thought into it. Therefore, I believe that this strategy is something we all use unintentionally and is not an essential tactic that all great leaders should deliberately use. 

Maybe the qualities of a good leader are things that we all share but it's just that some people tend to show them more conspicuously than others :)

September 11th

My first blog for RW :)
For our first class, we learned how to give handshakes and to exchange cards. The three essential elements for a good handshake; warm, firm, and brief! It was quite interesting to know the right form because no one has ever taught me how to and it will be embarrassing if I keep it wrong for the rest of my life. As for the card exchange, I've exchanged many cards before so I was pretty confident with the way. However, in the past, I've made many embarrasing mistakes (giving the card other way around for example)  which made me learn from my experience. And I must say, I have THE MOST AMAZING card so feel free to exchange cards with me anytime! haha

The topic Leadership really caught my attention because I am currently running a student organization. Unlike other student organizations, my organization has two leaders other than me. I really like this system because the burden and the responsibility that one is supposed to enhance becomes one-third, while the fun we share becomes three times more! Because of this system and my unserious personality, I haven't really considered myself as a leader up until now. However, this course will be a chance for me to rethink and enrich my ability as a leader. And I am sure that the things I will learn will definitely be useful in the future.

P.S. I really love Ryan Higa's videos!