INTERVIEWThe Shoko Chukin Bank, Ltd.
Under the motto "Everchanging for an unchanged mission," Shoko Chukin Bank strives to be a comprehensively supporting partner for small and medium-sized enterprises.
To develop professionals who can carry companies forward both strategically and financially, we have kickstarted our Business Management Game Training Program ("BMG Training Program").
Mr. Nakashima, Mr. Hashimoto, Ms. Sakamoto
Purpose of Training Program
Could you share with us what led you to introduce the BMG Training Program?
We offer a variety of training programs throughout the year to develop the skills of our employees.
I myself participated in SCHOLE's Business Management Game in 2022, and I felt that a BMG Training Program that simulates corporate management from a management perspective would be an effective learning tool for our employees here at Shoko Chukin, who often interact with senior management. I, therefore, proposed to introduce it within the company.
To realize our mission—Supporting the future of companies. Making Japan more resilient to change—we need professionals who deeply understand our business and can support the company from both a strategic and financial standpoint. To this end, I felt it was essential to have practical learning opportunities and not just to train in classroom settings.
What sort of lessons did you expect from this training program?
Two major lessons. Firstly, to understand the factors that make up a business, to experience the complexity of decision-making, and to see things through the eyes of a business manager.
Management decisions heavily hinge on internal and external environments as well as the state of the organization. We wanted our employees to understand the factors that affect management decisions, and to experience the importance, excitement, and difficulty of repeating the cycle of decision-making and improvement from a whole-company perspective.
Secondly, leadership and team building. Since the BMG Training Program aims to improve performance through team-based role-sharing, maximizing team performance through outstanding leadership is essential.
Many people participated in our most-recent company business contest, and we were confident that a deep understanding of each other and a common language would help them thrive in this competition.
Takeaways from the BMG Training Program
Did the training program provide new lessons or insights?
When I first heard about this workshop, I thought it would focus on financial analysis and logical thinking, but it was completely different when I actually took part in it. I learned so much that I wanted all of our company's employees to take it, if possible.
There were many situations that made me especially appreciate the complexity of decision-making and leadership in corporate management. In our line of work, we have many opportunities to work with businesses across the country, and this program helped me realize how limited I had been in my view of the business.
I was one of the less experienced participants at Shoko Chukin compared to others, so I was nervous about joining the training program.
But once we started, I found we were so enthusiastic about helping each other, sharing our expertise, and competing for performance.
I realized the importance of grasping the big picture and looking beyond departments, including cashflow management to balance business operations and investments, product development, and sales management to ultimately maximize profits.
I agree. Building a strategy with an eye toward the future and having a holistic perspective that includes a time frame for decision-making is crucial.
Because of my work in finance, I was worried about inventory risk and fund shortages, but once the management game started, I found myself being swayed by the market and the competition; I was losing orders from a lack of inventory, or building a plant in a hurry to manufacture a product, only to find that the competitor's market share had increased and I ended up with dead stock.
What should we prioritize to achieve corporate goals to avoid simply dealing with problems as they arise? What sort of measures can we take to anticipate the future? By addressing such questions, I learned firsthand the importance and difficulty of making decisions with limited information and time.
We faced cash flow problems early on and were on the verge of going bankrupt, and it brought home to me how each decision in a business can have a significant impact on the company's finances.
How can we rebuild our business from such a state? By discussing this issue, I believe we were able to foster a sense of unity within the team.
Have there been any specific changes in your own approach to work after partaking in the training program?
I personally have been able to apply the lessons I learned from the training since the very next day (laughs).
I touched on leadership earlier, and I believe that to guide a business or organization into the future, it is essential to set a shared vision and goals, clarify each member's role, and have leaders make decisions quickly, making the most of limited information.
Having a renewed awareness of the importance of these factors and by defining and discussing the direction we should aim for as leaders during the business contest, our team demonstrated improved and more concrete actions, which significantly improved output quality.
I feel that the hands-on experience of thinking backward from the future, planning, and balancing strategy and finance, along with reflection to apply the lessons to our own work, has directly improved the quality of our daily operations.
That’s fantastic.
How about you, Ms. Sakamoto?
I feel that by experiencing a management perspective, albeit partially, and having a heightened awareness of management, we can better tackle our work concretely and comprehensively.
I found it mind-boggling how managers repeatedly make difficult decisions that affect business operations while bringing together a wide range of domains, such as business strategy, operations, marketing, accounting, and finance and keeping an eye on the market and competitive trends.
After implementing the BMG Training Program
Did you get the results you expected from the training program?
Yes, I feel that experiencing the complexity of decision-making and the management perspective, and fostering leadership and team building, were more effective than I had anticipated, as you both have shared.
While many training programs end with the participants being somewhat satisfied with what they have learned, this one actually led to a change in behavior, which is terrific.
Some participants expressed that the opportunity to experience firsthand the challenges of management gave them a renewed appreciation of management's role. I am happy that we organized this event.
It was an excellent opportunity for our sales professionals to learn to interact and have channels of communication beyond their departments.
Which types of businesses would you recommend the BMG Training Program to?
I think it can be implemented for a wide range of purposes depending on the participants' profiles and experience, including (1) training mid-level employees who need a management perspective, (2) building strategic and financial thinking for young and mid-level employees, and (3) cross-organizational leadership and team building.
We conducted the training for young and mid-career people, and we believe that employees of financial institutions are a good match since they have basic knowledge of finance. It is critical for us to develop management professionals who can engage in a comprehensive dialogue to support corporate management, from more than just a financial perspective.
Also, this program was a hybrid of online and in-person sessions, and we were a bit surprised to find that participants were more or less equally satisfied with both. Although I thought it might be easier to have discussions in-person.
Taking part in SCHOLE's Business Management Game and experiencing firsthand how to think as a leader will undoubtedly lead to future business value. I hope that many companies will continue to foster the management professionals who drive their businesses forward.
Thank you very much, Mr. Nakajima, Mr. Hashimoto, and Ms. Sakamoto, for joining us.