wisdom to win

 Wisdom to Win
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Soichiro Honda LeadershipSoichiro Honda Leadership

 

Soichiro Honda (1906-91)

 

Japanese co-founder of Honda, the motorcycle and car maker

He (pictured right) made it into one of the world’s most successful companies.

 

Why was he a great leader?

Soichiro Honda Leadership

 

1. Learning from failure

To succeed he went through much failure and overcame the fear of it like his hero, Thomas Edison (pictured right).

“Success represents the one percent of your work, which results from the 99 percent that is called failure”, Honda said.

 

2. Passion

He was totally passionate and enthusiastic about motor racing and making motorcycles and cars.

A life changing event was the thrill he experienced as a small boy, seeing a car for the first time.

His father, a blacksmith, gave him a love of mechanical things and making them.

“The value of life can be measured by how many times your soul has been deeply stirred”, Honda said.

 

3. Determination and ambition

At the age of 11 he rode 20 km on his father’s bicycle and climbed a tree to see an aeroplane’s aerobatic display.

He had the will to win and challenged himself to achieve his dream of making the best cars and motorcycles.

 

4. Rebel and innovator

He loved experimenting and challenging existing knowledge and old ways of thinking.

“We can only have one future, and it will be made of our dreams, if we have the courage to challenge convention”, he said.Soichiro Honda Leadership

So Honda (pictured right as a young man):

  • continually thought up new products and ideas (registering 150 patents).
  • was always totally committed to developing new and improved engine technology like low emission engines.

 

5. Motivator

He wanted his employees to enjoy themselves, be creative and express their own ideas, like he did.

He believed that a company is most successful, if each individual is happy and fulfilled.

“Real happiness lies in the completion of work, using your own brain and skills”, he said.

He judged people on their ability to achieve results, not on their status or position, always listening to their good ideas.

 

6. Opportunist

He seized any opportunities that life gave him.

When his factory was destroyed by bombs in 1945, he briefly made a living from brewing alcohol!Soichiro Honda Leadership

In 1949 he made the first of his hugely popular motorcycles (the Dream, pictured right), which beat the quality and reliability of the bikes of its leading competitors:

  • Britain’s Triumph.
  • America’s Harley-Davidson.

In the early 1980’s, the Honda Civic and Accord cars were also successful because of their fuel economy

He was also the first Japanese boss to set up an American factory to avoid laws limiting Japanese imports.

 Soichiro Honda Leadership

7. Continuous improvement

Honda always aimed for continuous improvement in everything he did, and he encouraged his employees to do the same.

After Honda’s first win in Formula One motor racing ( its car is pictured right), he said they

  • would study why they won.
  • use that knowledge to improve and win more races.

Honda withdrew from Formula One in 2008 because of the cost.

 

8. Aggression and ambition

He wanted Honda to be the world’s best car and motorcycle maker, and aggressively attacked his competitors.

One of Honda’s slogans was simply, “Slaughter Yamaha!”

 

9. Risk taker

He was prepared to gamble and expand his business, even when close to bankruptcy in the early 1950’s.

 Soichiro Honda Leadership

10. Teamwork

He needed the support of:

  • great employees.
  • his partner, and friend, Takeo Fujisawa (on the right in the picture with Honda).

Fujisawa looked after the company’s management, whilst Honda took charge of engineering and developing new products.


 

11. Hard work

Honda worked very long hours, and, after rebelling at school, he went back to college to study metallurgy to help with building new engines.

 

12. “The Honda way”

This is what he called his basic approach to business:

• find out what customers want.

• create products that uniquely satisfy them with exceptional performance, quality and reliability.

• use your reputation to expand into other different products.

 

Key quote on success

Success represents the one percent of your work, which results from the 99 percent that is called failure.

 

Key quotes on happiness

The value of life can be measured by how many times your soul has been deeply stirred.

 

Key quote on motivation

Real happiness lies in the completion of work, using your own brain and skills.

 

Key quote on vision and objectives

We can only have one future, and it will be made of our dreams, if we have the courage to challenge convention.

 

Key quote on interviewing and selection

Always remember that you often find outstanding people among those you don’t like.

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