Tatsuo Saijo, Guest Professor (Part-time): "The Importance of Self-Determination"
2021.09.16
Tatsuo Saijo, Guest Professor (Part-time), Faculty of Policy Management
Senior Staff Writer and Editorial Writer, The Nikkei
Course Taught: Policymaking and the Media (Fall Semester)
I have been teaching the "Policymaking and the Media" class at SFC since last year, but unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I still haven't had the chance to visit the campus or speak with students. For this reason, when the university administration asked me to "write something about SFC," I found I had little to say. Instead, I would like to write a little about a topic from my own reporting that I think might be helpful to the younger generation (though I'm not sure if it will be a worthy substitute).
I imagine that while most of you have experience with part-time jobs, you have not yet worked full-time. Furthermore, once you finish your studies, many of you will likely follow a career path where you join an organization, earn a living through your work there, and aim for social self-actualization.
So, what is the experience of "working" or "belonging to a company (organization)" like? Is it enjoyable or difficult? Fulfilling or just tiring? Are relationships with colleagues good or strained? While these things vary greatly depending on the organization, job type, and individual, the consensus among experts is that "the state of work in Japan is not necessarily positive."
For example, there is an indicator called work engagement, which shows how vibrantly and positively people approach their jobs. In international comparisons, Japan's ranking on this indicator is consistently near the bottom. In a recent survey conducted by Recruit on young employees nationwide , when asked, "When you wake up in the morning, do you feel like, 'Alright, let's go to work!'?", only 20% of respondents said they "often feel this way (once a week or more)," while nearly 60% said they "rarely feel this way (once a month or less)." Conversely, to the question, "Do you ever feel completely exhausted, both mentally and physically?", nearly 80% of people answered that they "feel this way several times a month or more."
Why does this happen? So-called "black companies" (exploitative companies) are a separate issue, but the situation where employees are not necessarily happy, even in well-known companies (organizations) with decent compensation, occurs more often than you might imagine.
Now, this is speculation based on my own student experience, but I believe that your daily university life—despite its various stresses and hardships—is, on the whole, fulfilling, allowing you to build new relationships and filled with a desire for self-improvement. Some of you may think, "That's not true for me," but if you compare yourself now to who you were a year ago, rather than to someone else around you, most of you will likely share the feeling that "I now understand things I didn't understand before" or "I've become more of an adult." This sense of growth leads to confidence and becomes the engine that generates engagement (proactive involvement), motivating you to work harder and tackle things with a positive attitude.
What is crucial for sustaining this feeling after you enter the workforce and begin your career? One keyword that has emerged from various studies is self-determination. The sense of self-determination—the feeling that "I chose SFC," "I chose this seminar," or "I had the option to work a part-time job or go on a date, but I decided that attending this lecture would be beneficial for me, so I am listening to the professor's class now"—not because your parents, teachers, or society told you to, but by your own will, supports a positive mindset and provides the strength to overcome difficult situations.
Conversely, whether in work or academics, if you are filled with a sense of being forced or having things pushed upon you, you cannot succeed. I hope that our class can be of some help in fostering a positive mindset.