by Haruka Nishimatsu, CEO of Japan Airlines, lives by a philosophy that many corporate bosses should be paying close attention to.
Instead of acting like the ruler of the company, Nishimatsu acts like a leader and sacrifices some of the big corporate perks so he can build a more robust and more dedicated workforce.“If management is distant, up in the clouds, people wait for orders.
I want my people to think for themselves,” Nishimatsu told CBS News.
Nishimatsu takes the bus to work; he wears inexpensive clothes that his employees can all afford. Although he usually collects a sizable salary, it is far lower than that of the average CEO. One year, he even significantly cut his wages to avoid downsizing employees and cutting into their pay when profits were down. When employees work for someone afraid to get their hands dirty with the team, they find it more difficult to be passionate about the work themselves. Also, when broke and underpaid employees notice a CEO with flashy cars and jewelry, they are bound to become discontent with their work and harbor hatred for their boss.
Ultimately, these types of bosses end up destroying their own companies by failing to create an atmosphere where people can feel good about the work that they are doing. Nishimatsu understands this and can create an environment that is more fulfilling for his employees and more profitable for the company in the long run.
