The Art of Racing to the Top

Two weeks ago I brought executives from all of Rakuten’s businesses to Japan for an executive training camp. I do this every year. It gives us an opportunity to learn from each other and to refocus our efforts on growth and profitability.

This isn’t unique to Rakuten. Many companies have executive training camps. What sets us apart is that we climb a mountain.

Seven years ago I challenged Rakuten executives to climb Mount Tanigawa. While the climb isn’t too steep, this mountain has claimed more lives than Mount Everest. Of course we don’t climb the most difficult trails. We always put safety first. But it’s still a challenge.

We climb a mountain because we learn more from your colleagues doing it than by playing golf together. We learn about character. We learn about perseverance. We learn about will. And we bond with each other.

By facing the struggles of climbing to the summit of Mount Tanigawa together we feel we can overcome any company difficulties as a team.

I challenge you to do something similar. Challenge yourself and your team to climb a mountain, hike miles of trails, or run a marathon. You will learn much more about each other than by playing a round of golf.

Read my book on revitalizing Japan in the global economy, The Power to Compete. (Find it on Kobo, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Google Play)