Boiling Frog 1: Diagnosing the problems at Nippon University

There has never been a day in the pas few weeks that we did not hear about all the commotions around Nippon University. It started as just another foul play at a rugby game, which could have ended as another unfortunate incidents happened in the crossfire of the game, or the unfair conduct by one player at worst, IF the player and the persons in charge of the team had expressed sincere apology and regrets to the opponent team and the injured player in timely fashion. But, the reality is that they, the leaders of Nippon University, completely lost control of the situation and the media drove the whole thing out of proportion, like they always do, involving not just the parties in concern, but the parents, Rugby Association, so called experts, lawyers, the entire school management in both side, general public and all the way to the Ministry of Education.  So, What are we trying to achieve here ? Who are we trying to satisfy by criminalizing the coach, GM, and even the Chairman of the Board and hanging their heads in public ? Do you think you can stop the similar things from happening again by doing so ? We all know that the answer is NO. So why are we doing it ?  There have been numerous cases like this in the past and more to come in the future.  Some of us are sick and tired of listening to the same old stories day in and day out. This is not to say that what they supposed to have done is not worthy of our attention. What irritates me is not so much the wrong conducts of those involved, but the fact that all those people, from the medias and the general public to the government, are barking at the wrong tree, so to speak, in that they are all too blinded to see the very heart of the problem, which is the organizational system and its dynamics. Pointing fingers at any individuals to blame will not lead anyone anywhere but the never ending circle of shooting at the ghosts with no points to gain. What we have to realize is that anyone belonging to any organization of any kinds are the prisoners of the system of Organization 2.0. But what is making things even worse is that the most of us are not even aware of its influence in our thinking, attitude and behavior in spite of all the painful outcomes of the system in which we have been imprisoned.

One thing I should add, though, about Organization 2.0 and its system is that, even though its paradigm and the basic principles are shared among all the 2nd Wave organizations (Organization 2.0), not all organizations are identical in the system and its characteristics. For example, typical Japanese Organizations share the same basic paradigm and its principles of Organization 2.0 while having its unique characteristics and behavioral patterns, one of such unique elements is "Kooki" among other things.  Kooki in Japanese organization is the invisible force behind its system that dictates the behavior of the organization and its system, which makes it extra difficult to transform Japanese organization to the Organization 3.0 as compared to the organizations in other cultural backgrounds.  However, there is one thing in common among all organizations regardless of the differences in cultural backgrounds that determines their performance outcomes is none other than "Communication", not in the sense of the mere exchange of information or discourse among the members of organization, but as the life sustaining energy that drives its organic system. Well, enough said for today, I shall continue my comments on the issue of Nippon University in my next post.