P.68 Chairman and Outside Directors Roundtable (4)

Chairman and Outside Directors Roundtable Corporate Governance Sasaki: On set, producers actually have more power than department heads or division chiefs. Most of them are in their 30s to 40s, and obviously, the number of women is increasing. Yagi: When we visited Midoriyama Studio, a female producer was giving clear instructions and all the staff immediately gathered around her and followed her lead. It was a great opportunity to see that talented people are utilized effectively, regardless of gender. It’s also nice to have a work culture where people feel comfortable speaking their minds, even to their superiors. Generally speaking, it takes three or four years for the results of diversity to become evident. So, monitoring the process and providing support is essential. When problems get complicated, diverse teams are more effective at finding solutions. Since homogeneous groups tend to share the same shortcomings, they often lose sight of the bigger picture. The significance of having diverse teams grad- ually becomes clear. Sasaki: As part of our flexible work arrangements, we have a Job Return Program that allows employees to return to TBS within five years of leaving the company. This program was originally started to enable female employees who left the company to accompany their husbands on overseas assign- ments to return to work. Now, there is also a case where a male employee came back, who had quit to work for a foreign company but later expressed a desire to return. The program has been well received. Makino: That is a wonderful program. I heard this episode. When an employee went to the Chairman to tell him he wanted to quit, the Chairman told him, “You can come back anytime.” This showed me that TBS has a family-like atmosphere and warmth.

Get serious with “From each moment,

a better tomorrow.”

Yagi: Human capital management has two key aspects. Align- ing business strategy with human resources is important. I expect that it will improve even further with the establishment of a CHRO there. From a slightly different perspective, TBS has a system that deploys people with professional experience in one field to other fields. I think it’s a really good system. You are maximizing the use of internal resources and giving them a chance to try different fields. Sasaki: As for the development of the president, executives, and senior managers in leadership, we choose candidates from among people who are working hard on the frontline, such as news, drama, and variety shows, while they’re still young enough to stay on the frontline, moving them into executive training programs. For example, Mr. Setoguchi, who is an ex- ecutive officer now, was told to move into the global business field while he was still able to make many more dramas. President Abe was also a producer who had been at the fore- front of the variety show industry. We’re taking an approach where people like him, once they reach a certain age, begin training to become leaders who oversee the entire company and the entire group, and eventually take on positions of responsibility. What do you think about this approach for developing leaders? Yagi: I think it’s good of you keep doing it this way. I think management requires more than skills. So it is important that people who truly understand and have feelings about what TBS aims for take on leadership positions. I have seen many cases where people who can clearly articulate the secrets to success in one business often succeed in other business environments. TBS promotes “wonderful moments” and “a better tomorrow.” I believe people who are serious about those things should hold key positions. Sasaki: Finally, I’d like you to make a “severe order” to TBS for the future. Makino: The good and the bad are two sides of the same coin. I said that TBS is like a family, but you can’t let it get too compla- cent or let people coast along. You should not let that happen. You need a balance—being strict when you need to be. Yagi: TBS has shown the strongest viewership growth and is really putting in the effort, but I hope they don’t settle for second place. Your Brand Promise, “From each moment, a better tomorrow,” captures exactly how you want to shape the future of Japan and the world. So you should really commit to making that happen. I hope you will continue to be an entity that never forgets that ambition and grits your teeth to make the world a better place. 68