Sumitomo Corporation's Inter Office Training (IOT) as a Global Gathering of Peers

This iteration of IOT saw 29 participants from 16 countries and regions. Most were non-native English speakers, and nearly all were meeting for the first time. Jet lag and travel fatigue contributed to a slightly stiff atmosphere to start. It was essential to speak English slowly, clearly and understandably, using gestures and facial expressions. The instructors reassured participants with the message: "IOT is not a classroom, it's a laboratory. Take challenges, make mistakes and learn from them." This immediately eased the atmosphere.

The exercises engaged both body and mind, helping participants identify common challenges in global corporate work and discover their own strengths and unique qualities, alongside similar characteristics in their organizations. Today we'll introduce three particularly memorable moments.

Simple Exercises, Sometimes With Complications: The Challenge of Working Together

The first exercise involved lowering a stick. Everyone's fingers had to touch the underside of a single stick, and the simple rule was to lower the stick to the ground. However, despite shouts of "Down!" and "Lower!" the stick kept rising toward the ceiling.

This exercise was held at the end of the first day, and over dinner that evening, participants asked: "Why did that happen?" "How can we make it work?" The discussion grew more and more spirited.

"Maybe it was because of our height difference?"
"Should we designate a single leader to call out instructions?"
"Do we need to change starting positions?"

A number of different opinions were exchanged.

Even a seemingly simple task is challenging when working toward a shared goal. Achieving mid- to long-term objectives with diverse stakeholders on a global scale is naturally even more difficult.

The process being far from straightforward is to be expected. Trial and error, persistence and resilience are the keys to eventual success.

Same Input, Unique Outputs

The second task was to "Please organize and write descriptions of your M&Ms." The members were puzzled by the rather vague prompt but began working on it nonetheless.

In the team that our editorial member joined, someone suggested, "Let’s just start by sorting them by color." As they worked, they made a few discoveries, such as how unevenly the colors were distributed, yet the teams generally felt uncertainty: "What are we supposed to be getting out of this exercise?"

Working without a clear goal or sense of direction can feel daunting. As the clock ticked down on the activity, people couldn’t help but wonder: "Did we really understand the instructions?" or "How are other teams approaching this?"

Afterwards, everyone had the chance to view the other teams' creations. They were told to share their impressions and feedback, but our editorial member assumed, "They probably all just sorted them by color like we did."

However, our editorial member was surprised to see creative, unique approaches. Her assumption that "everyone must have done it the same way" was completely overturned as she found herself in awe, saying "I never would’ve thought of that!" in response to her peers' original ideas. We can't show the finished pieces here to avoid spoilers for future participants, but seeing the free-spirited creations of each team made us realize how unconsciously we tend to think within certain limits: "This is just how it works," or "This is definitely the right way forward."

The exercise revealed that even under identical conditions, diverse perspectives generate ideas that would be impossible individually. It's this limitless scope of ideas that makes work so much more engaging. Research shows that companies with greater gender and ethnic diversity often outperform less diverse companies financially.

Embodying Sumitomo Corporation's Spirit Globally

The third memorable moment came during a discussion on "what it takes to earn more." One suggestion was to form superficial partnerships with competitors to monopolize the market without breaking the law. The group's reactions were immediate:

"That might work, but Sumitomo Corporation wouldn't do that."
"We always prioritize trust with our partners."
"We wouldn't act against the principle of 'Enriching lives and the world.'"

These comments naturally reflected the company's philosophy, demonstrating how deeply these values are embedded globally and how they guide decision-making.

Global Bonds Built Over Three Days

After three days of training, a number of participants shared their reflections.

"I realized how many like-minded colleagues we have worldwide. I'm proud to be a part of Sumitomo Corporation."
"Building strong connections with global colleagues was a meaningful experience."
"I expected differences due to culture and background, but I felt shared values and priorities in enjoying work and valuing family."
"I look forward to reuniting as leaders at our global offices in the future."

Participants also bonded outside training. They went sightseeing in Tokyo, looking for souvenirs, enjoying drinks at an izakaya and enjoyed a karaoke session. Many were visiting Japan for the first time, and Japanese participants spontaneously proposed and guided the itinerary, showcasing their natural talent for organizing and adapting.

Fully enjoying both work and play: that's the Sumitomo Corporation way.