Never Standing Still: Medalist and Former Japanese Speed Skater Miho Takagi and Shingo Ueno on What It Takes for Individuals and Organizations to Keep Growing

Ueno Let me start with a question. You were part of Japan's national team and also helped establish a team made up of athletes from different countries. Speed skating is generally seen as an individual sport, but it clearly has a team dimension as well.

Takagi Absolutely. To compete at a high level, athletes need support not only from coaches, but from managers, trainers and others who help them maintain peak physical condition. With four or five staff members often supporting a single athlete, that's demanding both financially and in terms of securing talent. That's why I came to feel very strongly that even in an individual sport, people need to come together as a team. The interaction and mutual support that come from being part of a group are essential for each person to reach their full potential.

Ueno So individual strength within a team. Speaking of teams, Sumitomo Corporation places great importance on setting a clear direction and advancing together. At the same time, since becoming president, I've been telling employees that individual capability matters more than people sometimes realize. When you're negotiating with a customer, sometimes one person represents the company alone. How that individual responds in that moment depends entirely on their own ability. Because teamwork is already deeply embedded in our culture, I believe strengthening the team ultimately requires strengthening the individual.

Takagi That's true. On your own, it's difficult to judge your growth except by your own standards. In a team environment, when you see someone pulling ahead, you start asking yourself what's missing and what you need to improve. Alone, it's easier to become complacent.

Ueno In companies, the bonds formed among people who join in the same year often last throughout their careers. Those relationships can be a source of motivation and healthy competition. It sounds similar to the role teammates play in helping athletes improve.

Takagi Hearing you talk about that reminds me how important the people who can challenge you, inspire you and push you to become better are. At the same time, one challenge I had on the national team was figuring out what I should be passing on to younger athletes when everyone's level of motivation and commitment was different. In a large company, how do you communicate effectively across such a diverse organization?

Takagi One strength I believe I developed through my skating career was the ability to think deeply. Now that I've retired, I'd like to help children discover the joy of thinking. As AI becomes increasingly prominent, the need for people to think for themselves will become even greater.

Ueno I think you've put your finger on something essential. AI is advancing rapidly, and I use it all the time myself. It's an excellent tool for improving efficiency, but I don't think it has all the answers. Ultimately, human beings must make the decisions. I'd hate to see a world where people excuse failures by saying, "AI told me to do it." You spoke about thinking ability. The term I often use is "envisioning" – the ability to imagine possibilities. It starts with a dream that you shape into a business concept and eventually turn into reality. Whenever we create something new, that capacity to envision what does not yet exist is essential.

Takagi Learning begins with role models. By combining what we've learned from different sources, we generate new ideas. But in sports, athletes must decide whether those ideas are good or not and put the good ones into practice – they're ultimately executed through the body. That's why it's so important to acquire knowledge and experience and retain those lessons. If you stop thinking or making your own decisions, the difference becomes visible – and growth comes to a halt.

Takagi Another thing I've always valued is listening to my inner voice. I try to ask myself what I truly want to do. The answers that emerge are usually my genuine hopes and aspirations. By staying connected to them, I've been able to keep sight of the person I want to become.

Ueno From that perspective, the most important thing for Sumitomo Corporation, both today and throughout our history, is how we contribute to society. If a company focuses solely on economic value, it inevitably raises the question of whether it's acceptable to make money at the expense of social value. Businesses that fail to meet society's needs quickly lose momentum. I believe sustainable growth comes from increasing the value of a business in a broader sense – through social significance and contributions, as well as economic performance. Whenever we discuss business opportunities at management meetings, I always ask whether they create genuine social value.

Takagi Speaking with you today has changed my perception of Sumitomo Corporation. My previous image of it as a large corporation has been swept away. I can see how you and your employees are constantly adapting in response to changes in society and the world. I had assumed that the larger an organization is, the longer it takes to change and the more defensive it becomes, so this conversation has been both enlightening and inspiring!