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[MK Opinion] Start with “Why”
During the first two months of 2016, the ECCK President Jean-Christophe Darbes will be making weekly contributions to Maekyung Business News opinion column. Each week, the Chamber will share the published article as well as its English translation.
Please click here to access President Darbes’ final article and read below for the English version:
Start with “Why”
As a Frenchman living in Korea for the past seven years, I enjoy the lifestyle, culture, and even certain peculiarities. However, some practices in Korea are more often than not still puzzling. One of those situations is the pairing of various kinds of cheese with crackers at business receptions or even at high-end hotels. In the land of cheese – France, you rarely see this strange combination as crackers overpower the flavour of cheese. Thus, it is common to serve cheese with baguette and wine.
I have been wondering why this unnatural combination have persisted despite Koreans’ keen interest in international cuisine and easy availability of good baguettes. I suspect that the practice may have started without the right information but continued, simply because nobody asked why cheese should be served in that manner.
In today’s business world, asking “why” is one of the most heatedly discussed topics. According to Simon Sinek, an American business guru, most businesspeople know what and how they do something, but only a small number of them understand why they do it. Truly successful business leaders start with “why” – the fundamental value of their business, and inspire customers to believe what they believe in.
With the consumer market becoming increasingly diversified and individualized, customers are placing more emphasis on the fundamental worth of a product. More and more customers purchase a product not only because of its good performance but also because of the product company’s principles.
The question should be raised about organization and socio-economic spheres beyond individual business. Korea has established an impressively successful economic model for decades, but it is now aiming to be a market leader based on creative economy. To become an initiator and a leader, you should ask whether the current model or practice has become obsolete, and if it is, be proactive enough to find a new model. In this light, asking “why” means a constant process of investigation, feedback, and change.
To reform obsolete practices such as strict hierarchy, limited communication, and unnecessary procedures, you should ask “why” we should continue our business in the same way as it was done decades ago. When working overtime, managers should ask themselves why their staff members also need to meaninglessly stay late in the office.
As traditional conventions are questioned more and more, new ideas and motivation for innovation will emerge. Personally, I hope that somebody will ask the right question, and next time, I hope to enjoy my French cheese with nice baguette.
[MK Opinion] Start with “Why”
During the first two months of 2016, the ECCK President Jean-Christophe Darbes will be making weekly contributions to Maekyung Business News opinion column. Each week, the Chamber will share the published article as well as its English translation.
Please click here to access President Darbes’ final article and read below for the English version:
Start with “Why”
As a Frenchman living in Korea for the past seven years, I enjoy the lifestyle, culture, and even certain peculiarities. However, some practices in Korea are more often than not still puzzling. One of those situations is the pairing of various kinds of cheese with crackers at business receptions or even at high-end hotels. In the land of cheese – France, you rarely see this strange combination as crackers overpower the flavour of cheese. Thus, it is common to serve cheese with baguette and wine.
I have been wondering why this unnatural combination have persisted despite Koreans’ keen interest in international cuisine and easy availability of good baguettes. I suspect that the practice may have started without the right information but continued, simply because nobody asked why cheese should be served in that manner.
In today’s business world, asking “why” is one of the most heatedly discussed topics. According to Simon Sinek, an American business guru, most businesspeople know what and how they do something, but only a small number of them understand why they do it. Truly successful business leaders start with “why” – the fundamental value of their business, and inspire customers to believe what they believe in.
With the consumer market becoming increasingly diversified and individualized, customers are placing more emphasis on the fundamental worth of a product. More and more customers purchase a product not only because of its good performance but also because of the product company’s principles.
The question should be raised about organization and socio-economic spheres beyond individual business. Korea has established an impressively successful economic model for decades, but it is now aiming to be a market leader based on creative economy. To become an initiator and a leader, you should ask whether the current model or practice has become obsolete, and if it is, be proactive enough to find a new model. In this light, asking “why” means a constant process of investigation, feedback, and change.
To reform obsolete practices such as strict hierarchy, limited communication, and unnecessary procedures, you should ask “why” we should continue our business in the same way as it was done decades ago. When working overtime, managers should ask themselves why their staff members also need to meaninglessly stay late in the office.
As traditional conventions are questioned more and more, new ideas and motivation for innovation will emerge. Personally, I hope that somebody will ask the right question, and next time, I hope to enjoy my French cheese with nice baguette.