I would like to break down the third page of Isao’s Declaration of War issued today to Canon USA employees, and provide the critical analysis that you will not get anywhere else. I will obliterate Isao in this scathing probe.
He starts by calling it a “very important request”. As we will find out in the paragraphs to follow, this is much more than a request, I would call it more or less an edict.
The “Transform As One” journey is corporate fluff. There is no seriousness or sincerity with this slogan. A one-size-fits-all approach almost never works in any situation. How about you start by getting everyone on one ERP system or have CFS follow the same hybrid work policies. You preach uniformity, yet there is so much inequality throughout the organization.
In the next paragraph, he starts by trying to butter up everyone by expressing gratitude, but then he quickly lays down the hammer. “I must be completely honest”. Mmmmmm, so are you suggesting that you are not honest 100% of the time? He then proceeds to tell us that “we made the significant decision” to switch from Microsoft to Google. The key word here is WE. Please tell us who “WE” is precisely. Would you like to elaborate on that decision-making process or should we just assume this was some shady back room deal between you and your cronies? He continues, “We equipped all employees with advanced AI tools”. Yeah, so what? Advanced? Really, how so?
This is where the delusion and language escalates. “Shockingly” 4,000 applications were received. Only you, Isao, are in shock. He states this is “extremely alarming”. Well, I guess if you have been living under a rock and are completely detached from reality, then I could see that, but if you were a true leader with your finger on the pulse of the company, then you would not be surprised one bit. You see, Isao, you are not a dedicated and involved CEO. You are just a figurehead leader. You operate in your little sanitized protective bubble, flying around the globe. Why don’t you spend your time and energy in, gee I don’t know, the UNITED STATES?!?!?! He continues his moaning by expressing that the number of applications is “frankly very disappointing”. Again, if you have unrealistic expectations, then you only have yourself to blame for your disappointment.
Next, we get more corporate platitudes: “fundamentally change our daily habits”, “develop a solid transition plan”, “provide a brief grace period to help those struggling to adjust”. Oh let me guess, more Canon Learn training and Fireside Chats with LeBron? So basically, Isao is telling us here that there are really no valid exceptions, and everyone will eventually surrender Microsoft whether they get an exception or not.
“My request to you as your CEO is absolute: you MUST firmly transition to our new systems” Okay, a few things to unpack here. Again, not a request, he contradicts himself in the same sentence. He refers to himself as “your CEO”. Oh, come on, just say “your master”, “your royal highness”. The pompousness really shows here. Telling everyone you MUST do something doesn’t sound like a polite request, it’s an authoritarian, dictator command.
He then carries on by whining about the risk of dual costs from utilizing both platforms. Uh, well maybe you should have thought about that before signing the Google contract? Apparently, you put no thought into any complications that could arise. Your short-sightedness and arousal over the lower Google license costs drove you to the wrong conclusion. He suggests that embracing Google will boost productivity and profitability. LOL, um what?! How so? Please elaborate. Clearly, you have not looked at it or used it after the initial presentation from the IT geek squad and Google sales reps. Productivity will go down the tubes. Sharing profits with the peasants? Let me do my Michelle Tanner impersonation from Full House, “Ohhh, please!” That might be the lie of the century.
He concludes by telling us to step out of our comfort zones. But what are you, Isao, going to do to step out of your comfort zone? Would you like to work in a tiny cubicle from 9:00 to 5:00? Would you like to take a massive pay cut? Would you like to promote others who are not of the same nationality to leadership roles? Tell us, bud. The ball is in your court.