On July 6, 2023, at 6 PM, approximately 20 participants gathered at the University of Tokyo New York Office for Mr. Shoukei Matsumoto”s lecture titled "Japanese Leadership: How Can We Become Better Ancestors for Future Generations?"

Seminar Venue

Lecture Overview

Date: July 6, 2023 (Thursday) at 6 PM (Eastern Time)

Lecturer: Rev. Shoukei Matsumoto

Title: Learning Japanese Leadership: The Wisdom to Thrive in an Era of Division

Location: University of Tokyo New York Office

During this engaging lecture, we examined the significance of Buddhist values and the unique characteristics of Japanese Buddhism in our pursuit of prosperity in contemporary society. These values emphasize inner peace, empathy, and interconnectedness. This perspective, referred to as "Ambient Buddhism," offers a fresh approach to leadership.

While capitalism often prioritizes competition, Ambient Buddhism encourages a shift from nurturing individuals to fostering collective growth. This leadership style emphasizes inner peace and empathy, cultivating a culture that supports creating an organization for everyone. By promoting well-being through practices like cleaning and dialogue, we can enhance healthy relationships within organizations, ultimately leading to greater harmony and productivity.

The lecturer explored the potential of Japanese leadership through the lens of Ambient Buddhism, providing participants with new insights to support their development as leaders. He shared his experiences and philosophy as an "Ancestorist," emphasizing the idea that we are all travelers exercising our leadership. At the heart of this discussion was the importance of cultivating long-term thinking.

Various perspectives from leaders around the world were presented, collectively referred to as the "Good Ancestor Mind." By sharing these ideas, we aim to offer wisdom for overcoming division, concluding with time for participants to reflect on what it means to be a Good Ancestor.

Following the lecture, participants enjoyed light refreshments and drinks, creating opportunities for meaningful conversations and deeper connections. Attendees left with a greater appreciation for Japanese leadership and Ambient Buddhism, discovering new pathways to enhance organizational harmony and productivity as they embark on their journeys of growth.

Additionally, we explored the differences between the Good Ancestor Mind and mindfulness, highlighting that both concepts center on the idea of flow. We emphasized the crucial role of voice in this flow, as it facilitates the exchange of information and conveys human presence and context through interaction, serving as a means to maintain Interbeing—our relationships.

Building on this concept, Interbeing Inc. is developing an application that analyzes voice. We are currently conducting a project in which we record dialogues between monks and employees at Japanese companies, inputting the audio into the application for analysis. Our goal is to scientifically understand the flow of voice and its impact on human Interbeing (relationships).