A team that shares the same aspirations and can run together toward a goal exists at Zeals

It has been almost three years since I joined Zeals.
I joined a major system integrator (Sler) as a new graduate. With nearly 4,000 employees, I worked in the Public Solutions Division, which serves government agencies, as a salesperson. I found it rewarding to execute large-scale public projects that required substantial budgets, spending long periods working with high-aspiration clients. I started thinking about changing jobs after about five years in the workforce.
I thought, “I want to work hard with a team that shares the same aspirations and can run together toward our goals,” and thus began my job search primarily targeting startup companies.

How did I encounter Zeals?

I met Zeals through an agent's introduction. At first, I didn't even understand what a chatbot was, but I felt an enthusiastic atmosphere from their website at that time and gradually became drawn to it. The fervor was reminiscent of my student days, immersed in baseball (laughs). As I progressed to the selection process, I had a strong sense of empathy for the world view and business content that were faithfully broken down according to their vision. Although there were only about 20 employees at that time, seeing them united toward a common goal, I believed that if I could drive the business with vision-driven colleagues who have a strong sense of contribution to others, the company itself would not waver, no matter how the business turned out, and I decided to join.

The unwavering attitude of "communicating" since joining enhances the organization's performance

What has not changed since I joined?

Even now, three years later, what remains unchanged at Zeals is the attitude of promoting the company’s vision centered around the organization and business, and the effort to accurately convey the management's intentions and the company's situation to all employees.
When I joined, everyone was coming to the office, and I think there were aspects that made it easier to communicate the management situation due to the size of the company. However, now, due to the spread of COVID-19 and the strengthening of global recruitment, there has been a shift to a remote-centered work style, and as the business expands, the number of members is rapidly increasing, but the management's ingenuity in the "attitude to communicate with all employees" remains unchanged.
I also present at the all-hands meeting called "Monthly Meeting" held every month as the head of the business division, and I create and present materials with an awareness of the members participating for the first time.
I feel daily that it is important for leaders to come up with ways not to create differences in understanding among members in a rapidly expanding organization.

Recently, there was a change in this "Monthly Meeting." About 80% of the development team consists of foreign members, but even with simultaneous interpretation, I think there have inevitably been language barriers when the presenters spoke entirely in Japanese. In such circumstances, the president surprised the members by presenting in English himself recently. I realize that globalization is progressing, and more members are learning English. Because it is an organization where global colleagues are active, we particularly value communication.

By "trusting and delegating," create a stage for each individual to shine

What are my current job responsibilities?

I joined as a salesperson (currently: Account Planner), worked on new customer acquisition and existing clients, and after supervising Account Planners, I am now the head of the business division overseeing the enterprise sector. My main missions include formulating mid- to long-term strategies and managing their execution, as well as managing the management level.
While I delegate short-term measures to the managers, I personally develop strategies for three months, six months, and one year ahead. Currently, there are six managers in the division, and I work with them to discuss methods to maximize the performance of each team over the mid- to long-term, encouraging them to elevate their perspectives without getting caught up in immediate goals.

What do you keep in mind as a business division head?

We are currently welcoming new members in rapid succession, and in managing these members, what I keep in mind is to "trust and delegate." I consciously give managers and members discretionary authority and avoid top-down management.
In determining business policy, the on-site resolution is the most crucial, so often I find myself going to consult with them instead. I believe that it leads to maximizing the organization’s performance when each person thinks about how it ties into business growth and organizational growth through their work.
Of course, challenges and problems arise in advancing the business, and at times we may inconvenience customers. However, it is essential to create an organization that considers what can be done to avoid repeating the same mistakes and does not procrastinate problems or shift responsibility.

What values do you hold dear?

I typically approach things with the mindset that "everything in my environment and occurrences is a result of my own decisions." For example, if I find myself in a very difficult situation at work or in my personal life, even if the direct cause was not my fault, the decision to be in that situation is mine, so the difficulty is my own responsibility. Moreover, if a team member makes a mistake, ultimately it is my responsibility as the manager who has delegated the work based on my judgment. With such an understanding, when I face difficulties, I can overcome them without blaming the environment or people, shouldering the responsibility together with my colleagues. Similarly, Zeals is a team that commits fully to uphold responsibilities without blaming people or circumstances, making it truly enjoyable to work with them, and as a manager, I can trust and delegate tasks without worry.

Looking for colleagues who can strengthen our business foundation

Currently, we are looking for colleagues to grow the business together.
It is crucial to empathize with the vision when working together. Zeals has the vision of "revolutionizing customer service through chat commerce," where this "customer service" is directed both outward and inward. Understanding customer challenges as our own and taking proactive action with speed and a plus-one attitude is the "customer service" directed outward. Respecting colleagues, involving those around, and having a supportive attitude towards colleagues is the "customer service" directed inward. Both are essential elements.
As I have been at Zeals for a long time, I have significant feelings towards the "chat commerce" business. I am becoming more excited every day about how much we can expand this globally focused market and how communication robots can contribute to realizing a society of intent.
Even if the goals may seem grand and make others laugh, the days spent at Zeals with colleagues who can seriously tackle these challenges are stimulating and incredibly enjoyable every day.