"Akio urges Toyota's newest recruits to take action instead of standing idle": Akio's Advice to Fresh Toyota Employees

In a unprecedented move, Toyota Motor Corporation held its entrance ceremony for new employees remotely on April 1, 2021, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony was attended by some 1,100 new recruits and mid-career employees who joined since May 2020.

President Akio Toyoda delivered a message at the ceremony, speaking directly to each participant and addressing Toyota's painful truths and management challenges. He emphasised the importance of facing difficulties without giving up, using personal experiences as an example.

Akio expressed feelings of unease and insignificance when he was appointed president, but has spent his presidency ensuring that he says and does the right thing as the person in charge. After the ceremony, he met with representatives of the attendees for an informal talk. The gathering took the form of a Q&A session, with Akio answering questions from this year's recruits.

Akio Toyoda values not just whether athletes win or lose, but what they do to come out on top. He sees sports as a way to develop people and wants athletes to show them how to live. Mitsuru Kawai, a prominent figure at Toyota, stressed the importance of understanding each person's capabilities when assigning work. He believes that maintaining a sense of gratitude is particularly important for athletes, given that they are watched by the outside world. Mitsuru advises athletes to show gratitude for the opportunity to practice and play their hardest.

Toyota has nearly 40 corporate sports clubs and boasts two professional league teams: Alvark Tokyo (basketball) and Nagoya Grampus (soccer). The company also offers second and third careers for athletes, including coaching and association staff roles. Mitsuru Kawai, in particular, believes that the focus and determination of athletes present a condensed version of human life.

Akio Toyoda believes that skills and philosophy are what allow Toyota to pass on the things that make it unique, citing the Toyota Production System (TPS) as an example. Understanding Toyota's origins and history, he emphasised, is crucial for those responsible for the company's future.

Regrettably, there is no relevant information available in the search results regarding the difficulties Mitsuru Kawai and Akio Toyoda faced during their careers at Toyota or how they overcame them. However, their words of wisdom and guidance at the entrance ceremony serve as a testament to their resilience and leadership.

"Akio urges Toyota's newest recruits to take action instead of standing idle": Akio's Advice to Fresh Toyota Employees