Enagic USA, Inc.

Recruiting, performance management and training often operate as separate activities. Connecting them to business goals requires a shared foundation: a clear understanding of the company’s purpose, the behaviors that support it and the capabilities employees need to succeed.

My experience at Apple, Kyocera and Enagic has reinforced the importance of that foundation. These three organizations have strong company philosophies and a clear sense of purpose. For HR and business leaders, the work lies in translating that foundation into everyday decisions, from selecting employees to managing performance and developing talent.

Make Philosophy Practical

Company philosophy education is critical to this process. Employees need opportunities to explore what the organization’s mission, vision and values mean in their own roles. Memorizing a statement during orientation provides limited value if employees cannot connect it to their responsibilities.

In Japanese, the expression chinikuka describes making something part of one’s flesh and blood. Applied to company philosophy, it means internalizing principles until they guide judgment and action. Employees need opportunities to discuss those principles, apply them and reflect on their experiences.

For example, if an organization values customer service, employees should discuss how that commitment shapes responses to complaints, competing priorities or mistakes. Leaders should help employees examine difficult situations where living a value requires more effort than simply completing a task. These conversations make philosophy useful when decisions are unclear.

Connect Selection to Purpose and Performance

Alignment begins before an employee joins the organization. Hiring decisions should reflect both the capabilities required to achieve business goals and the behaviors necessary to uphold company values.

“When a business sets a goal, leaders should ask what employees need to know and do to achieve it.”

This requires translating broad principles into observable expectations. If collaboration is essential, interviewers can ask candidates to describe how they resolved a disagreement or supported a shared objective. If accountability matters, they can explore how candidates handled an error and followed through on corrective action.

Values should not become a vague preference for people who think or behave alike. A shared commitment to ethical conduct, customer service and organizational purpose can coexist with different backgrounds and perspectives. Clear, job-related criteria help organizations assess that commitment consistently.

Evaluate Results and Everyday Behavior with Employee Ikigai in Mind

Performance management is another essential connection between philosophy and business execution. Employees need to understand what they are expected to achieve and how they are expected to achieve it.

Performance conversations should also connect with employees’ ikigai, the sources of meaning and fulfillment in their lives. Managers can ask what employees find rewarding, which strengths they want to develop and how their work contributes to something they value. Where individual purpose and organizational needs overlap, employees can see a more meaningful connection between their growth and business goals.

A system focused exclusively on numerical results may overlook conduct that damages trust or weakens cooperation. Conversely, discussing values without clear performance expectations can leave employees uncertain about their contribution.

Managers should connect individual goals to departmental and organizational priorities and provide specific feedback on behavior. Instead of simply asking employees to “demonstrate teamwork,” they can discuss whether employees share information promptly, support colleagues during busy periods or resolve problems constructively. Regular conversations help managers recognize contributions, address challenges and identify development opportunities that serve both the employee and the business.

Develop the Capabilities Behind the Goals

Training and development give employees the capabilities to meet these expectations. When a business sets a goal, leaders should ask what employees need to know and do to achieve it. Improving customer retention, for example, may require stronger product knowledge, communication skills and coordination across departments. Preparing future leaders may require practice in coaching, decision-making and performance conversations.

Philosophy education should run through these learning experiences. Employees can consider how company principles apply to realistic scenarios, practice a response and reflect on the outcome. Managers then reinforce learning through coaching and opportunities to apply new skills.

Evaluation should extend beyond attendance and course completion to examine whether employees apply what they learn. Depending on the objective, useful evidence might include fewer recurring errors, more consistent service or stronger management practices.

Lead Through Consistent Practice

Ultimately, employees learn what an organization values by observing its decisions. Leadership behavior, recognition, promotions and responses to problems must support the principles taught in training.

Otherwise, company values risk becoming e ni kaita mochi, a picture of a rice cake that cannot nourish anyone. The expression captures the problem with principles that look appealing but have little practical effect.

Talent management brings company philosophy to life when selection, performance management and development reinforce the same expectations. Connecting those expectations with employees’ strengths and ikigai gives the process personal meaning. Through consistent leadership and practice, company values become part of how employees work and contribute to business goals.