In our Backbeat section, Kazutada Kobayashi, President & CEO of Canon India, describes how golf has taught him planning, foresightedness and patience to achieve his goals both in personal and professional life.
President & CEO, Canon India
Back in 1980, when I had just joined Canon as a trainee, I was assigned the job of a direct salesperson for photocopier machines by way of cold calling. In retrospect, looking at this journey of 37 years with the organization, working in countries like Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, USA and Hong Kong, I feel gratified as the trainee has come a long way.
As I currently fulfil my duties at Canon India, my responsibility encompasses managing the company to reach higher levels in the country and create a much more significant share of voice in the overall Canon family. My strong association with the company has given me a profound understanding and appreciation of the brand's DNA and vision; however, realizing this vision necessitates an equilibrium between work and life.
My philosophy in life lies in attaining a sense of balance by practising my passion - playing golf on a good weather day. Golf as a sport has taught me planning, foresightedness and patience to achieve the much desired goal both in personal and professional life. Playing golf has always given me a sense of inner peace as I get sufficient time to introspect and focus on myself while I play the game. The more you practise, the more perfect you become. Though, this applies to every sport, with golf, perfecting the human in you is the key to success. This is what one requires in every sphere in life. Presently, I don’t get much time for the sport, but whenever I get the chance, the golfer in me is excited to overcome the terrain.
Every time I pick up the club, there is a child in me anxious and excited about attaining perfection in another stroke and style. This is how I have become in life. There are some traits that golf inculcates in a person. These traits are indispensable for being a leader in life as well. Golf teaches significant amount of confidence that allows to take on the most challenging golf courses under pressure-packed circumstances. Champions have a knack for turning that confidence into just the right level to turn potential into glory. Similarly, every day throws up new challenges for us and we need to hone our skills to overcome them to create success.
From start to finish, a golfer’s life is a constant procession of “the next shot.” The sport teaches us the ability to forget and move on. This is an instinct that a person holding responsibility of leading people must have. To give people a second chance, to forget their mistakes, forgive them and encourage them, for the next shot.
Keeping focus intact is key for a golfer’s success. When at the game, there is a multitude of things going on. Even in our professional and personal lives, we have a continuous struggle of attaining the right balance. Golf has taught me to streamline and prioritize to match my wish list, especially when the stakes are at their highest.
Disappointments can creep in anytime, but the ability to keep a plan B ready is what I have imbibed from the sport. Losing is never an option. I always look at scenarios that will help me call the winning shot.
Belief in self, self-motivation and the fire for victory are absolute traits that I have imbibed from golf. Every shot that I play, I envision it to be the right shot.
Throughout my life, golf has played an important role. In every phase, I have learnt and implemented the lessons I have got from the greens. The self-development that golf has brought in me is immense. Golf, for me, is a holistic teacher for life that has nurtured me into a fully blossomed human.
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