12. Risk and Responsibility

I don’t know if it comes from not having a boss, but I can’t tell if I’m a good boss or not.

Oh...

For example, staff members who have worked with me for a long time will often come up to me and say, “I thought of something,” but about 70% of the time, I say, “That won’t work.”

Oh.

I know it isn’t nice, but since I know if that idea was mine I’d decline it too, I have to say it anyway. Sometimes, I think if I don’t stop that, I won’t be able to help anyone grow.

Well, part of that can’t be helped.

I know, but when I think about it later, I didn’t need to be so harsh for about 20% of that 70%.

Hmm...

Some of them might have worked out all right, but you can’t be certain that they would have.

Right, right.

That’s true.

Itoi-san, you don’t have a boss either.

No. As a freelancer, I haven’t had a boss and have enjoyed a lot of freedom. But as you know, the time when there was freedom in copywriting was over quickly and soon became the time when clients are the boss.

Yes. To escape that, you began Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun (Almost Daily Itoi News). (Editor’s note: please note that this website is only available in Japanese.)

That’s right.

But that engenders responsibility. Without a boss, you have to get results yourself.

That does awaken one’s responsibility. This may be exaggerating, but my life depends on it!

Uh-huh.

It is a big risk.

When I call 70% of proposals no good, I have to take responsibility for that. I am not using it as an excuse for tossing those ideas out, though. (laughs)

That’s the way it is. Whether the project generates results or not falls to you.

Since I do that routinely, I’m always wanting to say to others, “Why won’t you stake your life on it?” But then when I think about it, I think it’s simply unfeasible.

(laughs)