Finding and Feeling Ikigai at Work with Kensuke Yamamoto

The Ikigai Podcast

What if work wasn't something we simply endured, but instead became a vibrant source of meaning and purpose? Kensuke Yamamoto, senior consultant at Vanto Group, joins us to challenge the deeply ingrained assumption that work must be an obligation rather than a wellspring of fulfillment.
Against the backdrop of Japan's evolving business landscape—where 99.7% of companies are small and medium enterprises facing unprecedented demographic challenges—Kensuke reveals how the concept of ikigai (life purpose) can transform workplace cultures. Drawing from his experience implementing high-performance initiatives across Japanese organizations, he explores the striking contrast between Western individualistic approaches to job satisfaction and the Japanese emphasis on finding meaning through relationships, harmony, and contribution to others.
Delving into Vanto Group's groundbreaking methodology, Kensuke illuminates how changing the way situations "occur" to people fundamentally shifts their actions and engagement. Using the powerful metaphor of three bricklayers—one merely laying bricks, another building a wall, and a third constructing a cathedral—he demonstrates how vision and purpose elevate ordinary tasks into meaningful contributions. The conversation weaves together Japanese concepts like yarigai (sense of meaning in tasks), hatarakigai (fulfillment from the work environment), and ibasho (psychological belonging) to paint a comprehensive picture of what truly enables people to thrive at work.
Whether you're leading a team, reimagining your organization's culture, or seeking greater meaning in your own career, this conversation offers profound insights into creating workplaces where both people and results flourish. Join us as we explore how intentional dialogue about purpose can transform obligation into opportunity, and how the integration of ikigai principles might just be the key to sustainable business success in our rapidly changing world.

Chapters

1. Barriers to Finding Purpose at Work (00:00:00)

2. Meeting Kensuke Yamamoto (00:04:28)

3. From Shiba Ryotaro to America (00:08:23)

4. Japan's Business Landscape Challenges (00:16:41)

5. Evolution of Japanese Work Culture (00:23:42)

6. Ikigai at Work: Japanese vs Western Views (00:32:09)

7. Vanto Group's Transformative Approach (00:35:37)

8. Building Workplaces Where Ikigai Thrives (00:42:56)