Change yourself if you want to change the world

Blessed by a very attractive biography and determination, Yoshida surprised this writer by saying, “My life has always been something out of a back alley.”

After graduating from college, Yoshida was originally supposed to work for a major Japanese corporation thanks to an introduction from her father. She wasn’t able to, however, as she fell seriously ill. Recovering and returning to the job market after three years of suffering, she was unable to find any job opportunities at Japanese companies, since she had nothing on her resume except for her prolonged illness.

“I was shattered to see my friends from college living the high life, marrying men from wealthy families or working at leading companies. But then, I was lucky enough to find Motorola Japan, a foreign company, opening their doors and accepting me. They seemed to evaluate me highly, as I could speak English. But upon entering, I was flabbergasted to find their progressive dynamism: All of their employees had an Apple computer and they were communicating with the world via e-mail. This was still in the early 1990s, when the internet was not very prevalent yet.”

Motorola Japan was Yoshida’s first encounter with global ICT (information and communications technology). Her experience at the company opened her eyes to the outside world. After marrying a Canadian, she moved to Canada after her daughter had turned one year old. At that time, Yoshida found a job with a local telecommunications company and started doing sales work.

“My proposal of a reasonably priced plan for Japanese residents in Canada was a big hit. I was very happy with the successful experience of my idea materializing and sales picking up. After four years, I felt like working in a larger market. That was a time when the IT bubble had peaked in the U.S., and I was excited to hear the news that NTT had established its own office in New York through a merger with an American company. By that time, I had divorced, and my daughter and I moved to the U.S. in 1999.”

After staying in North America for 10 years, she felt that she should give back by passing on her knowledge to those in her home country, and she returned to Japan in 2004.

Believe in yourself and opportunities will open up

“I’ve created my own career path, at my own pace. I’d leave a company or even a country if I could get a raise or promotion,” said Yoshida. Steadily climbing the career ladder at five companies in four countries, Yoshida became the CEO of BT Japan. It was exactly 25 years after experiencing her post-university setback.

After experiencing a career low 25 years ago, and coming to lead a company, the super lady with such success analyzes herself coolly.

“In a male-oriented society, women cannot gain anything if they just wait. So I’ve always found a way to survive by discovering niche areas that other people didn’t see. I could only have come this far as a single mother because I exploited my own path by taking every situation seriously, head-on and earnestly. Some women complain that they cannot succeed in a male-oriented business community. But when you are in a desperate situation, you come to think, ‘Who said that women can’t succeed?’ Experiencing illness and being a single mother abroad ? such outlandish, unprecedented situations make you realize that ‘saying no’ is no longer an option. Human beings are strong. When in a critical state, you think, ‘What can I come up with to get over this situation?’

Yoshida says that global ICT picked her up and paved her way.

“It’s said that we are now experiencing the fourth industrial revolution. As a result, more and more countries and companies are starting to actively promote the progress of women, as well as the diversity of their respective communities. Consequently, such a situation is making it easier for women to work. ICT has consolidated infrastructure, allowing people with various different backgrounds to be active in society regardless of the differences in sex or physical strength.

“Though girls majoring in science are expected to become successful in Japan today, the ideal female majoring in science would be one who could build her career through the smart use of IT. Put another way, IT literacy is required today, along with those who can make full use of IT to create something unconventional. Technology allows women to work while raising their children or looking after their aging parents. They can even work from home. In that context, women in my daughter’s generation can experience both a career and a happy family life,” she said. But whether that rare opportunity can be turned into a chance or not depends on the determination of the woman herself.

“Having the determination to walk down a path you’ve created opens the doors to everything in life. You won’t die even if you fail in business, and you can try as many times as you like. There is nothing like the satisfaction you feel inside, when you have accomplished what you chose to do! Only those with the strength to keep on trying can see the future they have never seen before,” said Yoshida.

One twinge of guilt that Yoshida may have from galloping through her life at full speed was that she couldn’t look after her daughter as much as she would have liked. But once Yoshida acknowledged that she had established herself and knew how to be strong, she thought her daughter would choose to be the same way, too.

“I’ve often felt sorry for my daughter, but I believed what I did would ultimately lead to strengthening her. It’s diffi cult at times, but you can’t stop being a mother. When I understood that, I was able to move forward naturally. In the process of child-rearing, it is important at times to stay very close to your child on a daily basis. But if you can't do so, another way of being a parent is to show your child how seriously you are working. That is why I will continue to try to be a good role model for my daughter.

“It will all become her treasure. I want to share everything with my daughter from now on. I want her to know how my love for her has made me strong, and how I could move forward without fearing anything. I could lead a wonderful life because of her presence. ”

Text: Reiko Goutsu
Translation: Michiru Mekata
Photo: Yoshiaki Miura