Looking back on the year
The first half of "Looking Back on the Year" has now come to an end.
Today we look back at October.
October 2020
October was the month when the event I was most looking forward to took place.
We started meetings early in May and made preparations little by little to ensure success, and finally October arrived, an exciting month.
This was the sixth time that this annual big event has been held.
By the sixth time, some of the staff had become accustomed to the event, and they were able to make preparations while making use of the lessons learned from previous experiences, so it felt like we were getting closer to success.
And finally, the day arrived! The turnout was so overwhelming that it was almost astonishing, and on the first day, we often began to worry whether we had taken all the necessary precautions.
Normally, we would end the day at this point and dismiss the group with words like "It's been a tough day, everyone worked hard," but this time, someone suggested that we should hold a debriefing session, and even though everyone was exhausted, we were able to identify areas for improvement and put them to good use on the second day.
I felt that this was an assistance that helped make the customers who came on the second day feel comfortable.
There was a lot to learn on the first day when the weather was not good and the second day when the weather was good.
My first event was held in the rain, and I learned a lot about the difficulties of holding an event in the rain.
However, I don't want to hold the event in the rain if possible, so for the next event I looked up 30 years of weather data to find out which days are less likely to rain, and have decided to hold the event this year on a day with a high probability of no rain.
When it rains, there are so many problems. I learned about the rain at Fuji Rock, but I never thought I would experience it myself as an event organizer, so it turned out to be an event that taught me a lot.
November 2020
In November, when the weather was chilly, something happened that made my heart feel cold and lonely.
The big event in October was a great success, and at the end, all the staff made okonomiyaki and had yakiniku together, which was a fun experience that can only be had at a store, and it's a fond memory. I thought I would be able to spend this season with this team forever.
That changed in November.
It was a staff transfer. Whenever there is a change, the speed at which things move is extremely fast, and I was forced to make a decision, so I kept asking myself if it was really the right decision, and then I made the decision to transfer.
Now I think it was the best course of action, and I'm really glad that it was beneficial for everyone in the end.
However, back in November, I still couldn't see any results and was feeling my way around, so I was full of anxiety.
Two people have been transferred from our team.
The reason for the transfer was to help other stores.
The transfer of staff who have the ability to help other stores is a big blow to our team, and it also means that we will need everyone's help even more.
It was I who made the final decision to send off two people: a reliable senior and a junior who would respond well.
I'm grateful to my boss for letting me do this.
That's why I was able to convey my feelings to everyone, and I was able to convey to everyone in a down-to-earth way that I would see this through as a team.
November was a month of big changes in my mind for both myself and my team.
December 2020
And then December comes, an exciting month.
In December, Christmas music is always playing in the store.
I'm the type of person who gets excited automatically when the classic Mariah Carey Christmas song comes on.
He's the type that everyone is a bit put off by.
So, December 2020 was a whirlwind month with more excitement than usual.
December was a month that could be described as "turbulent."
With a string of property deliveries, winter sales, and year-end holidays, before I knew it, it was already December 31st.
In between all of this, I got hooked on American dramas on Amazon Prime, had a Christmas party, visited a newly completed hotel, and also started a diet in December.
Looking back, December was also the month when I developed many new habits.
I hope to talk more about this practice sometime soon.
This is the third time I've written on the theme of "Looking back on the past year."
It's surprisingly easy to write, and it's fun as it brings back memories.
I recommend this.
Even after the blog ends, I'm thinking of making it a habit to do this once a year.
So, next time, the fourth and final installment. This is the last one. It happened relatively recently, so I think it's easy to remember. See you next time.
(text: Shimazaki)
SHIMAZAKI AYAKO
I loved redecorating and constantly rearranging my room as a child, and before I knew it, 12 years have passed since I started working in interior design. I am the manager of two different interior design shops, and I've recently started working in the e-commerce business. I'm a bundle of curiosity, and although I have a high level of concentration, my persistence is quite low, so I'm secretly worried about writing a blog.