Uchikura & Co., LLC

十人十色 — Ten People, Ten Colors
Jūnin Toiro

 

The Japanese expression jūnin toiro literally means “ten people, ten colors.” Each person has different thoughts, tastes, experiences, and dreams.

 

We understand this easily when choosing food or clothing. Yet in business and everyday life, we sometimes expect everyone to think as we do. When someone disagrees, we may assume they are wrong rather than ask what they see that we do not.

 

As a business owner, I have learned that people do not need to think alike to work toward the same goal. One person sees an opportunity. Another notices a risk. Someone else asks a question nobody has considered. Each perspective can help us make a better decision.

 

Accepting differences does not mean agreeing with every opinion. It means listening before judging and recognizing that our own view is only one among many.

 

Ten people bring ten colors. A shared dream can give those colors a purpose without making them all the same.

 

Note: My book, 88 Japanese Wisdom, is a collection of Japanese sayings and expressions like jūnin toiro, with reflections on what they can teach us about business, leadership, and life.