Yesterday I had dinner with a "senpai" 6 years my senior that I had worked with in my very first project at the firm. "Senpai" is a Japanese term used to describe someone that joined the company before you that serves as a more of an older sibling existence than what we would call a boss. There really isn't an English word to describe it. I think it's part of the collectivistic culture of Japan.
ブチブチ文句を言いながら分からないエクセルの関数を一生懸命勉強していた私の新入社員時代から今は大分大人になったと言われた。
This senpai has known me since I first joined the firm; fresh out of college scowling at the computer screen to figure excel formulas and calculations. It seems I have grown up quite a bit in the last few years.
クライアントの期待を超えるために頑張るのが仕事と言う方針を持つ先輩。基本はとても真面目。でも、たまに「あのホテルのケーキ食べたいんだけど、行かない」とか、仕事中にホテルのアフターヌーンティーをしたこともあった。仕事ばかりではなく、ちゃんと楽しむ時間も取る。今でも美味しいお店に連れて行ってもらっている。そのバランスがあったからこそ今でも仲が良いのかも。
Work is about exceeding client expectations, he always says. And for the most part, my senpai is very work-focused. But once in awhile he'll suggest going out for dessert in the middle of the day and we find ourselves having afternoon tea at a nice hotel across the street. With him it wasn't just about work, but trying to have fun in the process. I think this balance is the reason why I am still so close to him.
今は、部署も違うし仕事の関わりも全く無い。でも、私ははっきりと覚えている。この先輩のお陰で初めて仕事に遣り甲斐を感じたこと。研修後の半年は、女性の上司の下に付いていた。凄く優しいお姉さん的な存在で、プライベートで会ったりもしていた。でも、女性の上司は、自分で仕事を抱える傾向があり、部下が女の子だと特に遠慮して作業を中々振ってくれない。だんだん、自分の存在感が薄くなり、何のために働いているのかが分からなくなる。
We are no longer on the same project and have very little opportunity to work together, but I remember very clearly that it was because of him that I first felt the joy of working. Right after the new hire training, I was with a female manager for 6 months. She was wonderfully nice and played an older sister role for me, but in terms of work, she never quite gave me the responsibility I needed to grow. I felt my existence withering away and began to wonder what I was working for.
モチベーションがかなり低くなっていたこの時に、今の先輩が入れ替えで上司になった。急に役割が倍増。取りあえず作ってみて。取りあえず書いてみて。自分でやってみることから始める。
Just as my motivation was at its lowest, the female manager left the project. This is when I first met my senpai. I grew tremendously in the few months I was with him and best of all, I began to like "work." Sure there were days of staying up till 2AM to prepare proposals and night after night of going home past the last train. But working with him gave meaning to it all.
彼の下に付いてから一気に成長した。そして、何よりも仕事が楽しいと感じることが出来た。もちろん、夜中の2時までの資料作成もあったし、終電後の帰宅が数ヶ月続いたこともあった。でも、自分がいる意味を感じられたから頑張れた。
If it wasn't for my senpai, I probably would have quit my job a long time ago, and who knows where I would be. Who you meet, who you work with really changes your life. I am always reminded of how lucky I am to have met so many great people throughout my life. Because of them, I am the me I am today.
もしあの時この先輩に出会ってなかったら私は、会社を辞めてたかも。誰に出会うか、誰と仕事するかで人生って変わる。私は本当に人に恵まれている。常にそう思う。今まで出会った素敵な人のお陰で今の自分がいる。
