When Shouting Was Justice — The “Distorted Success Formula” Left by Heisei-Era Power Harassment Sales

Whoa… was success really supposed to be this loud!?

■ Year 7 in My Career — A Growing Sense of Discomfort

In the middle of my seventh year as a professional, I was working at a development vendor.
I had gained solid experience and was beginning to take on core roles in projects. But what I witnessed there was not a world ruled by skill or strategy—it was a world ruled by the volume of one’s voice.

■ Power Harassment as a “Culture”

At that workplace, there was a well-known head of sales.
He was famous for delivering results both internally and externally—but what lay beneath was intense.
After drinking with clients late at night, he would suddenly call out, “Meeting at 11 PM.”

Department heads from the development team would be summoned, and the moment they sat down—shouting would erupt.

Kicking desks.
Throwing documents.
An atmosphere dominated not by words, but by sheer pressure.

And in that place, it was considered “normal.”

■ A Workplace That Drains You Just by Watching

I was rarely the direct target of the shouting.
But watching my own boss being attacked in front of me was far more exhausting than I had imagined.

One day, something was thrown at him.
Later, he came back quietly, holding his head.

He said nothing.
He simply sat down.

His back told the whole story.

■ Why Did It Continue?

Strangely, that sales director remained in his position for a long time.
The reason was simple:
He delivered results.

Revenue, as an absolute metric, justified everything.
The organization could not deny that “successful experience.”

In other words, this behavior was not just an individual problem—it was structural.

■ The Moment I Got Pulled In

At one point, I was assigned to support one of his projects in between my main responsibilities.
I was called in on weekends to prepare proposals.

Originally, it was a project my boss had taken on.

Fortunately, my boss ensured I didn’t have to attend the meetings.
But in exchange, he stood on the front line.

And again—he was shouted at.

The reality of “being protected”
versus the reality that “someone else is being hurt in your place.”

That gap left a deep impression on me.

■ Even in Heisei, Power Harassment Was Still “Active”

The Heisei era was already a time when compliance and work-style reforms were being discussed.
Yet, in certain workplaces, power harassment still functioned as a normal mechanism.

In fact, there was even a belief that
“You can’t win unless you go that far.”

■ The Question: What Is a Strong Organization?

Let me pose a question.

Was that sales director wrong?
Or, since he delivered results, was he in some sense “right”?

And one more:
What will people raised in that environment reproduce in the next era?

■ Business Insight: Culture Replicates

Organizational culture is stronger than systems.
Once a behavior is tied to success, it will be reproduced—just in different forms.

That’s why the real question is not about judging individuals.
It is about:
“What kind of success experiences does the organization choose to tolerate?”

Short-term results or long-term sustainability?
Pressure or trust?

That choice defines what becomes “normal” for the next generation.

■ Final Thoughts

Because I experienced that era, I can say this clearly now:
Strength is not about the volume of your voice.
True competitiveness lies in systems that deliver results without breaking people.

That’s why I choose differently.
A different way forward.

I can do it! I’ll take the first step starting tomorrow.

Content Notes (for below the article)

• On-the-ground experience conveyed in this article
  The reality of workplaces where power harassment is justified by results
• DX perspective learning
  Culture and “successful experiences” are the biggest barriers to transformation
• Message to readers
  Redefine “strength” within yourself
• Next action
  Review and reassess what behaviors are being tolerated in your own team