Living in Kyoto for three years. Changing the way I work to suit my life with my family. Coder, Shin Kanno

Hello, my name is Sugimoto and I am a writer living in Kyoto.
Early summer is a comfortable season with fresh greenery and a refreshing breeze, and there are not many tourists, so it is the most relaxing season for Kyoto residents.

This time, we visited Kanno Makoto, who started living in Kyoto in 2020, together with Tanaka Yuka, who works at the Suo-Oshima office.

In advance, we asked members who often work with Kanno to submit questions they would like to ask*. We decided to weave these questions into the interview. So, how did Kanno answer the questions that came from all sides? How does she balance her work and her family life? Now in her third year of living in Kyoto, we would like to share with you what Kanno is up to now.
(*Yuka Tanaka collected the questions for Kanno from the members!)

During my early years as a rookie, I learned by watching my seniors

Sugimoto : I'd like to ask you again what led you to join Monosus.

Kanno: I joined the company in 2010 as a part-timer on a super-large project. I was crammed into an old apartment near the Yoyogi office with five or six other short-term part-timers, and I was like, "I'm going to work here..." (laughs). I had the impression that I had joined an incredible place.

Sugimoto : Why did you apply for that job again?

Sugano : My previous job was in sales, but I'm not good at communicating with people, and I thought it would be better to work on something I could do silently, so I took a web-related vocational training course introduced by Hello Work. After that, I saw a job posting from Monosus in a recruitment media that said "No experience necessary," so I applied without doing much research. At first, I was very busy, but I felt like I was working steadily because I was supported step by step by Mr. Ito and other seniors at the desk next to me.

Sugimoto: It seems that in the beginning, you thoroughly learned what your seniors thought were good points.

Kanno : That's right, in the beginning, I spent a lot of time watching and learning. I brought a chair next to my senior and watched him from how to type on the keyboard to how to proceed with the work. There were days when I spent the whole day watching him. I think it was a really good thing that I did that.

Sugimoto: Are you still trying to learn by watching the people around you?

I work while thinking how amazing everyone at Monosus is. Takashima -san studies so diligently, which I think is great, and Yamamoto-kun has a lot of energy. I get discouraged easily, but he doesn't get discouraged and I think he has a strong mentality. Harada-san is very skilled and knows a lot of things, and Maruyama-kun is passionate about education and is good at developing people. Kakunami-san is amazing because he can do anything, and Tanaka-san is amazing because he manages the coders at Monosus Thailand and directs several projects at the same time. I don't think I could do that. I really think I'm the most ordinary of them all.

Sugimoto : Some people call you a "flexible person." Listening to what you just said, I think flexibility is the ability to recognize someone's good qualities and to respect them.

Kanno: Everyone thinks I'm amazing, but I don't usually say it. I want people to think I'm amazing too (laughs).

The Kanno couple are on the approach to Daitokuji Temple, where they regularly take their child to and from nursery school.

When did you feel like you had become a full-fledged adult?

A question from Sugimoto Tatsuta: "When was the moment or situation when you realized that you had become a full-fledged professional and that you could now make it as a professional?"

Sugano : Eh? I've never thought about it, but do you ever think of yourself as a professional? No, I do think that I am a professional.

Sugimoto: When did you realize that you had become a full-fledged adult?

Kanno: I guess it was when I became able to work alone. Don't you think I have the image of doing my work alone and finishing it all by myself?

Tanaka: To be honest, there might be a little bit.

Sugano: I think I felt like I had become independent when I was able to complete a project from start to finish without anyone knowing. I'm often left alone. I think that was when I became independent, even though it was quite some time ago.

Everyone at Sugimoto Monosus said, "Mr. Kanno's work is perfect," "he never cuts corners," and "his coding is simple and efficient."

Sugano: I have a strange image of myself, so it's a bit heavy (laughs). From my perspective, I'm not perfect, and even after the project is over, I still think, "I should have done it this way." I'm so scared that I don't even want to see the published site. I do notice some things that need to be fixed along the way, but I quietly solve them myself by the time of delivery, so maybe that's why it looks perfect. I think people don't really understand because they're left unattended.

Okuyama Sugimoto also commented, "He completes projects more perfectly than anyone else and is the most trustworthy person at Monosus, so I am very grateful to be working with him."

Kanno: Thank you very much. Thank you too.

All projects are "custom-made" with a unique "dashi" touch

A question from Okuyama Sugimoto: "What changes have you noticed since becoming a unit leader (UL)?"

Kanno : When the unit I was originally in broke up, I wanted to work freely, so I invited Yamamoto-kun, who wasn't in any unit at the time, to create it. It's now my second year, but I guess it's changed... I didn't really have any enthusiasm because I ended up in UL without any effort. If we're working remotely, I don't know things like, "Yamamoto-kun doesn't look well," and I wonder if it's okay to become UL when I can't take care of him.

Sugimoto :Mr. Sugano, it seems like you place a lot of importance on whether or not you can see something through to the end.

Kanno: That's right. If I take on a job, I'll do it very well, so I don't want to take on anything that I can't take responsibility for.

HS: How do you decide what level you can reach to make yourself feel like you've completed your goal?

At the Ema-sha at Imamiya Shrine. The barrel of sake in the background is just a decorative barrel and does not contain any sake.

Kanno: I think that each project is custom-made, so I adapt to the circumstances. I don't always make the same thing, and I don't always do things the same way. I change my deliverables to suit the client and what they want.

A question from Matsubara Sugimoto. "If you were to compare yourself to a seasoning, what would it be?"

Sugano: Seasonings!? Why did you ask that question? ? Oh, that's really difficult. Seasonings... hmm. I think I'll go with "Hon Dashi". If I put it in, the flavor will be decided (laughs). It saves time and increases productivity!

Sugimoto : By the way, he thought that asking questions in this way might reveal more of their subconscious thoughts or unexpected preferences than asking directly.

From "time and place" to "delivery date and budget"

Sugimoto :When the full flextime system was introduced, work started at 7:30 and work hours were divided into four hours in the morning and four hours in the afternoon. How do you work in Kyoto?

Kanno: Now I start work at 9am after taking my child to nursery school. I'm at my best in the morning and my performance gradually declines. Since I joined UL, my working hours don't matter anymore and I'm freelance. I decide the hours I work each day to meet my schedule and my budget goals.

Sugimoto: Here is a question from Kuno-san. "What is it like working in a place without an office base?"

Sugano: It's a battle with myself. In that sense, it was easier to control myself when I was working in Yoyogi, but now I'm doing well and I think it's okay.

My current work style suits my life with my family. I'm always at home, so I didn't take parental leave when I gave birth. I think it was better for my family to be able to change diapers and help with housework while working, rather than taking parental leave, which will eventually end.

If you work at Sugimoto House and can complete your work by yourself, there is almost no difference between being a freelancer. Why did you decide to join Monosus?

His wife, Natsumi (former Monosus member), was also present during the interview. The atmosphere was very friendly and relaxed.

Sugano: I can't really think of any advantages to being a freelancer. On the contrary, my income would be unstable and there would be no one to really follow up with me. I'm attracted to the idea of being a company employee with a stable income and a freelance work style. It's like getting the best of both worlds.

Sugimoto : I see. I would like to ask a question from Hata Mine, which is related to working alone. "I have the impression that you are the type of person who goes out and gets information on your own, rather than being told about it by others. How do you gather information?"

Sugano: I just look up things that I'm curious about. I might look them up in the bathroom when I think, "Oh, now that I think of it, how was it?", or I might look them up when I'm busy with a project and something suddenly comes to mind. I look them up in the flow of things that interest me in my daily life, and store them in my mind.

Sugimoto : Another question from Hata Mine. "What motivates you at work?"

Sugano: If you work, someday you'll get a day off (laughs). I work because I look forward to my days off.

I like the current style of working that fits my lifestyle

Sugimoto Baba asked me, "What do you want to do in the future? (In terms of the company, your family, and yourself)"

I'm living my life thinking that I'll leave it up to me at that time . Right now, I'm just doing what I'm doing now. I'm not really the type to think about what I want to be in the future.

Sugimoto :What about a shorter time frame, like one year or five years from now?

Kanno: My current work style gives me a lot of flexibility in how I use my time, so I can spend more time with my children than the average father. In that sense, I want to continue this style for now.

Sugimoto: It looks like future work styles will be tied to the growth of children and changes in the family.

Kanno : That's right. Generally, you have to change your life to fit your work, but my current style allows me to adjust my work to my life. For example, if my child gets bullied at school, I can move out right away. I think that's a great thing.

Normally, if you go to Kyoto, you have to quit your job and look for work or become a freelancer. But Monosus was happy to let me go. I'm grateful to be able to work in such a fortunate way, and I'm glad I joined this company. Monosus gives you a certain amount of freedom as long as you fulfill your responsibilities.

Sugimoto :As you said earlier, sticking to schedules and budgetary targets is part of the "responsibility" part.

Kanno : That's right. I have to stick to the schedule and deliver the results requested by my clients. I have to make a profit for the companies that employ me. I want to fulfill those responsibilities.

Have you experienced any changes in yourself as a result of having the Tanaka family?

Sugano: My life has become more fun. The people at Monosus have all kinds of hobbies, don't they? Kawarazaki-san can shoot with drones, and Baba-san can manipulate marionettes. I didn't have anything like that, but now that I have a family, I enjoy playing together. I think those times are what make me happy.

Another shot of the Kannos on the approach to Imamiya Shrine.

The meeting point for the interview was the main gate of Daitokuji Temple. I arrived a little late, and Natsumi was waiting for me. After walking along the road I usually take to take my child to nursery school, we had an interview in the grounds of Imamiya Shrine. It was a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere as I was able to talk to her.

There are times in life when you want to be absorbed in your work, and times when you want to spend time with your family, your community, and activities outside of work. At times like these, if you can increase the freedom of your work style by reaching an agreement with your company on "how to fulfill your responsibilities," I think a variety of styles are possible. How will the work style of Mr. Kanno and everyone else change from now on? I would like to continue hearing your stories in this "Freedom and Responsibility" series.