Meets The Athletes
Generating Emotional Benefits for All Employees by Providing Encouragement and Excitement
In the Meet the Athletes series, Panasonic employees interview Panasonic athletes. In this sixth edition we hear from Narumi Ishida of the Electric Works Company, who plays on the nine-a-side women’s volleyball team, the Panasonic Bluebells. This year the team won two major season trophies and engaged in various social contribution activities. It was recognized for its improvement of the company’s corporate image and awarded the Groupwide Award. Here we find out about the secrets to Ishida’s winning ways and how she always keeps positive to drive the team forward.
【Panasonic Bluebells】
Narumi Ishida
Lighting Business Division, Electric Works Company
Panasonic Corporation
【Interviewer】
Nanako Mimura
Panasonic Employee Cooperative Society Inc.
Mimura: This year the Bluebells won its eighth straight V9 Champ League title. What is the secret behind your winning streak?
Ishida: I don’t think there is any real secret, but every year we get together with coach Atsushi Sasaki to talk about what is required to win. I think it is the sense of responsibility among the team and our hard work in daily training that has helped us win successive league titles.
Mimura: Last season saw six players leave the team. With such significant changes in team dynamics, have you had any transformation in your mindset or role?
Ishida: This year I’m trying a new role as both a receiver and a spiker, a key position that functions as the axis of the team. If I fail, the team fails, and so I’m trying to improve my ability to bring stability and security to the team by working harder in training than ever before.
Mimura: A role that determines the success of the team surely comes with pressure. It must be easy to fall into a negative mindset and worry about what would happen if you made a mistake…
Ishida: I do feel pressure and a sense of responsibility, but thinking too much about it won’t improve the way I play, and so I try to think of everything in a positive light. When I’m not playing well, I practice by myself until I get better. That said, I feel down when I’m alone, so I like to be with others and talk about different things. I try to put a positive spin on everything and then move onto the next challenge.
Mimura: What do you think is important to create a close-knit team?
Ishida: The key thing is that everyone is moving in the same direction. We live in a dormitory, and so whether it’s volleyball or life outside, we share both the good and bad on a daily basis. Understanding and supporting one another is helping to improve the unity of the team.
Mimura: Is there anything you place particular importance on during a game?
Ishida: The new Bluebells team lacks stability, and mistakes can lead to a negative team atmosphere which in turn causes the team to struggle. This is why I consciously play with a smile on the court and make sure we all take time to keep calm.
Mimura: Through its success in games and volleyball classes, for example, the Panasonic Bluebells are helping to improve our corporate image. At the Employee Cooperative Society, we engage in various activities so that employees are proud to work for the Panasonic Group, making sure they are happy by giving them peace of mind in their daily lives, and so I can see some similarities in what we do.
Ishida: It is thanks to the understanding and support of our companies and workplaces that we are able to continue doing what we do. Although we can’t directly generate profit through volleyball, what we can do is repay everyone with positive results. I hope that we can benefit our employees in other ways by giving them courage and excitement through our hard work and success.
[Interviewer’s Voice]
It seems to me that it is Ms. Ishida’s positive approach that allows her to play in a way that inspires others. As an employee of the Employee Cooperative Society, I will strive to take a more positive approach in my work to support employees’ lives and in turn be a positive influence on those around me. (Mimura)
This photo is from a workplace party we held to celebrate the Bluebells’ eighth consecutive title. It was a really enjoyable, fulfilling occasion and I could again feel the warm support of everyone at Panasonic.
【Panasonic Bluebells】
Official team website(Japanese only): https://panasonic.co.jp/ew/bluebells/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/1bluebells?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
2022 V9 Champ League Final (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Zc8QDZhVTsU
*This website is intended to provide an environment allowing people working in the Panasonic Group to access Group information when unable to use the intranet, accommodating individual workstyles and lifestyles. Care should still be taken regarding the use of information on this page; for example, do not share links and contents, with outside parties or on social media, without permission.