A Sneak Peek Inside GP’s Internal Meetings: Knowledge Sharing Lunch

Hello, this is Kasai from GP!

In this journal, I’d like to introduce one of our internal meetings called “Knowledge Sharing Lunch,” which takes place once a month.

The theme of Knowledge Sharing Lunch changes each time, and our team, the Second Event Business Division, was in charge of a recent session. I’d like to share what these meetings are like, what their purpose is, and what we discussed during our session!

What Is “Knowledge Sharing Lunch”?

Knowledge Sharing Lunch is one of several company-wide meetings held at GP. Once a month, all employees gather over lunch to share useful information based on a different theme. It’s an opportunity for both learning and communication.

Past sessions have covered a wide range of topics, including “AI 500%,” where employees shared how they personally use AI and discovered new ways to apply it, sessions introducing new members who recently joined GP, and presentations like ours, where different divisions share their strengths and real-world examples to help raise the overall capabilities of the company.

One of the unique features of Knowledge Sharing Lunch is that each session is organized by a designated employee or division. Those in charge prepare information and insights to share with the rest of the company.

Since everyone is enjoying lunch together, the atmosphere never becomes too formal. Questions, applause, and lively conversations are all part of the experience.

A Sneak Peek! “Here’s How the Second Division Builds Relationships!”

For this Knowledge Sharing Lunch, our Second Event Business Division shared one of our greatest strengths: building relationships both inside and outside the company.

We divided our presentation into two sections, focusing on internal and external relationships. Since our team structure had been reorganized in March and new graduates like myself were assigned to our division in May, we also took this opportunity to reintroduce our team members to everyone at GP.

The Second Division’s Strength: “Relationships”

In the first half of our presentation, we talked about how to build strong working relationships with senior producers, managers, and even our CEO, and how to gain their support and work together to lead projects successfully.

This time, we selected nine producers and managers and introduced them in a style similar to an instruction manual. We explained what to keep in mind when approaching each person, what kind of communication they prefer, and how to work with them effectively.

I was a little nervous because the topic could easily come across as if we were telling our senior colleagues how they should be handled! Fortunately, everyone was very kind and listened with a smile, laughing along with us. (Haha!)

Edited by Technical Producer Okutani *Please keep this in mind!

<At all times (domestic/overseas)>
・The moment you feel like you’re in trouble/in danger…
“Mr. Okutani, are you free right now?”
Let’s shout out!

Outside of MTG,
They are always kind and willing to listen to your concerns.
(Don’t be scared… just keep talking to them!)

CFO Obana’s Secret Edition *Must-Know!

・Daily effort is very important!
Example) Sugiyama D: Report and share contractual relationships as appropriate.

・Don’t be afraid to speak up…!
Sometimes he makes a scary face when looking at his computer, but he’s incredibly kind when you talk to him. (^O^)/

・Let’s offer a sincere apology. I am truly sorry for everything.

We also shared our approach to communicating with external partner companies and clients.

I believe this session helped everyone understand that having people you can turn to when you’re in trouble is the result of the relationships you build through everyday communication.

Personally, I used to think that being good at your job meant being able to handle everything on your own. However, while preparing the presentation materials and listening to the perspectives of my senior colleagues, I realized that wasn’t necessarily true.

I’ve come to believe that someone who is truly good at their job is someone who can bring people together, involve others, and move things forward.

And in the Second Event Business Division, we’re fortunate to have many senior colleagues who are excellent at doing exactly that.

By learning from their example, I hope to become someone who can also bring people together and inspire them to work toward a shared goal.

Miyanaga CMO Edition *Please keep this in mind!

〈Internal relations〉
・Ensure prior agreement on the purpose of sharing materials/meetings, etc.
*The materials basically prefer output (though it seems they’ve been paying more attention to sustainability lately).

We should have discussed this beforehand…
“What MTG game was this today? (;・∀・)”
(Inner thought: “Miyanaga-san asked me to set it up, but…”)
→But it’s still common sense to discuss it beforehand!

Kouhata CEO’s Edition *This is something you “absolutely” need to know!

・Let’s start with the conclusion!
→If the conversation isn’t clear and doesn’t lead to a conclusion, the response will be, “What’s the conclusion?? (゜д゜)!” (Apparently, Tsuchiya-san takes notes on sticky notes of what he wants to say.)

・Don’t let things pile up! Pay back immediately when asked!
→Even if you keep accumulating and then submitting it, you won’t end up with anything substantial! Let’s work together to polish it up!

・No cheating allowed!
→Make sure to communicate that you’ve messed up! That’s bad!

Reintroducing Our Team Members

In the second half of the presentation, our Division Director, Nakazato, introduced the members of the Second Event Business Division.

Of course, this wasn’t just an ordinary introduction.

We created slides inspired by character introductions from a TV drama series, complete with personalized descriptions and senryu poems that Nakazato had written for each member. The result was a fun and memorable way to introduce our team.

By taking the unique characteristics of each member, as seen through Nakazato’s eyes, and presenting them in an entertaining way, we were able to give colleagues from other divisions a fresh perspective on our team.

I feel that it also gave everyone some new conversation starters and opportunities to get to know one another better.

Final Thoughts

Some of GP’s internal meetings are serious and conducted in a formal atmosphere, while others, like this Knowledge Sharing Lunch, take place in a warm and relaxed environment.

This experience reminded me that knowing how to adapt to different situations and switch between these approaches is an important first step toward becoming someone who is truly good at their job.

Our CEO, Kohata, once said, “No matter what kind of meeting we hold, we’re always thinking about how it can help every employee improve and contribute to the company’s growth.”

It’s important to never lose sight of that purpose. Rather than simply creating an enjoyable gathering, we need to make sure that we’re genuinely sharing knowledge and turning the meeting into something meaningful.

I realized that this is also an essential perspective for an event producer.

What is the purpose of this event? What kind of outcome would make us consider it a success?

Keeping these questions in mind when planning programs and content is incredibly important.

Even through an internal company meeting, I was reminded once again of the mindset and approach that can be applied directly to event production.

I’ll continue learning and growing through the many internal meetings and opportunities we have at GP!