（写真はスキップしたくなるようなお土産の実例です）

とてもリスペクトする先輩がいる。技術系の方でとあるクリエイティブ大手企業で局長まで務められた方だ。その手腕が買われ現在は大手IT企業に勤めていらっしゃる。このかた、技術の知識も働く姿も勉強になるんだけれど、実は私はそこにそれほどのリスペクトはない。見てたらごめんなさい。

この先輩をリスペクトしている最大のポイントは会食のときに用意する「お土産」のセンスだ。ある程度のステータスがある方との会食ではお土産を用意させていただくことが多いと思うんだけれど、このかたが用意されるお土産はセンスが全く違う。

この間、私は悩み事の相談をしたくて、この先輩にメールした。すぐに返事をくださりそこにはこう書いてありました。「会食しようか、お店選んでおくから候補日ください」メールで希望日をお伝えしたら「金曜が嬉しいだろうと思ったけれど、流石に予約取れなかったから週明けの候補日で抑えました、場所は…」という内容でした。

当日、お伺いしたらそこはすごく安い居酒屋。でも小さな個室しかないお店。飲みほうだい。「気兼ねなく話できた方がいいと思ったからザックバランなお店を選んでおいたよ」「料理に気を使わなくてもいいように飲み放題、食事は適当にセットしておいたから会話楽しもう」「2名で周り気にせず話ができて、気軽なお店だとここ一択だから」「今日は先輩にいい顔させろよ、安いから大丈夫だw」もう、脱帽。

昭和の時代、クリエイティブの最高峰企業で叩き上げるにはこんな気遣いが必要だったんだろうな。仕事で人に愛されるように頑張るから私は接待はしない。と思っていた若い頃の私、甘いぞ中年になってから傷つくことになるからそっちもちょっとは頑張っておけ。

お土産交換タイムがやってきた。今回、先輩がくださったお土産はスティーブ・ジョブズがこよなく愛した「赤坂もち」だ、私が大のジョブズフアンだと知っている先輩のにくい気遣いだ。小さい袋にちょっと入った気軽なお土産には、大きな気遣いとスキップしたくなるような嬉しさが詰まっていた。

先輩と別れてからしばらく、地下鉄にヨタヨタと歩いて行く先輩の後ろ姿を見送っていた。手には力一杯重たい石川の日本酒とめっちゃ大きな佃煮。片手で持てないから両手で持っていた。私はタクシーに飛び乗って思った。またやっちゃったな。気遣いも重けりゃ質量も重い。持って帰るの邪魔くさいだろうな、ご自宅遠いのに。うーん…反省。

あなたならどんなお土産を持っていきますか。会食もお土産も価格じゃないから難しいよね。

一筆啓上いたします。

「おもてなし上手になろう」

"Can Choosing the Right Gift Boost Your Career?"

(Pictured: A gift that makes you want to skip with joy)

There's a senior colleague I deeply respect. He's a tech guy who climbed the ranks to become a director at a major creative firm. His talent was recognized, and now he works at a leading IT company. While his technical knowledge and work ethic are admirable, to be honest, that's not why I hold him in such high regard. (Sorry if you're reading this, senpai!)

The main reason I respect him is his impeccable taste in "omiyage" (gifts) for business dinners. When dining with someone of a certain status, it's customary to bring a gift, but this colleague's choices are in a league of their own.

Recently, I had a problem I wanted to discuss with him, so I sent him an email. He replied promptly, saying, "Let's have dinner. I'll choose the place, just give me some dates that work for you." I emailed back with my availability, and he responded, "I thought Friday would be good for you, but unfortunately, I couldn't get a reservation then. I've booked a place for early next week instead. The location is..."

On the day of the dinner, I arrived at the restaurant he'd chosen. It was a very affordable izakaya (Japanese pub) with only small private rooms. And it had an all-you-can-drink option! He explained, "I thought it would be easier to talk in a casual place, so I chose this one." "I got the all-you-can-drink deal so we don't have to worry about the food, and I ordered a basic set menu so we can focus on our conversation." "For two people, this is the best place to have a private, relaxed chat." "Let me treat you tonight, it's cheap anyway, haha." I was blown away.

Perhaps this kind of thoughtfulness was necessary to succeed in the top creative companies during the Showa era. In my younger days, I thought, "I'll work hard to be loved by people through my work, so I don't need to entertain clients." Oh, how naive I was! Middle-aged me is paying the price for that now, so I guess I'll have to step up my game.

It was time for the gift exchange. This time, my colleague gave me "Akasaka Mochi," a type of rice cake that Steve Jobs loved. He knew I was a big Jobs fan - such subtle attention to detail! This small, light gift in a tiny bag was packed with immense consideration and a sense of ease that made me want to skip with joy.

After we parted ways, I watched my colleague walk towards the subway station, his steps a bit unsteady. He was carrying a heavy bottle of sake from Ishikawa and a huge package of tsukudani (preserved seafood) with both hands because it was too heavy for one. As I hopped into a taxi, I thought, "I messed up again. My gift was heavy in both sentiment and literal weight. It must be a pain to carry home, especially since he lives so far away." Ugh... I need to reflect on this.

What kind of gift would you bring? Choosing the right gift, just like hosting a dinner, isn't about the price, which makes it all the more challenging.

Signing off with today’s final stroke of the brush:
”Let's become masters of hospitality!”