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= Kunio Hara =

Kunio Hara (原 邦雄, Hara Kunio, born 15 October 1973), is a Japanese education practitioner, President of the Ho-Me-I-Ku Foundation, and Representative Director of Spiral Up International.

Hara is not an academic researcher in education, and he is not affiliated with an educational institution. His approach to education is based on personal experiences, which is why he is referred to as an “education practitioner.”

Life
Hara was born in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture into a Christian family, the members of which have run various businesses in the region. His parents and experiences at church influenced his views on community and communication. Speaking about church, he said, “If you go to a church, you will notice that what people say to each other is basically words of praise and goodness.” Although he has a Christian background, he uses the word “praise” in the sense of complimenting someone or enhancing someone’s self-esteem in his education method without any religious implications.

Commenting  on his upbringing, Hara said: “I remembered that my parents raised me with a lot of praise, which helped me nurture my self-esteem and allowed me to try new things with confidence.” Hara’s grandfather on his maternal side was a scientist, who believed that “everyone is valuable.” With regards to his family’s legacy, Hara said “the spirit of dedication runs in the family. I feel that I received the baton, and now it is my turn.”

He attended the Osaka Institute of Technology and studied briefly in Montebello, California as an exchange student. Upon graduating in 1996, he started employment at Nihon Shokken Holdings Co., where he became a top salesperson. In 2001, he joined Funai Consulting Inc. as a consultant.

Inspired by a desire to better understand working environments, Hara left his consulting job in 2002 to start working at a ramen restaurant. He started as a dishwasher and became manager after four years of training. His experience forming teams and cultivating employees serve as the foundation of his views on education.

(Hara’s comments are based on the article titled “Praise for success special: Foundation backs positive feedback at school, work” published on The Japan Times on January 20, 2020.)

Career
In 2011, Hara founded Spiral Up Co., a consulting firm specializing in “praise-based management” in retail, restaurant, and other service industries. In 2012, he established Spiral Up International, a branch based in Los Angeles.

In 2015, Hara founded Ho-Me-I-Ku Foundation, with the mission of helping businesses improve performance and working conditions, and educating and supporting children primarily in developing countries. With his foundation, Hara aims to improve the profitability of companies by enhancing communication and create a “circulation system” that allows portions of the profit to be donated to future generations.

Deriving its name from the Japanese words for “praise” (homeru) and “raise” (ikusei), Ho-Me-I-Ku is an educational method centered on the principles of self-affirmation and praising others. According to Hara, the method incorporates aspects of brain science and psychology and is suitable for both adults and children. His major vision for Ho-Me-I-Ku is to “incorporate the method in the education policy of the people on earth.”

Hara’s emphasis on praising oneself and others derives from his experiences in the workforce. He observed that managers were harsh to employees and relied on scolding as the primary means to train employees, but noticed that this approach achieved little and only served to push young employees out of the workforce. Influenced by his parents, who, according to Hara, raised him “with a lot of praise” and encouraged him “to try new things with confidence,” Hara adjusted his management approach by praising each employee at monthly meetings. He observed that this change improved sales and decreased turnover.

Ho-Me-I-Ku has been used in Japan, the United States, Australia, Vietnam, Norway, Taiwan, Malaysia China, India, Cambodia, Singapore, and Indonesia. The foundation conducts more than 200 lectures per year, providing services to companies, elementary schools, nursery schools, medical corporations, and the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The Foundation also offers e-learning programs, including video content on YouTube. Around 300 companies and 16 kindergartens have implemented Ho-Me-I-Ku.

Ho-Me-I-Ku encourages a standardized approach to its application, according to the needs of the organization in which it is used. As an example of this standardization, Hara has suggested to “praise five good points and scold one. Here, scolding means having an expectation.” Hara also places importance on adjusting Ho-Me-I-Ku’s standards so they reflect the norms of the country where it is implemented.

In 2016, Hara traveled to Cambodia. Struck by the destitution he saw, especially in relation to young children, he participated in a donation project to build a school in Cambodia, the opening ceremony of which took place in August 2017.

Hara attended the World Innovation Summit for Education in Qatar in November 2019.

Hara is currently focused on expanding Ho-Me-I-Ku’s reach around the world by finding more peers and partners.

(Hara’s comments are based on the article titled “Praise for success special: Foundation backs positive feedback at school, work” published on The Japan Times on January 20, 2020.)

Media appearances
TV Asahi (Hodo Station)

NHK

https://www.jibtv.com/programs/catch_japan_2019/20200227.html

TV Tokyo

https://youtu.be/5gT5WJjQkf0

The Japan Times

https://info.japantimes.co.jp/special/homeiku/

Published Works in English
Kunio Hara. Praise-based Management: A Positive Approach to Improving Profits and Productivity (English Edition). Discover 21, 2015. ASIN B00WE3POF2.

Published Works in Japanese
Yaruki to Egao no Hanjoten no “Home Sheet”. Discover 21, 2013. ISBN-10: 4799313096. ISBN-13: 978-4799313091. (English and Chinese translations available)

Uriage ga Agaru Homeru Kijun. Shogyokai Publishing, 2014. ISBN-10: 4785504757. ISBN-13: 978-4785504755.

Imasugu Dekiru! Imasugu Kawaru! “Homeiku” Management. PHP Institute, 2015. ISBN-10: 4569826857. ISBN-13: 978-4569826851.

Tatta Hitokoto de Jinsei ga Kawaru Homekotoba no Maho. Ascom, 2016. ISBN-10: 4776209292. ISBN-13: 978-4776209294.

Ichinichi Hitohome de Koun o Hikiyoseru Jibun o Homeru Shukan. Subarusha, 2017. ISBN-10: 4799106325. ISBN-13: 978-4799106327.

Saijo no Homekata. Kobunsha, 2018. ISBN-10: 4334950663. ISBN-13: 978-4334950668

Timeline
1973:     Born in the city of Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture

1996:     Graduated from the Osaka Institute of Technology and started first job at Nihon Shokken Holdings Co.

2001:     Attained employment as consultant at Funai Consulting Inc.

2002:     Started working at ramen restaurant, where he developed the idea of nurturing people through praising, which would later serve as the basis for Ho-Me-I-Ku.

2007:     Started to promote Ho-Me-I-Ku practices to various industries in Japan

2011:    Established Spiral Up Co., a Japanese company specializing in management consulting and training in retail, restaurant, and other service industries.

2012:     Established Spiral Up International in L.A. and appeared on TV for the first time on the major news program Hodo Station as a Ho-Me-I-Ku consultant; held seminar in L.A.

2013:     Held seminar in China

2014:     Launched the Ho-Me-I-Ku Association, which focuses on Ho-Me-I-Ku consultant training; held a seminar in India.

2015:     Published his first book “Praise-based Management” (Japanese edition); English edition published on U.S. Amazon.com Inc.

Established Ho-Me-I-Ku Foundation, which aims to introduce Ho-Me-I-Ku to 196 countries in the world and carry out charitable activities.

2016:     Traveled to Cambodia with a friend and witnessed children living in destitution; held a seminar in India.

2017:     Donated to a school construction project for an orphanage in Cambodia; lectured in Australia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

2018:     Held a seminar in Taiwan and Malaysia.

2019:     Participated in World Innovation Summit for Education 2019, a large-scale international conference on education held in Qatar.