“True greatness lies not in lifting yourself up, but in lifting others higher.”
From the age of seven, when most children are still discovering who they are, Kazuyoshi Hisano had already found his purpose. Long before the world recognized titles like “coach,” Kazuyoshi was embodying the role, not for fame or accolades, but from a genuine love for helping others succeed.
He didn’t need formal training to understand what it meant to guide, encourage, and empower. Even as a young boy, he found joy in seeing his friends thrive. While others chased victories for themselves, Kazuyoshi found fulfillment in witnessing others win. “A coach,” he says, “is someone who feels happier witnessing someone else’s success than achieving their own.” And by that definition, he had already stepped into his calling, coaching not from a place of authority, but from empathy and joy.
As he grew, so did his gift. He realized that teaching what he knew came naturally to him, and more importantly, it made a difference in people’s lives. This quiet passion eventually evolved into a global mission. Today, as the CEO & Founder, Kazuyoshi leads with the same heartfelt purpose that sparked his journey decades ago.
In a world that often celebrates individual achievement, Kazuyoshi stands as a powerful reminder that some of the greatest leaders are those who choose to walk beside others, not ahead of them. His journey is not just about building a career, it’s about living a legacy of service, empathy, and transformation.
Kazuyoshi traces the roots of his passion for helping others to a quiet but powerful moment in his early childhood. At just seven years old, he had a friend who was struggling, not with grades, but with a difficult home environment that left him feeling lost and unsupported. The boy didn’t know how to study and was desperate to change his circumstances, but there were no clear paths forward.
At that age, Kazuyoshi knew he couldn’t change the world for his friend, but he could show up. So, he did the only thing he could: he spent time with him, listened, and offered help with schoolwork. What began as small gestures turned into a steady commitment. For nearly seven years, Kazuyoshi quietly supported his friend through homework sessions and exam preparations.
Looking back, he believes that his presence may have made just enough of a difference to help his friend stay on track with school. “What I did wasn’t anything extraordinary,” Kazuyoshi reflects. “I just listened, thought things through with him, and offered what I could.”
Years later, his friend shared how meaningful that support had been. Simply knowing that someone cared made a lasting impact on him, and on Kazuyoshi too. It was this experience, so deeply rooted in empathy and consistency, that ignited his lifelong mission to help others reach their potential.
Kazuyoshi’s journey as a coach has undergone a profound transformation over the past three decades. In the beginning, his approach was simple yet heartfelt, he listened attentively, offered space to think things through, and shared his thoughts with those around him. This natural way of connecting turned out to be supportive for friends and colleagues alike.
However, with over 30 years of experience behind him, Kazuyoshi has come to realize that listening alone is not always enough.
Today, his coaching style is much more intentional. He focuses on asking thoughtful questions that gently nudge clients to look ahead, encouraging them to shift perspectives, think strategically, and see beyond the immediate. His goal is to help others unlock clarity by stepping into a broader view of their lives and challenges.
Another key part of Kazuyoshi’s evolved approach is storytelling. He shares personal experiences not to offer ready-made answers, but to spark reflection and inspire self-discovery. He believes that when people hear real stories, they often find pieces of themselves within them, and that’s where meaningful learning begins.
To support this, Kazuyoshi actively seeks out diverse life experiences, enriching his own journey so he can offer more relevant and relatable stories to those he coaches. For him, it’s not just about being a coach, it’s about being a mirror, a guide, and a fellow traveler.
Kazuyoshi recounted a powerful example where his coaching methodology created a turning point in a CEO’s leadership journey.
The CEO in question was deeply frustrated. One of his executives consistently refused to follow instructions, ignoring assigned responsibilities and instead chasing personal agendas. To make matters worse, this executive had begun undermining the CEO by speaking ill of him to team members. Despite repeated attempts at correction, the situation remained unchanged.
Yet the CEO felt stuck. Japanese labor laws made dismissal incredibly difficult, and there was an added emotional burden. He had personally hired this executive and felt a sense of responsibility.
That’s where Kazuyoshi’s coaching came in. Through a series of sessions, he listened intently, creating a safe space for the CEO to unpack the situation. His aim wasn’t just to solve the problem but to shift the CEO’s perspective, to elevate the level of abstraction in his thinking.
Together, they explored the long-term impact of retaining someone who eroded trust within the team. They also mapped out a dignified way to facilitate a transition, one that wouldn’t violate labor regulations but would encourage the executive to make a decision of his own.
Eventually, the executive sensed the loss of trust and chose to resign voluntarily. The result? The CEO was no longer weighed down by internal conflict. With the executive gone, he regained his peace of mind and was able to lead his company with renewed clarity and confidence.
Kazuyoshi’s thoughtful approach didn’t just resolve a personnel issue, it transformed a leader’s ability to navigate tough decisions with strength and integrity.
When it comes to coaching CEOs, Kazuyoshi highlights that the role presents distinct challenges compared to coaching other professionals. Unlike most professionals who focus on their individual responsibilities, CEOs are responsible for leading entire organizations. That level of leadership brings a unique complexity, primarily because every member within the organization often has different personal goals.
While many companies set clear organizational goals and work hard to establish a strong mission, vision, and set of values, aligning those top-level objectives with the personal aspirations of employees is a constant struggle. Kazuyoshi points out that CEOs must not only recognize these differences but also learn how to bridge them in a way that empowers each person to perform at their highest potential.
In his coaching sessions with CEOs, Kazuyoshi places a strong emphasis on this alignment. The focus is not just on traditional leadership strategies, it’s about understanding the often subtle disconnect between organizational direction and individual motivation. By addressing these differences and creating a space where both can coexist, CEOs are better equipped to lead with clarity, empathy, and effectiveness.
Kazuyoshi integrates principles of cognitive science, a field that laid the groundwork for artificial intelligence, into his CEO coaching sessions in deeply practical ways. While cognitive science is a vast discipline, he focuses on a few powerful insights that consistently create turning points for his clients.
One of his key teachings revolves around the concept of the “comfort zone.” He explains that every individual operates within a cognitive space shaped by what they personally consider important, this is their comfort zone. However, a critical truth is often overlooked: people cannot sustain two comfort zones at the same time.
For example, a CEO may hold a vision of an ideal life or a high-impact goal, which forms a new, aspirational comfort zone. But at the same time, they are still rooted in their current one, shaped by familiar routines, beliefs, and the instinct to maintain the status quo. Even with conscious efforts toward growth, they may unconsciously resist change to preserve a sense of safety and predictability.
This internal conflict becomes a major barrier, and many leaders don’t even realize they’re caught in it. Kazuyoshi notes that the moment a client sees this pattern clearly, recognizing that they are mentally trapped by their current comfort zone despite a desire for change, can be a genuine breakthrough.
The surprising part, he shares, is that the path out of this trap isn’t as complex as one might think. It hinges on three core steps:
When these three conditions are in place, the brain begins to release its hold on the status quo. Instead of resisting change, it starts aligning naturally with the desired direction.
This subtle but powerful shift is where transformation begins. For Kazuyoshi’s clients, many of them high-level executives, this moment of clarity often becomes a turning point, leading not just to professional success, but a more fulfilled and aligned life.
Kazuyoshi often observes a recurring mental block among high-achieving leaders: the belief that “this might be good enough.” After reaching a certain level of success, many leaders begin to feel content or satisfied, which subtly limits their potential for further growth.
He believes this mindset stems from a natural human tendency, to preserve the status quo. However, he also knows that real breakthroughs happen when individuals push beyond comfort zones. To help leaders overcome this barrier, Kazuyoshi focuses on one powerful tool: vividly imagining a more desirable future.
By guiding them through intentional goal-setting and encouraging them to clearly visualize the outcomes they want to create, he helps reignite their drive. This mental shift, from settling to striving, empowers leaders to move beyond “good enough” and continue their journey toward high performance.
Kazuyoshi believes that the foundation of a high-performance culture lies in truly understanding and nurturing the unique strengths of each individual within an organization.
To begin, he uses a custom-developed diagnostic test to uncover the specific traits and characteristics of team members. This helps him identify not only what makes each person tick but also how they naturally operate within a group dynamic.
But it doesn’t stop at data. Kazuyoshi places a high value on listening, really listening, to what people say and write. He believes that paying close attention to someone’s words, tone, and written expression offers deep insights into their mindset and thought processes. It’s through this level of attentiveness that he can connect with individuals on a more meaningful level.
He’s observed that when people feel truly heard and acknowledged, they begin to shift. They become more energized, more positive, and more engaged. Simply being seen and supported, he notes, can ignite someone’s inner motivation.
Another key part of his approach is goal-setting. Kazuyoshi often encounters employees who don’t believe they’re allowed to set personal goals within a professional environment. He challenges this belief, showing them that personal and organizational goals can, and should, coexist. By aligning the two, he empowers individuals to take ownership of both their personal development and their contribution to the team.
Dialogue, too, plays a crucial role. Kazuyoshi encourages open conversations within the organization, leading initiatives that foster ongoing communication. He sees dialogue not just as a means of sharing information but as a vital tool for creating alignment, sparking innovation, and ultimately building a culture where both individuals and the organization can thrive together.
Kazuyoshi’s coaching philosophy is rooted in a future-focused approach, one that prioritizes where a person wants to go rather than where they’ve been. While self-awareness isn’t the central pillar of his method, he acknowledges its value, particularly when it comes to understanding the contrast between one’s current state and their envisioned future self.
Rather than using self-awareness to dwell on the past or analyze the present in isolation, Kazuyoshi encourages clients to use it as a tool for identifying the gap between their present reality and their future aspirations. This awareness becomes a stepping stone, not a stopping point.
To guide individuals in recognizing their current mindset and behavior patterns, Kazuyoshi incorporates the Buddhist principle of shikan, which means “stop and observe.” This practice calls for putting aside personal biases, emotions, and ego to look at oneself objectively. A significant part of this process is helping clients detach from feelings of superiority or inferiority, common emotional barriers that often stem from external judgment. According to Kazuyoshi, true high performance begins when individuals free themselves from the weight of others’ opinions.
He also recommends meditation as a practical way to cultivate shikan. Through consistent practice, clients learn to step back, observe their inner state without judgment, and ultimately develop a more grounded sense of self, one that aligns with the future they aim to build.
When asked about dealing with skepticism, Kazuyoshi shared that such moments are quite rare in his journey. He believes this is largely because people tend to do their homework before approaching him. His track record, publications, and reputation often speak for themselves.
However, on the rare occasion when someone does express doubts about his methods, Kazuyoshi takes a gentle and confident approach. He simply recommends they read one of his books or connect with someone who has gone through his coaching. That firsthand insight usually clears any uncertainty and naturally builds the trust needed to move forward.
When it comes to evaluating the success of his coaching programs, whether for individuals or entire organizations, Kazuyoshi emphasizes the foundational importance of setting clear, appropriate goals. For him, the journey starts with defining what success looks like.
He then assesses whether there is a solid plan crafted to reach those goals. Beyond planning, Kazuyoshi focuses on identifying the key actions required to move forward, transforming those actions into consistent habits, and ultimately ensuring those habits stick over time.
To sum it up, Kazuyoshi’s framework for measuring impact centers on five essential checkpoints:
Through this structured yet human approach, Kazuyoshi gauges not just short-term achievements but lasting transformation.
Kazuyoshi reflects on his experience working alongside Dr. Hideto Tomabechi, highlighting how this collaboration led to the development of Cognitive Corporate Coaching. He explains that through this journey, he realized coaching individuals and coaching organizations share core similarities, as organizations are essentially groups of people.
However, he also discovered that organizations possess distinct dynamics that call for tailored approaches. Despite the differences between organizational and individual goals, Kazuyoshi emphasizes that effective communication by leaders can bridge these gaps, fostering an environment where both the organization and its members flourish with strong motivation and mutual compassion.
Kazuyoshi envisions a future where executive and cognitive coaching must evolve alongside the sweeping changes brought by artificial intelligence. He recognizes that companies today face unprecedented transformations, with many struggling to find the right way to restructure and thrive in this new landscape. His plan is to become a crucial support system for these organizations, guiding them through the challenges ahead.
At the same time, Kazuyoshi is mindful of the individuals within these companies, many of whom may feel uncertain or lose hope as AI reshapes their world. His work, therefore, extends beyond corporate strategy to focus on empowering individuals, helping them explore and redefine what it truly means to be human in an AI-driven era. Through this dual focus on organizations and people, Kazuyoshi aims to drive meaningful innovation in executive and cognitive coaching.
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