Domo Arigato, Mr. Miyamoto
A Look at Shigeru Miyamoto
John Davis
August 5, 2011
wii games
If you know who Mario, Zelda, or Donkey Kong is, you know some of the work of Shigeru Miyamoto. Born on November 16, 1952 in a rural community in Japan called Sonebe, he now resides in Kyoto nearby. Mr. Miyamoto studied industrial design at Kanazawa Munici College of Industrial Arts and Crafts in 1970. A man by the name of Hiroshi Yamauchi, a friend of Shigeru Miyamoto’s father, ran a toy company called Nintendo. He met with Yamauchi with intentions of employment, and showing him his portfolio, was hired as Nintendo’s first staff artist in 1977. In 1980, Yamauchi told Miyamoto of his desire to create a video game. (Johnson) Miyamoto agreed to this project and thus, in 1981, Donkey Kong was born, creating the dawn of a new era and launching the career of who was to become one of the greatest leaders of all time. Shigeru Miyamoto has the characteristics of an effective leader such as setting goals and visions for the future, he inspires others to be imaginative, and he is very creative, always thinking of new ideas. Using critical thinking, leadership, and accountability, I plan to help shape the future of gaming much like Miyamoto has.
Donkey Kong was one of the first games I ever played. I had no idea of the great minds that were at work on this game and the games to follow. I also never realized the impact that one of these minds would have on the lives of many, including myself. Mr. Miyamoto did not invent video games, nor did he create Nintendo. What he has done was revolutionize gaming for decades to come. (Johnson) He has given Nintendo, along with himself, a name in the industry, and a name in history. (Murad) His works are held high above the rest, and sales for some of them remain unsurpassed to this day. Introduced in Donkey Kong is a character by the name of Mario. (Johnson) From this spawned the best-selling video game of all time, Super Mario Brothers. (Murad)
An effective leader is one who shows active interest, values for others to follow, and a lot of inspiration. (Coach4Growth) Miyamoto shows various qualities of an effective leader. One of these qualities is that he sets goals and visions for the future. (Murad) Out of habit, an effective leader will pick priorities based on their most basic of values. An effective leader can envision what he or she wants and how to get what is wanted. (Coach4Growth) Anyone who has played a Wii can see how far we have come along with technology in the gaming industry, and Miyamoto is one of the greatest contributors.
The fact that he is very creative and is constantly thinking of new ideas also shows that Miyamoto is an effective leader. He makes timely changes in his thinking, plans, and methods when needed in order to efficiently carry out goals. (Coach4Growth) He has created such innovations as the Wii with motion-sensing controls, and the 3DS, a handheld device with a three-dimensional display. (Murad)
Another quality is that Miyamoto inspires others to be imaginative. By showing his endurance in mental stamina, he inspires others to reach for new and different goals. He also shows a lot of confidence in all that he does. (Coach4Growth) He feels regret if people sit and play his games and do not venture outside. He encourages his own children to go outside and play when it’s sunny. Miyamoto will definitely take charge when necessary, but regardless, he feels it’s all about the teamwork that goes into his creations. (Murad) This selflessness is yet another quality of an effective leader.
Miyamoto is a great inspiration to me, and I can certainly learn from his works and his leadership qualities. I have taken assessments to determine my personal strengths and how they support success in becoming a great leader. Being that I’m interpersonal, I like to teach information to others and interview outside sources. (Sherfield, 168) I am a tactile learner, meaning I learn by doing, touching, and manipulating. (Sherfield, 173) My personality type is the Guardian. This means I interact extrovertly, I sense information, I think rather than feel when making decisions, and I have a judging lifestyle. (Sherfield, 174-175) I have great organizational skills, am very responsible, and am focused on the results. Overall, I like to take charge and get things done. (Sherfield, 178)
In order to become a great leader like my role model, Shigeru Miyamoto, I need to employ critical thinking, show great leadership skills, and be accountable. Critical thinking will help me as long as I can recognize problems that may arise and be able to plan and work through them. I also need to be able to understand the importance of prioritizing issues in order of precedence. Any data that I receive must be interpreted in order to evaluate arguments and appraise evidence. Miyamoto is a great critical thinker, but his leadership skills are also top notch. As long as I have the perseverance to obtain a goal and always challenge myself, displaying sincerity and integrity in all of my actions, I too can become a great leader. But any great leader knows that with leadership comes accountability. For whatever action I take, I know that I must assume responsibility for it. I must be able to report on these actions, explain my reasoning, and answer to any resulting consequences. As a leader, I will be liable for any moment in which I need to be called on to render an account.
Shigeru Miyamoto truly is a great leader, and he shows it with his contributions to the gaming industry. With my desire to be a game programmer, it is no surprise that a man with his skills, strengths, and qualities would be my role model. There are other great leaders in the gaming industry, but Miyamoto has been around longer and has more experience. He’s even been referred to as the “Spielberg” of video games. (Johnson) Hopefully, one day, I can become a great leader and even be compared to Miyamoto himself. That will take a lot of hard work and perseverance, but nothing is going to stop me.
References
Coach4Growth (2010, October 28). The Characteristics of a Leader: Demonstrating Good Leadership Skills. Retrieved August 04, 2011, from http://coach4growth.com/leadership- skills/the-characteristics-of-a-leader-demonstrating-good-leadership-skills
Johnson, C. (2005). The man: Bio. Miyamoto Shrine. Retrieved August 03, 2011, from http://www.miyamotoshrine.com/theman/bio/
Murad, A. (2011). Super Mario creator ready for jump to the next level. Times, The (United Kingdom), 30. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Sherfield, R. M., & Moody, P. G. (2011). Cornerstone: Creating Success Through Positive Change. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc..
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