How to Read “Use people as you would use the wood of a craftsman”
Hito o tsukau koto wa takumi no ki o mochiuru ga gotoku seyo
Meaning of “Use people as you would use the wood of a craftsman”
This proverb teaches that you should place people where they can use their talents best. Just as a carpenter studies each piece of wood and uses it in the right place, leaders should understand each person’s abilities and personality.
They should then assign roles where that person can shine the most.
People use this saying when leaders think about team assignments or when evaluating someone’s personnel decisions. It’s not just about making people work.
It’s about finding positions that highlight their strengths and support their weaknesses.
Today, this idea applies to many situations. These include forming teams, selecting project members, and deciding on department transfers.
Everyone has areas where they excel. When placed in the right position, both the person and the organization achieve the best results.
This proverb shows a basic principle of talent management.
Origin and Etymology
Several theories exist about where this proverb comes from. It’s difficult to identify a definite written source. However, we can understand how it formed by looking at the words themselves.
“Takumi” means a carpenter or craftsman. A skilled carpenter examines wood carefully before choosing it. Hard wood becomes pillars. Flexible wood becomes beams.
Wood with beautiful grain goes where people can see it. Even bent wood can become beams or decorations when used cleverly.
Carpenters waste nothing and bring out the best in each piece.
This thinking likely comes from ancient Chinese philosophy, especially ideas about using talented people. Chinese rulers have long valued how to use human talent wisely.
The phrase “right person, right place” comes from the same tradition.
In Japan, people probably used similar expressions during the Edo period as wisdom for running organizations. Carpentry was familiar to everyone.
The concrete image of sorting wood made the abstract concept of talent management easier to grasp.
The wisdom of craftsmen and the wisdom of leaders came together to create this proverb.
Usage Examples
- When creating a new project team, I want to follow “Use people as you would use the wood of a craftsman” and assign members based on their strengths
- He watches his subordinates’ personalities closely and practices “Use people as you would use the wood of a craftsman” as a supervisor
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “Use people as you would use the wood of a craftsman” contains deep wisdom. It recognizes human diversity and sees it as valuable.
Everyone suffers when compared to others. Nothing hurts more than being blamed for what you can’t do or judged in areas where you’re weak.
But this proverb teaches hope. It says everyone has a place where they can thrive.
Even bent wood becomes part of beautiful architecture in a skilled carpenter’s hands. Every person has a place where they can shine.
A leader’s true ability isn’t gathering perfect people. It’s recognizing what makes each diverse person special and helping them use those qualities.
This isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about human dignity.
People work with energy and joy when their abilities are recognized and they’re given a place to use them.
This proverb has lasted because human society constantly faces questions about diversity. Every era has the temptation to measure people with uniform standards.
But truly rich societies see differences as possibilities, not flaws.
When AI Hears This
Wood strength varies by more than 30 times depending on direction. This fact physically explains the essence of personnel placement.
Cedar wood can support 400 kilograms per square centimeter along its grain. But across the grain, it breaks at just 12 kilograms.
The same wood changes performance 30 times just by changing the direction of force.
Scientists call this “anisotropy.” Humans have exactly the same characteristic. One person excels at logical thinking but struggles with interpersonal negotiation.
Another person generates creative ideas constantly but lacks precision in detailed work. This isn’t about high or low ability.
It’s about the direction of ability.
What’s interesting is that carpenters never say “this wood is weak.” They use vertical strength for pillars and horizontal flexibility for bent woodwork.
They don’t avoid weaknesses. They identify each direction and place wood accordingly.
The same principle works in talent management. The judgment “this person is useless” might actually mean “we’re applying force in the wrong direction.”
Wood engineering teaches us that the science of placement matters more than evaluating materials.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches you hope that you have a place, and the importance of believing in others’ potential.
If you feel you can’t use your abilities now, maybe you lack value less than you lack the right place. Bent wood becomes part of beautiful architecture when it meets a carpenter with vision.
You have a place where you can shine. Don’t rush. Keep understanding your characteristics and searching for an environment where you can use them.
If you lead people, this teaching matters even more. Do you focus only on your subordinates’ and juniors’ flaws?
Your real job is finding their strengths and giving them roles where they can use those strengths. People show more power than you imagine when trusted and given expectations.
Modern society is an age of diversity. Don’t measure people with uniform standards. Recognize each person’s individuality as valuable.
Having this flexible perspective will be the key to making yourself and those around you happy.
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