2019.8.16

合気道をビジネスに生かす、英語で！

昨日の日本語を英語にしてみます！

Aikido under the business context

The principle of “Maintaining your courage” under Kyocera philosophy can be used for explaining how Aikido tips can be applied to our day-to-day businesses. For instance, under the following case, I have applied those Aikido principles to our business practices.

Case: Toshi is a CEO of a company, Yamato Corp. After joining Yamato ,Toshi worked hard and finally became the CEO. To look at next decades, he wants to organize and launch the “New Technology” project by which he can make Yamato competitive under the global market. However, Toshi is old-fashied, traditional style president and an autocratic leader. Thus, he has been reluctant to adopt the most advanced technologies & SNS and is obsessed with so-called outdated ideas in IT industry. He asked his team “Why don’t we do this, organize that, invite that guest, and place this professor as a chief observer… can you guys develop a marketing plan under my proposals above? Although you can take them as just my suggestions and no obligation to follow my ideas, I would like to arrange a meeting with you in this month.  I am available only this Friday and no other dates are available. Could you please develop the plan in this week? ”  

Yuko is a business consultant and analyzed Toshi’s approach and wants to demonstrate the solution by applying Aikido philosophy, which means creating the harmony.

Q: How can we orient the direction of Toshi, under the environment where everybody looks reluctant to follow him?

A: Figure out the current/stream and let him go. Aikido puts importance of natural or universal rules. For instance, water runs down from the top to the bottom. Everything in our nature knows where it is supposed to go. Concentrate carefully Toshi’s nature and find out the way to go, then place him spontaneously in that stream. Yuko understands that Toshi wants to demonstrate his management skills for future businesses leaders in growing sectors, like IT. Thus, Yuko supports developing a platform where Toshi can enjoy his instructorship in business management. This would work in creating a harmony while respecting everyone’s interest.

Q: What if Toshi resists the way that Yuko has arranged to him?

A: There might have been some “controlled or unnatural direction” in front of Toshi. In that case, we have to think about the natural destination where Toshi is exactly heading. As for other option, we may have to take again other Aikido approach. “Getting integrated into your counterpart.” To facilitate this, Yuko used the tool of mental block loosening: UMI.  Yuko kept asking questions to herself and found out why she felt uncomfortable in observing Toshi. She understands that she felt uncomfortable because she found herself in Toshi. She felt suffered, suffocated, and trapped. The same fellings Toshi presumably had in the project development stage. It has been said that your counterpart is always the reflection/ mirror of yourself. By pondering this, Yuko felt that she got integrated with Toshi. After the integration, there was no conflict between them as they got identified as the same mental block holders; at least sharing the same suffers. This worked and Toshi has gradually opened his mind to Yuko. 

Q: Are there any other principles to apply?

A: Under Aikido discipline, so-called universal rule, we may have to refer the fact that every creature has its own role to complete its mission as the reason to be. Based on this principle, each one should concentrate his/her own job and would not be occupied that much with other miscellaneous stuffs. Yuko understands her mission and roles, which have been appeared as her strengths and concentrates on them. In other words, conducts carefully and professionally her day-to-day jobs.

Q: So did that work? Toshi has changed his mind and changed his direction?

A: Yuko looks very much concentrated and Toshi started thinking twice before sending orders to Yuko. Namely, at least Toshi started reconsider his attitudes as a new project leader.

Q: To summarize, what are the disciplines we could find bring this case? 

A: Letting it go, getting integrated, and doing what we are supposed to do. Those are three key disciplines we can bring from Aikido.