Jedidiah 'Jedi' Alex Koh is the Founder of Coaching Changes Lives, Asia's leading Coaching Firm Specializing in Team Leadership Development.
getty
Imagine you're the CEO of a successful company that has been dominating the market for years. You're proud of your past achievements and feel secure in your position. But one day, a new competitor emerges and disrupts the market, leaving you struggling to keep up. You realize that you need to adapt and learn quickly, but you find yourself unable to let go of the past and move forward. This is where the Japanese concept of ukiyo comes in, offering a unique approach to coaching leaders and organizations for the future of work. By embracing ukiyo principles, you can learn to live in the moment, let go of the past and thrive in the face of change.
What separates good or great organizations is how readily they learn and how agile their mindsets are toward change. Organizations today are faced with challenging environments and market shifts in expectations and needs. Many organizations hold on to their glory days of growth and dominance only to find themselves in situations where they are outwitted or outplayed by new and emerging competitors. This has become the real test of leadership—when challenges arise and leaders cannot rely on past solutions.
However, many leaders tend to hold on to past achievements and lament about the present, making them less agile and adaptable to the changing economic landscape. As someone who has coached leaders and consulted with organizations to develop learning structures and capabilities, I have found that to thrive, organizations and leaders must not rest on past glory nor use the past as a yardstick for present performance. Instead, they must learn to hold things with an open hand, staying agile in the moment while also having the creative fortitude to press on toward the future.
The Japanese concept of ukiyo aptly provides a way of coaching leaders and organizations for the future of work. Ukiyo is a Japanese term that literally means "floating world." It is a concept that emerged in the Edo period of Japanese history (1603-1868) and refers to the hedonistic lifestyle enjoyed by the urban merchant class in the cities of Edo (now Tokyo), Kyoto and Osaka. The ukiyo concept has also come to represent the transience and impermanence of life, as reflected in many works of art from the period. The idea is that life is fleeting and should be enjoyed in the present moment, rather than being obsessed with the past or future.
I have developed five coaching principles using ukiyo that I have taught many leaders, with the goal of raising the level of performance and growth in their organizations.
1. Live and be in the moment without tension.
To be agile, leaders and employees must be present in the moment and avoid distractions or worries that could hinder their performance. This requires developing mindfulness practices and the ability to focus on the task at hand.
For example, a team could practice presence-based techniques before meetings to help them stay focused and present during the discussion. This could involve a short breathing exercise or a few minutes of quiet reflection. Additionally, leaders could encourage their teams to take short breaks throughout the day to recharge and avoid burnout.
2. Let go of past successes and failures.
One of the biggest obstacles to agility and growth is the attachment to past successes or failures. Leaders must learn to let go of the past and focus on the present and future opportunities.
A leader could encourage their team to focus on the present project and avoid comparing it to past successes or failures. Instead, they could analyze the current situation, identify the challenges and opportunities and develop a strategy that responds to the present needs of the business.
3. The future isn’t just one door or path.
Agile leaders and organizations must be willing to explore different paths and possibilities and not be limited by a single vision or plan. This requires a growth mindset and a willingness to experiment and take calculated risks.
Leaders should encourage their team to explore different options for a new product or service, or even new and innovative approaches rather than sticking to a single plan. This could involve brainstorming sessions, market research or prototyping to test different hypotheses and see which one resonates best with the target audience.
4. Accept change and let go of attachments.
Change is inevitable in any business, and leaders must learn to accept the impermanence of the business environment and let go of attachments to the status quo. This requires developing resilience and adaptability.
A leader could encourage their team to embrace change and adapt quickly to new situations. This could involve developing contingency plans for unexpected events, conducting scenario planning exercises or engaging in continuous learning and development to stay ahead of industry trends.
5. Celebrate the moment.
Agile leaders and organizations must celebrate their successes and achievements, even if they are small, and not wait for a big event or milestone to acknowledge them. This fosters a culture of positivity and resilience. Leaders can celebrate small victories with their team, such as meeting a project deadline or exceeding a sales target. This could involve organizing a team lunch, sending a congratulatory email or giving individual recognition to team members who contributed to the success.
The ukiyo coaching principles can be a powerful tool for agile leadership and organizational learning in today's fast-paced and ever-changing business environment. By embracing the principles of living in the moment, letting go of the past, embracing uncertainty, accepting change and celebrating achievements, leaders can create a more adaptive and innovative organization. It requires a shift in mindset and a willingness to embrace new ways of thinking and working. Ukiyo coaching provides a way for leaders and organizations to thrive in times of uncertainty.
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
