Today, I would like to talk about Ki in the business world.
Recently, many representative companies of Japan have asked us for the Ki seminars to educate their executives. More than 20 years ago, most companies that requested Ki seminars of us did so just because it’s unique. But now, companies have a clear vision, and so they are seeking specific results.
To ride on the big waves of change, in today’s world, it is necessary to focus on something which has no shape, and not on something that is graspable. This idea will be a big help for you when you think about this kind of effort.
For instance, when there is a “problem,” and even though you try everything you can think of, the problem is not solved. What would you think the biggest reason may be?
Many people might answer that they feel they lack like “knowledge”, “skills”, or “experiences” to succeed. This may be some part of why they cannot solve the problem, but the biggest thing is they do not understand what the nature of the problem is.
When you do not recognize “What is the problem?” correctly, no matter how much effort you make, the problem won’t be solved. What you must discover, is that the real problem is not something graspable, like data, but it is something which has no shape, like Ki.
For example, when your people do not understand what you say to them, of course, there might be something to be improved in “what to tell them” and “how you speak to them”. However, the biggest reason is always “Ki”, whether it is connected or disconnected.
In this case, it may be easy to think “Ki connection” equals a “trust relationship”. But when this “trust relationship” is not solid enough, or is even cracked, then this means that “Ki is not connected”. At this point, there is no meaning in whatever you say. It simply will not reach to them.
When Ki is connected and there is a trust relationship, you will be able to send the right message. The point is, you need to consider how you can connect Ki and create a trust relationship, before you think of “what to tell” and “how to talk”.
If your head is filled up with the ideas of “what to tell” and “how to talk”, you might forget to see whether Ki is connected or not. As a result, you may fail in your efforts, and feel that what you told them might have been wrong, or the way you talked to them was not right.
However, these are not the real problems. You are not finding the solution because you do not know the real “what is the problem?”. That is why you repeat the same kind of problems over and over.
First of all, let’s always have this framework of “Ki is connected” and “Ki is disconnected”. And then, to perceive this correctly, you must practice keeping one point. If you do, you will be able to recognize the state of “Ki is connected” and “Ki is disconnected”.
There is also another consideration: We must also judge well when it is the correct time to speak. In communication and negotiation, we need to know the timing.
In Ki Aikido training, we can move with the correct timing, because our mind is calm and we can feel the opponents movement. If you try to “figure out” when the right timing is, you will fail.
In “Zen” teachings, there is the word “Sottakudoji”. “Sotu” means the sound of the baby bird just before hatching, when he is pecking the egg-shell from inside. “Taku” means the sounds of the parent birds noticing the timing of hatching and pecking the egg-shell from the outside. This pecking from the inside and the outside of the egg needs to be done at the same timing (“doji”) so that the baby bird can be hatched smoothly. If either is too early or too late, then both are not good. This is the word to explain seeing well and catching the right timing.
To do so, we need to have “Ki is connected” as the base. If you are a leader or a manager of a group, this training is absolutely essential. This is why many companies request Ki seminars for their executive education.