Zen and the art of career management

NEW DELHI: To paraphrase author Robert Pirsig from his bestselling book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, this article is unrelated to the practice of orthodox Zen and not very deep on management either. However, this explores the five popular Japanese concepts of

Ikigai

,

Kaizen

, Ichigo Ichie, Muda and Ho-Ren-So in relation to your work. But what is Zen? Zen is the English form of the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chan, which is derived from the Sanskrit Dhyana. Zen as a

school of Buddhism

focusses on attaining insights and applying them. Here’s how to apply insights from these concepts.


Ikigai

Or how to choose your career. In the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, the author contrasts the gestalt or romantic approach to the classical approach to life. The first approach focuses on total experience of life and living in the moment while the latter relies on rational analysis and is well suited to problem-solving.

Ikigai (ike=life and kai= meaning) is a Japanese concept for “the reason for which you wake up”. This romantic approach is about first knowing what makes you happy or what gives purpose and then building a career around it. A sense of ikigai reduces anxiety and your need for approval.

Kaizen
Or how to grow in your career. In your career, Kaizen is about making progress through improvement. There are two types. Point Kaizen is when you take immediate action without prior planning in a situation where a small action may lead to immense benefit, like filing reimbursements, getting your laptop upgraded or having that evaluation chat with your boss.

System Kaizen is when you create a long-term plan with several Kaizen events to reach a goal. At any point of time you must have a System Kaizen going on in your career while on a regular basis you are looking out for Point Kaizen.

Ichigo Ichie
Or how to be most productive. Ichigo Ichie, made famous by a Japanese tea master, says: this moment in your life is unique and will never repeat, so cherish its transience. At work, it asks you to stop multi-tasking and be absorbed whether you are studying data or talking to your colleague. Choose to be distraction-free, and focus on the current task. Ichigo Ichie relieves you of anxiety by letting you detach from constant comparison and competition with others and allowing you to celebrate the uniqueness in you and in the moment.

Muda, Mura, Muri
Or how to reduce losses. Muda means waste or anything that doesn’t add value to your career. Mura means irregularity or non-uniformity that leads to waste. And Muri is excessive burden that may arise from over-correcting wastefulness. In your career, waste arises from activities and choices that do not progress you.

Mura or non-uniformity comes from being unemployed or under-employed for periods of time and having excessive work at other times. Muri is when you are in a job where you are constantly working weekends or putting in late hours daily. This will lead to a professional burnout, erosion of relationships and halted learning.

Ho-Ren-So
Or how to communicate. Ho-Ren-So is the abbreviate form of Hokoku (report), Renraku (inform) and Sodan (consult). Reporting-informing-consulting is thus a communication mantra for your career. Informing colleagues in time about relevant facts and data unbiased by your opinion, helps everyone take timely action and increases velocity of work in your team. Finally, when the decision, outcome and ownership is yours, then consulting with your peers and superiors helps you pick their brains, get their buy-in and thus express and execute the best ideas optimally.

(The writer is founder and CEO at QuezX.com and HeadHonchos.com)