This is an excerpt from The Simple Leader: Personal and Professional Leadership at the Nexus of Lean and Zen
Once, after a particularly claustrophobic, stressful and
over-populated time when there hadn’t been air or space to escape to, suddenly, for a few days, I was alone. It was like emigrating to another planet (in fact I was at home). Who was this person I was living with, this strange, this reasonable, serene foreigner in the house: a becalmed woman who spent her time inwardly humming?
– Mirabel Osler
After meditating and focusing inward for several weeks (or even months), you may realize something: you aren’t who you thought you were. This moment of understanding your true nature, known as kensho in the Zen realm, can be a bit terrifying. What if I told you that your understanding of who you are would continue to evolve and change?
This understanding can be very powerful from both personal and professional leadership perspectives. Your confidence in your decisions and your intuition will increase. You will feel and be seen as more authentic. Life will be more satisfying.
Understanding who you are helps you identify your purpose, and knowing your purpose enables you to focus your efforts on improvement. Embrace and think about the unfolding revelation of your true nature. How does it change your leadership style, your decisions, your commitment to your family, and your career choices? Allow and relish those changes.