【商業智慧】以「初心」領導團隊 Leading with the Beginner’s Mind
在快速變化的商業環境中，「初心」－初學者的心是一種重要的思維方式，對於領導者而言尤其如此。「初心」源於禪宗佛教，強調放下既有的專業知識和成就渴望，轉而保持開放和好奇的態度，這不僅有助於個人成長，也能激勵整個團隊向前邁進。
初學者心態鼓勵領導者用全新的眼光看待問題，即便是他們最熟悉的領域。這不是拋棄專業知識，而是將其作為探索新可能性的基礎。比如CEO匿名聆聽客戶服務電話，或資深工程師在Hackathon中與新手共同學習。知識和經驗應該是推動創新的力量，而不是限制自我的框架。
實踐「初心」的8種方法包括：
- 自我反思：識別那些讓你依賴過往經驗的情況，並嘗試打開新的思維窗口。
- 提問和探索：在決策過程中，提出開放性問題，鼓勵團隊思考更多可能性。
- 挑戰固有假設：定期審查業務策略和決策中的基本假設，以鼓勵創新思維。
- 從新手學習：讓經驗較少的團隊成員參與討論，並鼓勵他們分享觀點。
- 培養好奇心：定期舉辦創新會議，讓團隊成員分享他們在各自領域的新發現。
- 持續學習新技能：定期學習新技能或知識，並嘗試將這些新知識應用於工作中。
- 透過教學深化理解：教授他人你的專長，在過程中可能會有新的發現。
- 記錄結果：在每個重大決策後，花時間評估你是否使用了「初學者心態」，以及結果如何。
透過初學者心態，領導者可以超越過去的成就或失敗，以新的視角看待問題和挑戰。這種心態不僅有助於創新和突破，還能增強與團隊和客戶的聯繫。這是一個持續學習、不斷探索的過程。
In today's rapidly changing business environment, the 'beginner's mind' is an important way of thinking, especially for leaders. Originating from Zen Buddhism, this mindset emphasises letting go of existing professional knowledge and the desire for achievements, and instead embracing openness and curiosity. This not only aids personal growth but also motivates the entire team to move forward.
The beginner's mind encourages leaders to view problems with fresh eyes, even in their most familiar areas. It's not about discarding expertise, but using it as a foundation for exploring new possibilities. For instance, a CEO anonymously listening to customer service calls, or a senior engineer learning alongside novices at a hackathon. Knowledge and experience should be forces driving innovation, not frameworks limiting oneself.
Eight ways to practice the beginner's mind include:
- Self-reflection: Identify situations where you rely on past experiences and try to open new windows of thought.
- Asking questions and exploring: In decision-making, pose open-ended questions to encourage the team to think about more possibilities.
- Challenging inherent assumptions: Regularly review the basic assumptions in business strategies and decisions to encourage innovative thinking.
- Learning from novices: Involve less experienced team members in discussions and encourage them to share their perspectives.
- Cultivating curiosity: Regularly hold innovation meetings where team members can share their discoveries in their respective fields.
- Continuously learning new skills: Regularly learn new skills or knowledge and try to apply this new knowledge at work.
- Deepening understanding through teaching: Teach others your expertise; you might discover something new in the process.
- Documenting outcomes: After each significant decision, take time to evaluate whether you used the 'beginner's mind' and what the results were.
Through the beginner's mind, leaders can transcend past achievements or failures, viewing problems and challenges with a new perspective. This mindset not only aids in innovation and breakthroughs but also strengthens connections with the team and customers. It is a process of continuous learning and exploration.