Zen and the Art of Administrating
By Dr. Jeffrey S. Cottrell
I. Introduction
In the last ten to fifteen years there has been an explosion of interest in the philosophies and ancient writings of Japan and China as they relate to business management. American companies that are being out paced by their Japanese competitors are understandably trying to discover what administrative techniques the Japanese use that might be better than their own. The interest in the writings of ancient China is an outgrowth of this, since it is those writings that the Japanese have treasured for centuries, and have incorporated into their managing philosophy.
In reviewing a recent translation of Sun Tzu’s ancient book The Art of War, Newsweek magazine observed that one could "throw out all those contemporary management books after absorbing this Chinese classic." Harold J. Leavitt, Professor Emeritus of Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, describes the ancient wisdom of the East as a "rich mine of managerial knowledge..." The wisdom of ancient China and Japan has practical use for anyone in understanding the dynamics of human relationships, history, politics, and business.
II. Human Relations
So just what is it about Japanese management techniques that make them different from their American counterparts? In comparative studies, those American companies that are very successful were found to have very similar management techniques to Japanese companies. So apparently the tools to better management are available and within reach of whoever can discover what they are. As Japan has begun to dominate one industry after another -- motorcycles, automobiles, watches, cameras, optics, even pianos and especially, consumer electronics -- the Japanese management techniques and philosophies are understandably being studied more. What one discovers is that the Japanese managers are masters of human relations, seeing each worker as not just producers, but as having economic, social, psychological, and spiritual needs. The manager’s duty is then to attend to the needs of the whole person, instead of leaving it up to the church, family, government, etc. Successful Japanese mangers (and American) are then able to harness man’s natural selfishness and group loyalty so that workers want their work groups and employers to succeed.
III. Zen
To understand why the oriental management philosophy is different, you must first begin to understand the philosophy of Zen, which shapes the administration values of those successful companies in Japan. Zen is a philosophy of life and action that comes from the ancient Chinese religion of Taoism. Many of the concepts of Zen in Japanese writings are easily traced to Taoism, however, a practitioner of Zen can worship any God, or no God, (except in the sphere of Zen Buddhism), whereas a Tao disciple is more religious. Zen is more a set of values and beliefs about man and his potential than a religion. Someone who truly practices Zen uses it as a very strict and demanding mental discipline, but it can also be understood as simply an attitude or approach to life. Zen is a method of observing, of learning, of experiencing what you do everyday. It is a philosophy of will power, self-reliance and self-improvement. As in Taoism, Zen teaches that people are always able to renew themselves out of themselves if they are allowed to govern themselves. Man can refine himself through his "Self".
IV. Emptiness
Another important concept of Zen is the concept of emptiness. A famous Zen story used to illustrate this relates the visit of an intellectual to Nan-in, a Zen master, in order to learn all about Zen.
Nan-in served the professor some tea. He poured the cup full, and then continued to pour. The professor watched the overflow until he could no longer restrain himself. "Stop it! No more will go in!"
"Like this cup," said the Zen master, "you are full of your own ideas and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?".
In Zen you are trained to experience situations with an empty mind, open to all possibilities, without any preconceived idea. An even older example of this from the Tao monk Lao Tzu explaining:
Thirty spokes are made by holes in a hub. Together with the vacancies between them, they comprise a wheel.
The use of clay in molding pitchers comes from the hollow of its absence; Doors and windows in a house are used for their emptiness:
Thus we are helped by what is not to use what is.
What Zen teaches by this is that by removing yourself mentally from a situation you will gain more insight into what is truly there. We mustn’t be blinded by our egos or we will never see the full possibilities of life. If we can obtain a state of "no-ego" we can understand the meaning of a situation without imposing our bias upon it.
V. Ego
The absence of ego is a recurring theme in the ancient writings of Zen and Taoism. Mankind is exhorted to humility and putting the need of others above his own. Vanity and heroes are discouraged, as observed by the Zen monk who watched birds fighting over a nest and he sighed with regret for men who struggle in the same way. This same monk cautioned that "By the side of honor, humiliation waits. When honored, one ought not be high-minded". An administrator who has learned this would be careful not to encourage resentment or jealousy in his subordinates or coworkers by emphasizing his awards or bonuses.
Another example of the value of having a "no-ego" attitude is stated: "He who knows honor and yet keeps humility will become a valley that receives all the world into it..." In other words, a successful leader who doesn’t hold himself superior to others will find others seeking him out for guidance and willing to help him in achieving even more success. Another aspect of this same relationship is that a good manager does not "judge a book by its cover." In other words, a superior man does not prefer the clean and "shun the vulgar." He will accept others based upon their skills and intellect, not according to their outward appearance. The first man to unite all of Japan (the great general Hideyoshi) under one rule in Japan’s warring feudal period, was in fact so ugly that his child hood nickname was "monkey."
VI. Managing Conflict
As a manager, one must also be careful not to judge situations of conflict by their outward appearances. "Decayed grasses are not bright, and yet they give birth to glow worms, whose luster matches the summer moon." A conflict between workers may at first seem destructive or unnecessary, but can sometimes lead to solutions to troublesome problems or improving the character of those in conflict. As Sun Tzu is famous for stating, one must know when to fight and when not to fight. An interesting parable that illustrates this technique of managing conflicts is summed up in the Chinese saying "Sit on the mountain top and watch the tigers fight," or "watch the fires burning from across the river." The parable associated with these sayings is as follows:
A clam was sunbathing with its shell open when a crane came along and pecked at its flesh. The clam snapped shut, catching the crane’s long beak. Neither would yield to the other. Finally a fisherman came by and caught both of them.
The most successful and popular administrators are those who know when to let subordinates in conflict "fight it out first." Then when both parties are exhausted, the administrator can step in and offer help as an impartial mediator.
Miyamoto Musashi’s early seventeenth century book Gorin No Sho, or Book of Five Rings, is a book about philosophies and techniques of sword fighting that is used by many Japanese and now even American managers to gain insight into handling conflict from a Zen perspective. In addition, Musashi provides his perspective on success in life in general, with such advice as be knowledgeable in a variety of occupations, nurture the ability to perceive truth in all matters, and cultivate a wide interest in the arts. As far as perceiving contemporary truths for handling conflict, Musashi has advice such as "Ba No Shidai To Iu Koto", or "Considering the Site". His ensuing discussion of this describes the technique of meeting an opponent in a place or situation that gives you an advantage, such as keeping the sun or light behind you, or taking the high ground when anticipating a battle. The modern manager who considers this can chose a psychological ground by standing or by sitting behind the desk, or by choosing a private or public meeting place, according to whichever would best suit the circumstances of the conflict.
Another interesting example of Musashi’s philosophy of managing conflict is expressed "Teki Ni Naru To Iu Koto," or "To become the enemy." In other words, to understand the reactions of your adversary in a disagreement, you must put yourself in his place. If a modern manager is experiencing resistance from a subordinate due to a change in that person’s programs or responsibilities, the manager should try to see it from the subordinate’s point of view. The person might be reacting out of feelings of fear, or anger, at being threatened with unwanted change. The worker may feel like a pheasant in the presence of a hawk. A good manager must empty his mind and be able to see the workers point of reference in a "no-ego" state.
VII. Leadership
Understanding the mind set of your opponent (or subordinate) also means never losing touch as a leader with what it feels like to be a subordinate. A famous Zen story relates to this in describing how a Zen master and one of his students were out for a walk and spied a fox chasing a rabbit.
"According to an ancient fable, the rabbit will get away from the fox", the master said.
"Not so," replied the student. "The fox is faster."
"But the rabbit will elude him," insisted the master.
"Why are you so certain?" asked the student.
"Because the fox is running for his supper, and the rabbit is running for his life," answered the master.
According to Zen, A leader must also be flexible with every situation and willing to even change himself. As Lao Tzu once wrote:
A man is born gentle and weak.
At his death he is hard and stiff.
Green plants are tender and filled with sap.
At their death they are withered and dry.
Therefore, the stiff and unbending is the
disciple of death.
The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life.
Thus and army without flexibility never wins a battle
A tree that is unbending is easily broken.
The hard and the strong will fall.
The soft and weak will overcome.
Therefore, the Zen trained manager will be open to all possible solutions to a problem without bias or preconception, flexible as a tender green plant.
The ability to change plans as a leader and examine all possibilities is also a frequent theme in the ancient Chinese classic The Art of War by Sun Tzu. He praises those leaders who are able to find unexpected or unorthodox solutions to problems. Leaders are encouraged to realize that solutions are as inexhaustible as the great rivers. Sun Tzu put it best when he wrote:
There are only five notes in a musical scale, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be heard.
There are only five basic colors, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be seen.
There are only five basic flavors, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be tasted.
There are only two kinds of charge in battle, the unorthodox surprise attack and the orthodox direct attack, but variations of the unorthodox and orthodox give rise to each other, like a beginning-less circle -- who could exhaust them?
It is this kind of insight that has made Sun Tzu’s writings so popular amongst business leaders and administrators even today.
Sun Tzu also wrote extensively on leadership qualities that encourage loyalty amongst followers, some of which has been discussed previously in the sections dealing with ego and managing conflict. Sun Tzu gives advice on how to develop harmony and faithfulness among people. This way you will be able to induce people to have the same aim as their leadership, so that they will share death and share life, without fear of danger. In modern terms this would mean employees that will sacrifice for the good of the organization and keep a positive attitude in good time and bad times.
VIII. Conclusion
In considering a Zen based philosophy of administration it is important to remember that Zen is a skill, a discipline, not a religion or formula. The state of "no-ego" is something that is not always easily obtained, especially when confronted with highly charged personal conflicts. The concept of emptiness is also something which is not easily turned on and off, and must be studied and practiced constantly before one can be consistent in their responses as a leader. Constant review and inward focus is the only way, along with continuous study of the writings of the Zen masters. Then you are on the path, for Zen is not a goal but a way to go about our journey.
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