Shoshin is a concept in Zen Buddhism that means “beginner’s mind.”
Like children, beginners are open to new learning and discovering. But as we collect experiences and knowledge in a subject, a job, or in life, we tend to ignore new information.
Eventually we listen for information that confirms and validates what we already know and believe.
Unfortunately when we approach situations hauling our preconceptions, assumptions, and biases, our perspective becomes clouded, like smudged eyeglasses. We aren’t open and eager, like beginners. We are dogmatic and opinionated, like experts.
Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki remarked, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.”
This impenetrable approach blocks our ability to learn anything new…
unless we intentionally bring our Shoshin.
Marc Benioff, Founder and CEO of Salesforce, recently shared in the New York Times, “Having a beginner’s mind informs my management style. I’m trying to listen deeply, and the beginner’s mind is informing me to step back, so that I can create what wants to be not what was. I know that the future does not equal the past.
I know I have to be here in the moment.” So how can we bring our Shoshin?
- Lead with questions, not advice.
- Respond, “Interesting. Tell me more.”
- Observe and listen.
- Be curious… I wonder what makes her say that? I wonder what I’m missing.
- Look for blindspots… we all have them.
- Imagine the situation from the other person’s perspective.
- Stop being right.In a world of bossy close-mindedness, we could use a bit more childlike openness.