Contemporary complexity both fascinates and intimidates us. We meet it daily-using intricate technological solutions, appreciating artistic expressions that captivate our aesthetic senses. Yet, we often feel overwhelmed when facing vast problems, leaving us feeling small and powerless.
This experience mirrors the progression in Martial Arts. We perceive the potential to develop skills, yet simultaneously face frustration. A teacher shows a movement, and when it’s our turn, we struggle to replicate it. Mentally, we understand, but our bodies haven’t integrated what to do.
The technical curriculum breaks down complex motor and relational patterns, guiding practitioners step-by-step in their evolution. It helps build a mental framework to interpret a new reality.
Teacher and student become explorers and constructors of meaning. Initially incomprehensible movements and unclear relational patterns gradually contribute to a kind of martial narrative that reshapes attitudes and behaviors, redefines temperament, and offers new perspectives to those who dedicate time and courage to personal development.
Sensemaking
Sensemaking, a concept developed by American psychologist Karl Weick, who also introduced mindfulness into organizational theory, focuses on how individuals react to rapidly and continuously changing situations -essentially, complexity. Weick observed that people primarily organize themselves to make sense of complexity.
It’s not merely an individual cognitive process but a social, continuous, and dynamic activity where meaning is created through interactions, narratives, and shared interpretations. When our interpretive frameworks fall short, we cooperate and interact to construct a narrative that convincingly answers the question, “What’s happening?” -especially when answers aren’t obvious.
Seven Principles of Sensemaking
The search for meaning unfolds through seven principles forming the foundation of sensemaking theory:
- Identity: We interpret events based on who we are -our roles, values, and experiences.
- Retrospection: We understand the present by reflecting on recent events.
- Enactment: Our actions help shape the reality we then interpret.
- Social Interaction: Meaning is constructed collectively, not in isolation.
- Continuity: We constantly seek to make sense of our surroundings.
- Cues: We rely on minimal signals to build narratives.
- Plausibility over Accuracy: The usefulness of meaning takes precedence over absolute truth.
This approach proves invaluable when rapid structural or cultural changes disrupt our understanding of reality. Recent events have thrust us into a perfect storm -our lives impacted by forces beyond our control. A mix of unforeseen events, unclear strategies, and emerging leadership models has compelled many to seek meaning. Social media reflects this, offering diverse, often conflicting narratives of the same phenomena. Again, sensemaking prioritizes plausibility over absolute truth.
“I want to find meaning in this story, even If it has none”
In corporate settings, sensemaking plays a crucial role by fostering collective reflection, clarifying changes, and aligning shared perspectives. Dialogue becomes the foundation for perceiving change, with leadership facilitating understanding rather than imposing directives. A shared contextual reading enables organizations to act cohesively.
However, even advanced methodologies like sensemaking can fail. Indicators include increased disorientation, lack of dialogue, heightened stress, and impulsive decision-making -responses that disconnect thoughts and actions from reality. This occurs when communication is vague, leadership lacks clarity, or the social and narrative dimensions of shared activities are overlooked.
It worsens when we convince ourselves that a constructed narrative makes sense, even if it fails to address the initial situation.
Back to Aiki
Like all martial arts, Aikido embodies change. Conflict inherently drives transformation. Aikido’s structure evolves -sports regulations shift, organizational leaders change, society and individual needs transform, altering communication methods.
Practice itself models sensemaking. Techniques are interpreted through roles; training involves retrospective processing of past sessions (keiko: literally, reflecting about past). It interacts with our varied experiences, as the same training yields different effects based on the practitioner’s condition. Aikido fosters group meaning, developing a shared communication code among peers. It maintains continuity beyond ranks. Relying on fragments of information, even minimal attack intentions are perceived, co-creating the technical response. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the action matters –successful techniques enable in a way personal growth.
In conclusion
Even in martial arts, the search for meaning can fail. Unskilled teachers or ambiguous leaders cannot provide clear direction. They struggle to facilitate the complexity each practitioner faces daily.
Clinging to a rigid technical curriculum as an absolute answer to life’s complexities -does it truly provide meaning? Or does it lack meaning altogether?
Today’s and tomorrow’s practitioners are called to navigate complexity, not just through technical execution but by collaboratively constructing broader meaning through technique.
Similarly, instructors who once thrived by issuing orders must now evolve into credible facilitators of change and sensemaking.
Disclaimer: Picture by Thomas T from Unsplash