It’s often said that practice makes perfect. This proverb can be applied to the corporate world, where professional experience is often valued more highly than skills. But proponents of “shoshin” believe that employees should sometimes try to think more like newbies.
The Japanese term, derived from Zen Buddhist philosophy, translates to “the beginner’s mind” – the idea of embracing the same kind of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions as one would when approaching something new.
“Think of ‘shoshin’ as opening your eyes for the very first time. It is a state of being completely present in the moment, taking in what is here right now, free from past experiences, contexts, assumptions or bias,” life and career coach Sarah Lloyd tells Stylist magazine.
We all have cognitive biases that limit us intellectually. Some people think they’re better protected than others from these mental preconceptions, not recognising their own limitations.
Indeed, they may be victims of a cognitive bias known as the Dunning-Kruger effect – a phenomenon theorised in 1999 that leads people to wrongly overestimate their knowledge or ability in a specific area, leading them to make poor decisions.
The concept of “shoshin” takes the opposite approach, a more modest and humble intellectual stance. The saying goes that to err is human, but in the professional sphere, we tend to forget this.
Putting yourself in the position of a beginner, as advised by “shoshin” philosophy, allows you to silence the voice of your ego and accept the fact that you don’t know everything. Several scientific studies have shown that this posture of modesty is highly beneficial for the person who adopts it.
After all, intellectually humble individuals are more likely to make efforts to acquire new knowledge; their persistence often enables them to achieve a high degree of expertise on a variety of subjects, making them a real asset in the workplace.
So, how do you apply the “shoshin” philosophy to your day-to-day work? First of all, by working on your critical thinking: don’t hesitate to question your assumptions and intuitions, to broaden the spectrum of possibilities. Going against the tide often gives rise to innovative ideas, even if this means taking the risk of being singled out for failure.
On the other hand, it’s important to listen to others to challenge one’s knowledge and move forward. Others have a lot to teach us, and it would be a pity to deprive ourselves of their knowledge.