From the Dojo to the Boardroom

A LinkedIn post by Roman Tschäppeler, inspired by Bertrand Russell’s thoughts on the problem of induction from The Problems of Philosophy, caught my attention last week. He highlighted a key blind spot in modern confidence: we often mistake pattern recognition for truth. Simply put, just because something has happened many times in the past doesn’t mean it will happen again.

The post began with the striking words: “Sad but true: humans are the crown of creation, yet they think as short-sightedly as chickens.”

We often act as if past experience guarantees the future. We overlook that what worked before isn’t necessarily a blueprint for what comes next. Like a chicken expecting its feed until, one day, Christmas arrive and it becomes the feed itself.

Our strategies, business models, and leadership often rely on the assumption that what worked yesterday will work tomorrow. But when the environment shifts faster than our assumptions, we need to adapt quickly.

The question is: how do we stay agile without losing our center?

The Comfort Zone of Experience

We crave stability. It soothes our nervous system, gives us a sense of control, and our brains love shortcuts that save energy and make certain tasks highly efficient. It’s understandable and useful: if something works well, we trust it and rarely see a reason to change. Processes and routines help us make decisions faster. They provide structure and confidence. Yet, the longer something works, the more it hardens into a so-called certainty.

Therefore, it’s worth pausing sometimes and question these “certainties”:

❓ Which of my beliefs are simply habits?
❓ Where do I confuse probability with certainty?

In martial arts, you learn this quickly. You can practice the same attack a thousand times. It works in the dojo, structured, precise, rehearsed. But in real contact, that certainty can vanish. The rhythm changes. The distance is off. Your opponent moves differently than expected. Your strike misses if you cling rigidly to a pattern.

Business is no different. Markets shift, competitors emerge, and artificial intelligence accelerates processes. Customer behavior evolves. Yet many organizations act as if the underlying pattern will remain the same.

Between Release Cycles and Course Corrections

Perhaps I see this so clearly because I spent many years in IT and telecom companies—industries where stability has a short expiration date. Market conditions change rapidly, technologies leap forward and strategies may shift quarterly, or even faster.

Products that were innovative yesterday become standard tomorrow. Roadmaps are reprioritized. Budgets are adjusted. Teams are reorganized. In this environment, adaptability isn’t a “nice-to-have”: it’s what determines whether you stay relevant.

What becomes clear in such conditions is that speed alone isn’t enough. Leadership needs to remain calm and grounded under pressure, make course corrections without panicking, and guide with focus and intent. This is where the lessons from Budo come in.

In the dojo, leaders feel physically and mentally what it means to stay effective under pressure. They learn how rigidity, flexibility, and speed combined with accuracy feel in action. Exercises reveal how body and mind react to stress, and everyone practices remaining centered amid unpredictability.

In our Self-Leadership workshops, for example, participants train to make rapid decisions without losing connection to their core.

AI as an Accelerator

What I experienced in IT and telecom is now spreading across almost every sector. Artificial intelligence speeds up processes, automates decisions, and reshapes business models at unprecedented pace.

Market movements accelerate further. Roles and competencies shift. Knowledge becomes outdated faster. AI tools are like a new training partner: they detect patterns in massive datasets and produce suggestions in seconds. Impressive and helpful, yet there’s a risk we outsource too much of our own judgment.

AI can support us. It can propose options, simulate scenarios. But evaluating these options remains a human task. Ethical considerations, personnel decisions, and strategic choices still require judgment, empathy, and context awareness.

Using technology wisely while keeping your own judgment sharp requires the same principles as dojo training: openness to new input, curiosity, willingness to learn, and grounding in your body and values.

Stable at the Core, Flexible in Action

In the dojo, every movement starts from a solid stance. The body is balanced, weight centered, attention alert. You are neither tense nor passive—you are ready.

This stance translates directly to leadership. Stability comes from clarity about values, priorities, and capabilities. Knowing what your team stands for and what skills support you prevents external changes from derailing your focus.

Your core remains stable even as forms shift. In this tension lies modern leadership. Past experience informs our decisions, but only under ideal conditions. Adding robustness—systems designed to survive shocks—creates resilience.

Broader skills, fewer dependencies, and alternative options matter more than linear forecasts. Scenarios expand thinking beyond expected outcomes. In self-defense, mental rehearsal is as crucial as physical technique; the same applies to business.

❓ What is your Plan B?
❓ What happens if a key market collapses?
❓ If a technology scales faster than expected?
❓ If regulatory frameworks change?

In training, you prepare not only for the most likely attack, but for multiple variations. Your attention sharpens und you learn to react with flexibility and as the situation and context require.

Success however might lull into complacency. If results are good, willingness to question assumptions drops. “It’s going well” becomes a self-soothing mantra. That’s where blind spots emerge and a humble approach helps moving forward.

Humility as Strategic Strength

Humility means understanding the limits of your knowledge. It protects against overconfidence and the illusion of total control. In dynamic markets, humility keeps you alert, opens your eyes to weak signals, and allows course corrections without ego interference.

This balance only works with a stable inner stance.

In the dojo, stability starts at the feet, flows through the legs and pelvis, and reaches the spine. It’s a dance between tension and relaxation, grounding and mobility.

In management, the opposite often happens: outer activity is high, inner stability is low. Calendars are packed, meetings back-to-back, decisions rushed. Rarely is there time to pause and ask: which assumptions underpin this choice? Is this assessment sound?

In training, every technique is tested repeatedly: against larger opponents, faster opponents, in confined spaces, under stress. These variations force understanding of the principles and adjustment as needed.

Today, working with leaders, I see the same need: people crave orientation. To-do lists are long, expectations high. What’s missing is an inner anchor, a clear sense of what is non-negotiable and where flexibility is required.

In the dojo, both elements are highlighted: The combination of a firm foundation and situational adaptability.

Five Practical Steps You Can Apply Today

1️⃣ Question Assumptions Regularly
Schedule reflection points to examine key beliefs. What do you take for granted? Why?

2️⃣ Practice Scenarios
Mentally run through alternative developments to build cognitive agility.

3️⃣ Broaden Team Competencies
Encourage cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing. Reduce reliance on single individuals or silos.

4️⃣ Observe and Regulate Stress
Pay attention to breathing, body tension, and impulses under pressure. Physical awareness improves decision-making.

💡 Simple routine:

• Look up, find a distant point. Your system senses no immediate threat; inner alarm lowers.

• Exhale slowly after inhaling through your nose. Repeat. Heart rate drops, clarity returns.

• Body scan. Notice tension. Do not judge. Return to yourself.

• Micro-movements. Gentle swaying or small intuitive motions release unconscious tension. Signal to your body: I can cope.

5️⃣ Value Dissent
Create safe spaces where assumptions can be questioned without fear. Diverse perspectives reduce blind spots and improve decisions.

6️⃣ Communicate Values Clearly
Define what you stand for. Transparency builds trust. Teams need orientation, not perfect forecasts.

Self-Leadership as the Foundation

Ultimately, all strategic questions lead back to self-leadership:

❓ How do you handle uncertainty?
❓ How does your body react under pressure?
❓ Do you pull the reins, become impatient, or avoid decisions?

Leadership begins, like martial arts, in your own center. Inner clarity allows you to map direction and guide the way.

Stepping through change and need support?
I offer 1:1 coaching as a sparring partner or workshops that provide practical tools to strengthen your inner foundation.