Every time I travel to Japan, something that strikes me is how process-driven the Japanese people and culture seem to be. Even something as simple as buying a train ticket is an intricately refined process. The ticket seller first makes sure they have heard and understood you correctly, repeating back your exact request before they print the tickets. And once they’re printed out, they will pick up a pen and check each detail of the ticket — before going through each check again with you. You will be given exact and clear instructions on how to locate the platform and when to expect the train. And you’ll notice that when the train arrives and stops at the platform, the driver also has a checklist they will diligently follow. It’s incredible to observe, but not arbitrary — they do this because they have found it reduces error rates by up to 85% and ensures everything runs smoothly.
You might be wondering what Japan has to do with successfully coaching teams, particularly within an Agile framework. And the answer is Shu Ha Ri. This Japanese concept, roughly translated to “first learn, then detach, and finally, transcend” (or more simply: walk, run, fly) is a way of thinking about the stages of learning from beginner to master — and a key philosophy used in the martial art Aikido. Working in an Agile way requires much learning of new rituals, processes, and different ways of thinking, so if you are a scrum master, this concept can be a very useful one for understanding and guiding you in how to be a better team coach and ensuring that each project runs just as smoothly (and to time) as a bullet train.