Recently, we posted photos of our new studio. We got lots of great feedback, but a bunch of people have been asking about the martial arts white belt on my desk. The short answer is that the belt is both a personal memento and a reminder of the guiding philosophies I’ve tried to instill into the culture of Barnum Design.
I’ve been studying martial arts for over 22 years, primarily in Seido Karate, a traditional Japanese style. Most people are somewhat familiar with martial arts belt systems: the order of colors differs from style to style, but all start with white for new students leading to black, and “degrees” of black thereafter. In my own style (and in many others) when you’re ready for the big kahuna – black belt promotion – the four-week testing process starts by becoming a white belt again. This particular white belt has seen me through four such promotions.
So that covers the personal momento part, but what about the guiding philosophy stuff? What does punching and kicking have to do with design, collaboration, management or business in general?
Sometimes, in order to see the world clearly, it is helpful to go back to the beginning. The beginner sees a world of possibility, an expert very few. This concept, of “beginner’s mind." is a guiding philosophy of how we approach business challenges at Barnum. At the start, we try to free ourselves of preconceptions and explore a broader world of possibilities. This open, collaborative approach allows us to identify solutions, and sometimes create entirely new ways of solving old problems.
The belt on my desk serves as a daily reminder of this powerful idea.
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