My journey with the Ensō Mindset began with the quiet presence of my Jiichan, my Japanese grandfather. Though I never watched him practice calligraphy, I can imagine his brush moving across the canvas, creating bold strokes in his shodō paintings—an artist and a businessman shaping the world with deliberate, intentional movement. His art, now in my hands, became the inspiration for how I understood leadership, resilience, and ultimately, how my own brain worked.

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The Wise Owls in the Leadership Tree: Cultivating Your Kensho Flock

Leadership is not a solitary endeavor. It thrives in connection, nurtured by the wisdom of those who guide, challenge, and inspire us. In my leadership journey, I’ve come to call these mentors my “Wise Owls”—figures perched high in the canopy of my leadership tree, offering perspective, insight, and encouragement to help me grow.

The metaphor of the tree is central to how I view leadership. Like a tree, a leader is rooted in core values, strengthened through resilience, and stretched outward by the branches of connection and influence. The fruit of this growth is the wisdom we share and the impact we leave on others. However, no tree grows in isolation; it is nourished by the ecosystem surrounding it. For leaders, this ecosystem is our Kensho Flock—a circle of Wise Owls whose guidance helps us to thrive.