Imperfectly Brilliant: Wabi Sabi, Kintsugi, and HR Innovation

Last week, I had the privilege of attending a Kintsugi workshop hosted by Chicago’s Japanese Cultural Center and taught by a Japanese artisan.

The experience reminded me of the poignant words of Leonard Cohen:

There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.

As I reflected on this, it occurred to me that these concepts might hold wisdom for our approach to Human Resources and organizational culture.

Wabi Sabi: The Beauty of Imperfection in HR

Wabi sabi, a cornerstone of Japanese aesthetics, teaches us to appreciate the beauty in the impermanent, the imperfect, and the incomplete. In the HR context, this philosophy encourages us to embrace the unique qualities of each employee, recognizing that it is their imperfections that contribute to a diverse and dynamic workforce. Instead of striving for a flawless team, wabi-sabi invites us to see the value in individual differences, fostering an environment where employees feel valued for their authentic selves.

Kintsugi: Highlighting Strength in Vulnerability

Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pottery with gold or silver, teaches us that there is strength and beauty in vulnerability. In the workshop I attended, the meticulous process of joining broken pieces with gold-filled resin was not just a repair; it was a transformation, highlighting the fractures as part of the object's history and beauty. For HR, the lesson is clear: when employees face challenges or failures, our role is not to hide or disguise these 'cracks' but to illuminate them as opportunities for growth and learning. By adopting a kintsugi mindset, we can help create a culture that values resilience and sees setbacks as a natural part of personal and professional development.

Design Thinking: A Framework for Innovation

Design thinking, with its emphasis on empathy , experimentation , and iterative learning , provides a powerful framework for incorporating the principles of wabi sabi and kintsugi into HR practices. It encourages us to approach HR challenges with an open mind, seeking to understand the various needs and perspectives of employees. Through prototyping and feedback loops, we can explore innovative solutions that embrace imperfection and vulnerability, creating more inclusive and supportive work environments.

Integrating Concepts for a Holistic Approach

The integration of wabi sabi, kintsugi, and design thinking in HR requires a shift in perspective. It asks us to move away from traditional notions of perfection and uniformity, towards a more holistic understanding of human nature. This approach not only enhances the well-being and satisfaction of employees but also drives creativity, innovation, and resilience within organizations.

In my own experience, attending the kintsugi workshop was a vivid reminder of the power of embracing imperfection - a work in progress for a recovering perfectionist like me. It challenged me to see the 'cracks' in our HR practices not as flaws to be fixed, but as opportunities for transformation and growth. By applying the lessons of wabi sabi and kintsugi through a design thinking lens, we can create HR practices that truly reflect the beauty and complexity of the human experience.

Let us embrace the wisdom of Leonard Cohen, seeing the cracks in everything as the very openings through which the light gets in. In doing so, we can illuminate a path forward for HR that is filled with empathy, resilience, and innovation.

If you want to learn more about the concept of wabi sabi, I highly recommend the book Wabi Sabi – The Wisdom in Imperfection by Nobuo Suzuki. It provides a beautiful and accessible exploration of the concept of wabi sabi and offers a few delightful exercises. This is one of them:

Each day write a list of whatever wabi sabi experiences you had. If you already keep a diary, keep on doing so. Simply add a small section at the end of each day. Analyze your day through the dimensions of wabi sabi:

• What was the most wabi sabi about your day? And the least wabi sabi?
• Which wabi sabi objects, buildings, music or details did you come across during the day? What/how did they make you feel?
• Did you live by the principles of wabi sabi? Did you take time out to do nothing or did you allow yourself to be ruled by haste? Did you react especially emotionally to any event?

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I am curious: What do you think? How might we embrace experimentation (or dare I say imperfection) in Human Resources?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Design Thinking for HR is a biweekly LinkedIn newsletter that aims to inspire HR professionals to experiment with the human-centered design framework. The newsletter is curated by Nicole Dessain who is a talent management and employee experience leader, founder of the HR.Hackathon Alliance , and a Northwestern University instructor. Nicole is currently writing her first book about Design Thinking for HR. Join the Early Readers’ Community here .