DENGFENG, CHINA - OCTOBER 20: People perform kung fu during the opening ceremony of the 12th ... [+]
When you think of Kung-Fu, coffee and fast food might not be next to the image of Bruce Lee, but that's what Si-Fu (Master) Julian Sitch and Leon's CEO, John Vincent, utilised to quadruple their company.
In the new book, 'Winning Not Fighting', the pair discuss the futility of the business mindset around war and fighting and instead focus on changing the language of business. The connections to innovation are striking too. The book goes through eight pillars; knowing yourself, staying focused, not forcing things, being positive, keeping things simple, feeling free and responsible, expecting to be punched and mastery.
Vincent attributes Leon's growth down to adopting Wing Tsun principles. From barista's the boardroom, the difference is 'striking'. Leon was in severe financial trouble and had culture problems when Vincent took the reigns of Leon in 2014. Fast forward to today, and the company has grown 45% to 71 restaurants and reduced the time it takes to make coffee by double digits all while increasing staff wellness and mental health. The difference? Wing Tsun.
"Wing Tsun is fundamentally the study of humanity. And, as such, it provides the antidote to the pervading themes of fear, stress and burnout that we face in the developed world. The book shows how these ancient wisdoms can powerfully transform both your life and business. In particular, how to create a life which is in flow, and where success and contentment can exist together." according to Hitch.
Hitch's best advice for busy execs and those in the innovation business is to really focus your time, not shave off minutes and change the default meeting time setting on your calendar but really be present and plan deeply. Julian believes we misunderstand exactly how busy we actually are in the moment. "By taking a moment to stop, breathe and move. While it seems to be adding more time, by changing your state, breaking the mental pattern and refreshing, you move forward and gain more on the other end. Decisions should feel effortless. The whole output of Wing Tsun is to get into a flow state without having to force anything."
‘Plan of attack’, ‘divide and conquer’, smashing of targets, choosing battles are not the only well known military terms used throughout businesses. Facebook's recent push to limit disinformation and election meddling centred around the 'war room'. The war room is a dangerous analogy for any business; the idea of fighting is close to the heart of significant problems and issues companies face. Healthy? Unlikely. Unnecessary? 100%. Startups are equally as guilty because of the growth-by-any-means mentality that VC culture can drive. Silicon Valley and startups would do well to adopt a less aggressive stance believes Hitch.
From mindset to product development, those creating the future of what we use have a huge part to play in reshaping this issue the business world is facing. Not seeing the customer or 'other' as a foe but a person to help. A ridding of the 'conquering' mentality and instead, winning together. Transferring value from one party to another with parity all the way through isn’t a pipe dream, it starts with simple actions. Make 2020 the year you banish the military jargon from your business and start winning instead.
