(I027) C is the Open Ensō

I was adding the finishing touches to the Human Impact Kata: Managers’ Impact course—set to launch the very next day—when the ice storm hit. Power out. Phone and Cell towers out. Life, paused for almost 3 days for us, over 5 for others. I found myself in the quiet discomfort of stillness—no internet, no inbox, just blankets, battery-powered candles, my family and thoughts.

At first, I felt the familiar urgency rise. Should I be doing more? Should I be finding a way to push through?

But somewhere in the middle of it, I realized: this wasn’t a delay. It was a gift (but I couldn’t see that in the moment).

The storm gave me what I hadn’t given myself—space to refine, reflect, and reconnect.
Not to make the course just good, but to make it great.
The kind of great that doesn’t come from speed—but from stillness. From paying attention.

And that’s when something unexpected caught my attention.

As I was reviewing my notes and exercises, I noticed something curious. Nearly every key theme I had built into the course began with the same letter: C. Curiosity. Care. Calm. Compassion. Courage. Clarity. Connection. Conscious. Creativity. Centering. Change.

At first, I thought it was a coincidence. But then I looked again—and I didn’t just see a letter. I saw a shape.

A C is an open circle. A curve. A breath. A space not yet closed.

And in that moment, I remembered the Ensō.

The Open Ensō and the Language of Becoming

In Japanese Zen, the Ensō is a circle drawn in a single brushstroke—often imperfect, often incomplete. Some are closed, representing wholeness. But many are intentionally left open.

An open Ensō reflects the truth that life—and leadership—is never finished.
It honors impermanence, imperfection, and infinite growth.

It reminds us: we are still becoming.

Each of these “C” words echoed that truth:

• Curiosity instead of certainty.

• Connection before control.

• Courage to stay in process, not rush to closure.

• Clarity that comes not from fixing, but from presence.

• Change not as a threat—but as a path.

And while this reflection felt poetic, it was also deeply practical. Psychologist Carol Dweck’s work on growth mindset shows that the belief in our ability to grow fundamentally shapes how we face setbacks, lead teams, and create impact. When we operate from a mindset of becoming, we stay open—to feedback, innovation, and emergent insight.

And that’s when I remembered another concept I had worked with for years, but which now took on a deeper meaning:

Ma: The Space Where Insight Enters

Learn more in the Japanese Inspired Leadership Webinar

In Japanese aesthetics, there’s a concept called Ma (間). It refers to the space between things—not as emptiness, but as presence. As potential. The kanji for Ma is made of two characters: a gate, with the sun shining through. It’s the pause where light enters.

Modern neuroscience backs this up. Research shows our most creative, insightful thinking happens not when we’re pushing harder—but when we pause. The brain’s default mode network activates during reflection, rest, and daydreaming. It’s in the space that new connections are made.

And yet, in leadership, we often do the opposite.
We rush. Fill the calendar. Answer every ping. Close every loop.

But what if, like the Ensō, the most powerful leadership is the kind that stays intentionally open?

• What if Ma isn’t an indulgence—but a strategy?

• What if insight needs space?

The 15 C-Words: A Leadership Mirror

To bring this full circle (pun intended), I’ve started sharing this framework with leaders—not as a checklist, but as a mirror. These 15 C-words create space for self-awareness, recalibration, and renewed connection to purpose.

🌿 The Open Circle of Leadership

Inner Grounding | Relational Wisdom | Purposeful Becoming

Calm Car Courage

Clarity Compassion Creativity

Conscious Connection Contribution

Centering Collaboration Conviction

Curiosity Communication Change

They’re not traits to perfect. They’re thresholds to cross—again and again.

Each word holds a question:

• What am I being invited to feel?

• Where am I being asked to open?

• What might shift if I led from here?

Especially for leaders who have spent years solving problems, carrying weight, and proving worth—these words aren’t soft. They’re reorienting.

They remind us: you don’t have to be finished to be effective. You don’t have to be certain to lead. You don’t have to hold it all to hold what matters.

The ice storm reminded me: sometimes life closes the door so you can find the window. It cuts the power so you can reconnect to your own. And in that space, something wiser can speak.

Which word is speaking to you today?
Or is there one you’re holding close that I haven’t listed?
Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear what’s anchoring you right now.

Leadership doesn’t require us to close every circle.

Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is leave one open.

If this reflection resonated with you, you’re not alone. More and more leaders are redefining what it means to lead—not with more hustle, but with more humanity. This is what #HumanCenteredLeadership looks like. It’s about cultivating #OpenLeadership through #InnerWork, making space for insight (#MaInLeadership), and staying rooted in #ConsciousLeadership as we navigate complexity. Whether you’re stepping into #LeadershipDevelopment or simply seeking a breath of clarity in your day, know that you’re part of a growing movement—one that values presence as much as performance. #GrowthMindset #ExecutivePresence #SpaceToLead #EnsōThinking #LeadershipEvolution #LeadWithCare #BusinessWisdom #FutureOfWork #LeadershipReflection