In Zen Buddhism, the concept of Shoshin—”beginner’s mind”—reminds us to stay open, curious, and free of preconceptions, no matter how experienced we are.
The paradox? The more we know, the less we seek new perspectives. Psychologists call this earned dogmatism—experts feel entitled to stick to their views, making them dismiss fresh ideas.
When it comes to negotiation or strategy execution, true progress requires intellectual humility—the ability to question assumptions and embrace new insights. In other words: the fertility of the beginner’s mind. Every deal, every context is different and potentially holds unseen opportunities or hidden risks that only a fresh perspective can reveal. Relying too heavily on past experience can lead to cognitive entrenchment, limiting creative problem-solving and making us blind to critical details.
Shunryu Suzuki once said: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s, there are few.”
At Crowlight, we challenge entrenched thinking—not just in others, but in ourselves. Because real negotiators stay learners.
How do you keep a beginner’s mind, even as an expert negotiator?
#Shoshin #Negotiation #Leadership #LearningMindset #StrategicThinking #CreatingSharedSuccess
