Art of Management & Organization Conference 2018 University of Brighton

Performance in the Aikisphere: Creating Peaceful Habits

Christian Vanhenten, Aiki Center Brussels, Belgium [e-mail]

Jack Richford, The Center for Movement Arts, USA [e-mail]

In order for individuals in organizations to survive, each one must find that space, place, connections between their own unique personal narrative and the presence, purpose, path of the organization. The VOCAL model of AikiCom proposes a symmetry between our internal world and the world of the organization. Expanding beyond mere cognitive or moral perceptions, this practice creates a mindful mindset that leads to focused passion, intuitive judgement that moves the participants beyond deadlocking dualisms.


Leaders and manager have to create a vision, plan and allocate resources but we have to take action.. more precisely, be in action. Action is about perceiving, deciding, acting, communicating, listening and also about managing conflict. An organization is a cultural, embodied Field of people with differing and diverse points of view. What goes on in the relationships between leaders and followers? Working in between these roles naturally cause conflicts. The reality of modern organizations is finding a practice to navigate these conflictual currents.
Based in Practice Theory, the human body is the nexus of activities’ (i.e. practices). As the sociologist Bourdieu remarks, The “Habitus is a system of embodied dispositions, tendencies that organize the ways in which individuals perceive the social world around them and react to it” ( Habitus, n.d.). Based on aikido, a non violent martial art with a unique vision of the purpose and meaning of human conflict. AikiCom’s mental model VOCAL guides embodied practice.
AikiCom is proposing a model for action in the here and now: the aikisphere. The aikisphere is a space and time organization representing the reality. It helps the manager to organize his thinking/feeling/acting to choose the adequate action. It is implemented by applying the critical VOCAL model: Verticality, Observation/orientation, Connection, Action, Letting go.
The five components of the VOCAL model are signifying practices drawn from the unique harmonious movement of the Art of Aikido. They help us create the space where we express genius, creativity to go beyond duality. We then find that edge, between our own signature and what is surrounding us. Much like Aikido ,the “martial” in AikiCom does not cause violence but aims to control violence. “Martial-ness is the expression of a commitment to action….a mobilization of our energy to act, to change things”. (Vanhenten, 2014, pp.58-59)
Participants will experience the AikiCom model through movement activities based on essential practices from the art of aikido and reflect on the application of these principles and practices in organizational dilemmas.

“I want to raise the issue of Silence” ⁸

Jan Engelen [e-mail]

“We can make sure your heart doesn’t give out when you sleep”. The doctor concluded his consultation in a reassuring voice. Different from usual he remained seated. After all, he was already too late as it was. She looked at him. “But, doctor, I don’t think I would mind that”, the elder woman said apologetically.

Knowledge and skills of clinicians get meaning, are brought to life in the relationship with patients and with each other. And sometimes it happens…

“TIME STANDS STILL AND SPACE IS INFINITE.”

I am interested in these moments of silence, silence in relations. In stillness, humanity reveals its essence, in closeness and imagination.

“He was in his early thirties, fighting an unfair fight with cancer. It was late that night, just the three of us. “I am going to do some research into God, life and the Devil. And write a book” The nurse listened and nodded, gently.

There is so much noise in hospitals: Accreditation, Procedures, Efficiency, Rankings, LEAN, Indicators, Costs, Grants, et cetera. It has become difficult to hear the silence, to hear humanity.

We might be losing sight of the manifestations of humanity that have been and that still are at the root of healthcare. Art helps us regain contact and expresses what we cannot give words to. To Selflessness, Attention, Carefulness, Closeness, Presence, Compassion….

“You were tired. I could tell. And it was late. You went home. To your kids. To cook. The everyday life. When you left, the room was empty. Today I came back. Same spot. You are not here. You are here. How are you doing?”⁹

Performance: Honouring “Silence”

As one of the vignettes of the stream “Performance In-between time and space”, I aim to explore a language of music, painting and poetry that gives words to humanity, as another (and delicate) reflection of performance in hospitals.

Requirements:

My voyage of discovery will lead up to a physical homage (a ‘statue’), a tribute to MOMENTS OF SILENCE, as an expression of humanity, of true human performance in Health Care.

Ultimately my work stream ends up in a ‘work of arts’ that I would like to exhibit, accompanied by a set of reflections (as a short lecture of 5 to 10 minutes).

“Beauty is everywhere, beauty matters” (Jan Engelen)

In his work in health care¹⁰ as director HR and director Leadership, Jan Engelen makes use of arts and philosophy in his work with leaders.

“Art helps us understanding the essence, helps us expressing what we don’t have the words for.” Frederic Chopin’s Prelude in E minor articulates the on-going quest for answers and when singing Schonberg's String Quartet no 2 (“Ich fühle Luft vom anderen Planeten”) the soprano ‘voices’ the feeling when entering a new era and letting go of what is precious.” ¹¹Jan strongly believes that leaders in Health Care need to drill into the In-Between-World to get in touch with reality. To that, arts are crucial.