Satisfaction Through Mastery

I have recently taken up an advisory board role for the Tech Futures Lab, and came across a great blog from the lab on What’s your why? ‘Purpose’ is the new black.

It discusses the great Japanese concept of Ikiagai – which is a Japanese term for “a reason for being.” Other than being a great diagram(!), the concept of satisfaction through mastery is an idea that I think can bring contentment to people in a way few consider.

In a past life I flew with the Royal New Zealand Air Force for 11 years, and the Air Force promoted an idea called “Airmanship” which was all about doing things “right”. Not just flying safely, but striving to do every flying action 100% correctly from radio calls to trimming the wing flaps. I like the way the concept of Ikigai is about a “sense of mastery” which is the same concept as Airmanship.

Airmanship or Ikigai are not easy things to achieve, otherwise everyone would do it – the power is in the ambition and journey to get there.

At Consult we promote our own version called “Recruitmentship” that is about doing the best job you can by every Candidate, Client and Team mate. No exceptions.

There is real power in doing the right thing in the right way for no other reason than because it is the right way to do it. Not the fastest, not the cheapest, but the way it is to be done – that is how you get true satisfaction for a job well done.