(from Marc Lesser's Zen Bones e-newsletter ... https://marclesser.substack.com/)
Zen — at its core — is a rigorous training in how to see clearly. How to stay present when things are uncertain. How to hold complexity without collapsing it into false simplicity. How to act from wisdom rather than react from habit or fear.
It is, in other words, exactly what great leadership requires.
Here’s what Zen actually trains:
Not-knowing. In Zen, the beginner’s mind — the mind that doesn’t pretend to have all the answers — is considered the most powerful mind. It stays open. It asks better questions. It doesn’t rush to fill the silence with noise. In a world that rewards confidence and certainty, this is a radical and deeply effective stance.
Paradox. Zen doesn’t resolve contradiction — it teaches you to hold it. Strength and vulnerability. Action and stillness. Decisiveness and openness. The most effective leaders I’ve worked with don’t choose between these poles. They’ve learned to inhabit both at once.
Presence under pressure. Zen training doesn’t happen in peaceful conditions. It happens in the middle of hard work, discomfort, and uncertainty. That’s the point. You learn to stay grounded not when things are easy, but when they’re not.