We ask our members to share a few thoughts: to introduce themselves to fellow members, and those who are interested in our community.
In this instalment, we interview Anita Paalvast of Aikido@Work. We last inverviewed Anita in 2013, and you can read that article here!
Tell us about your business:
The biggest success factor in my development programs for leaders and teams is embodied learning based on the Japanese martial art Aikido. This supports them in understanding, practicing and internalizing essential skills that they need whilst navigating our current complex world.
You need key qualities like self-awareness, active listening, emotional intelligence, open communication, adaptability and conflict resolution. These can best be developed with an embodied learning approach. Cognitive understanding won’t get you there.
So why Aikido? The core principle in the Aikido philosophy is the intention to work it out together in situations under pressure, rather than wanting to win at the expense of the other. Isn’t this interesting and intriguing for a martial art?
With this principle, Aikido teaches you to deal with your environment from a relaxed, cooperative stance. It makes you flexible and open, also in challenging situations. By practicing Aikido principles, leaders and teams develop the skills, mindset, and behaviors necessary for creating a good working climate, ultimately leading to increased engagement, collaboration, and innovation.
What 5 words would you choose to describe your business?
Embodied, powerful, subtle, energising, fun
What are your most popular products or services?
Team coaching, individual coaching and workshops.
In all my services I integrate embodied learning with reflection, dialogue and a bit of creativity. This is how my clients (leaders and teams) develop themselves, individually and together.
What makes your products/services special?
The blend of martial art principles and practices with nowadays challenges in the workplace make my services unique and powerful.
In a world where our heads have become top-heavy and is used as the main strategy to approach any problem, it is both refreshing and valuable to access our intelligence and wisdom by using another doorway: the body.
What is your favourite business book?
Bryner & Markova, ‘An Unused Intelligence, Physical Thinking for 21st Century Leadership’
This is my ‘embodiment bible’. It is very clear in describing the why and the how of using physical thinking in organisations.
In the foreword Peter Senge (author of ‘The 5th discipline’) says it all:
“We can recite what we have “learned” at the latest seminar, but cannot necessarily DO anything differently, particularly in real life situations where there is conflict and pressure to perform. (…) Reintegrating mind and body will, I believe, be a vital step in reintegrating work and self, and organizational change and personal change.”
What do you care most about, as a business owner?
What I care most about as a business owner is to practice what I preach. Staying calm in the face of pressure and adversity, and continuing to act from my core values (integrity, autonomy and cooperation) is not an easy thing to do. It requires courage, commitment and practice. So I am also always learning and developing myself, like my clients.
Thank you Anita!
For more information about Anita Paalvast visit Aikido@Work.
We ask our members to share a few thoughts: to introduce themselves to fellow members, and those who are interested in our community.
In this instalment, we interview Anita Paalvast of Aikido@Work. We last inverviewed Anita in 2013, and you can read that article here!
Tell us about your business:
The biggest success factor in my development programs for leaders and teams is embodied learning based on the Japanese martial art Aikido. This supports them in understanding, practicing and internalizing essential skills that they need whilst navigating our current complex world.
You need key qualities like self-awareness, active listening, emotional intelligence, open communication, adaptability and conflict resolution. These can best be developed with an embodied learning approach. Cognitive understanding won’t get you there.
So why Aikido? The core principle in the Aikido philosophy is the intention to work it out together in situations under pressure, rather than wanting to win at the expense of the other. Isn’t this interesting and intriguing for a martial art?
With this principle, Aikido teaches you to deal with your environment from a relaxed, cooperative stance. It makes you flexible and open, also in challenging situations. By practicing Aikido principles, leaders and teams develop the skills, mindset, and behaviors necessary for creating a good working climate, ultimately leading to increased engagement, collaboration, and innovation.
What 5 words would you choose to describe your business?
Embodied, powerful, subtle, energising, fun
What are your most popular products or services?
Team coaching, individual coaching and workshops.
In all my services I integrate embodied learning with reflection, dialogue and a bit of creativity. This is how my clients (leaders and teams) develop themselves, individually and together.
What makes your products/services special?
The blend of martial art principles and practices with nowadays challenges in the workplace make my services unique and powerful.
In a world where our heads have become top-heavy and is used as the main strategy to approach any problem, it is both refreshing and valuable to access our intelligence and wisdom by using another doorway: the body.
What is your favourite business book?
Bryner & Markova, ‘An Unused Intelligence, Physical Thinking for 21st Century Leadership’
This is my ‘embodiment bible’. It is very clear in describing the why and the how of using physical thinking in organisations.
In the foreword Peter Senge (author of ‘The 5th discipline’) says it all:
“We can recite what we have “learned” at the latest seminar, but cannot necessarily DO anything differently, particularly in real life situations where there is conflict and pressure to perform. (…) Reintegrating mind and body will, I believe, be a vital step in reintegrating work and self, and organizational change and personal change.”
What do you care most about, as a business owner?
What I care most about as a business owner is to practice what I preach. Staying calm in the face of pressure and adversity, and continuing to act from my core values (integrity, autonomy and cooperation) is not an easy thing to do. It requires courage, commitment and practice. So I am also always learning and developing myself, like my clients.
Thank you Anita!
For more information about Anita Paalvast visit Aikido@Work.