In a world that emphasizes perfection, mistakes are often seen as things to avoid. However, the Japanese ceramics practice of kintsugi views cracks and defects as integral features to be highlighted rather than concealed. This practice offers valuable insights for businesses. Rethinking our perceptions of imperfection can broaden our understanding of business experiences, reduce the fear of stepping outside comfort zones, and ultimately build sustainable firm value. This article first provides an overview of kintsugi and then explores how embracing imperfection can strengthen businesses.
The Art of Kintsugi and the Strength of Fragility
The art of ceramics has been practiced in Japan for over a thousand years. Living for so long under the constant threat of destruction from tsunamis from the Pacific Ring of Fire has imbued the Japanese people with a deep sense of the fragility of existence. This experience has led the Japanese to not only see the dangers related to things breaking apart but also to convert those dangers into a source of wisdom and strength.
This outlook is embodied in the practice of kintsugi, which is the art form of repairing cracks in ceramic works. Rather than discarding a product that is chipped, broken, or damaged, through the principles of kintsugi, the error is converted into a distinctive part of the ceramics piece and is emphasized rather than hidden. In this way, the weakest part of a piece of ceramics becomes the strongest. A video regarding kintsugi is found here.
Kintsugi views imperfections as a valuable part of a work of ceramics.
While kintsugi is a ceramics concept, its philosophical and practical applications extend beyond the arts. It powerfully reminds us that imperfection is not something to be viewed as the antithesis of success but rather an essential part of the complex processes that create lasting value.
Errors and the Essence of Excellence
In many cultures, mistakes are deeply stigmatized. Excellence is often seen as a state of perfection, where any error signals a departure from that ideal, a waste of resources, or, at worst, a sign of incompetence. This mindset can lead to ignoring mistakes, hiding them, or shifting blame onto others or external factors.
This viewpoint overlooks the reality that errors are often a key component of excellence. Take a match between two of the world’s top soccer teams, for example – much of the game could be seen as a series of mistakes. These mistakes can take a number of forms, including:
- errors of judgment;
- players not being in the right position;
- making passes at the wrong time;
- misplacing corner kicks;
- not reacting properly to the actions of other players; and
- missing shots on the goal.
A great deal of excellence is comprised of errors.
But should these moments in a soccer match really be considered mistakes? Soccer involves highly skilled players making split-second decisions in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment influenced by numerous variables. Achieving a low-probability outcome, such as scoring a goal, is incredibly challenging—especially with 11 opponents working to prevent it. This is reflected in the typically low scores of many soccer matches.
Given this, ‘mistakes’ on the soccer field should be seen as part of a larger, moving web of actions that, ideally, increase a team’s chances of scoring over time. Moreover, mistakes can introduce unexpected dynamics that enhance a team’s offensive potential, disrupting game patterns, altering momentum, and opening up new opportunities.
Imperfections and Business Complexity
While imperfections are often seen as individual failings, they are frequently a product of the system or environment in which actions occur. The more complex the system—both in terms of variables and their interrelationships—the greater the likelihood that actual outcomes will deviate from intentions. This probability rises exponentially with each new variable or dynamic introduced
Mistakes are very often a function of the complexity of systems.
Imperfections and mistakes are especially common in business, where environments are often far more complex than the variables in a soccer match. To illustrate this complexity, a “complexity grid” for business activities would include multiple categories, including macroeconomic, microeconomic, firm-level and individual factors. Each of these areas contains numerous variables that continuously shift, interact with each other, and create significantly new situations.
In such an environment, it is extremely challenging not only to define strategic and operational courses of action but also to maintain them as shifting factors reshape the business landscape. Moreover, even if it is possible to stay the course, doing so may be unwise if conditions have changed significantly. These shifts often impact the firm’s competitors as well as the firm, and by responding swiftly, a firm can capitalize on new opportunities. Mistakes, in this context, can become powerful springboards for advancing further along the value creation path.
The Value of Errors in Business Growth
Errors that arise in the execution of a business plan also have many specific, concrete uses.
Indicators of Weak Points. One advantage of mistakes is their ability to reveal weak points and, more importantly, the reasons behind them. Some weaknesses may stem from isolated, fixable errors, while others may point to larger systemic issues, such as communication gaps, flawed execution of initiatives, or even problems with a business model. Identifying the root cause of errors is invaluable, allowing firms to take corrective action before significant resources are wasted on the wrong path.
Mistakes are excellent teachers of where weak points are and why they exist.
Value Jump Opportunities. In a mature, highly competitive market, making significant value leaps can be particularly challenging. However, mistakes can disrupt existing environments and create sudden opportunities for rapid advancement. For example, consider a hotel guest who is frustrated by a lengthy check-in process. While this may highlight shortcomings in the hotel’s procedures, it also creates an opportunity to come up with a unique solution, so the guest feels respected and cared for. For instance, offering special attention throughout their stay could turn the situation around, potentially leading to greater guest loyalty than if the check-in had gone smoothly from the start.
Mistakes often mark boundaries that must be crossed on the path to improvement.
Firm Growth Catalysts. Another benefit of errors is that they help define the boundaries of comfort zones. Firms and individuals often seek environments where mistakes are minimized. However, staying in these low-error comfort zones may not be ideal due to the dynamic nature of business environments. Errors are integral to learning and growth. Using mistakes to identify and expand beyond comfort zones is often essential for growth, competitiveness, and the pursuit of excellence.
Conclusion
The Japanese practice of kintsugi encourages us to reconsider what constitutes an error and, more importantly, how errors integrate into the broader dynamics of actions and can be leveraged positively. By shifting their perspective on mistakes, companies can better identify obstacles, strengthen connections with employees and customers, and explore new areas where greater value can be created.
The photo for this article was taken by Riho Kitagawa and is available on Unsplash.