Communicating Mutual Welfare and Benefit

A Practical Application Of Mutual Welfare and Benefit

Professor Kano taught that in order to learn Judo properly you must cooperate with each other and that cooperation helps us learn about "Mutual Welfare and Benefit" but it is not always that simple.

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There are three forms of politics:

1. Governmental Politics
2. Church Politics And
3. Sporting Club Politics

I drew this conclusion as I was put in a very uncomfortable position of watching as one club almost self-destructed.

It all came about because there had been dissatisfaction for some time but no one was prepared to talk about it with the people who could have done something about it. Those that needed help, did not get it. Those who could have given the help were not given the opportunity till it was too late and everybody grumbled about it to everyone else except the people concerned. It was not pleasant.

It would be easy for me to say: "if only they had spoken to each other". Unfortunately, that doesn't reflect the reality of people.

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Now on the other hand if there had been an agreement beforehand on conflict resolution then that may have had an effect. Conflict resolutions agreements allow for everybody to agree to the rules. With such an agreement there is the opportunity for better and more timely communication and therefore the chance that people will hear and rebuild before it's too late.

I'm not talking about a conflict resolution agreement that is imposed from above. I've been in big companies with such an agreement. It's more often for show or worse used in such a way as to manipulate those under it.

In her article called Integrity in Communication, Irene van der Zande talks about the benefits of open interpersonal communication in an organization. She talks about how most people will agree that speaking up and speaking directly to the person is important but that we often find this hard to do. She then sets about giving some common reasons people give for not saying anything and follows with the actual results. I found them true but very challenging.

In the end, there is no alternative if a club is to grow democratically but, if there is going to be true Mutual Welfare and Benefit in your judo club, everybody has to commit to it.

Enjoy
Sensai
Richard