How I Used (Shu-Ha-Ri) to Help My Teams Grow

(Follow the rule → Break the rule → Be the rule)

👋 Hey, Carlos here! Welcome to “The Holistic Leader”, your weekly source of simple and honest leadership, Agile, Management & team insights.

When I first started leading teams, I felt lost.

I thought if I followed the right steps, things would go smoothly. But they didn’t.

Leadership isn’t just about following steps.

It’s about understanding people

• How they grow

• How they work

• How they collaborate

That’s when I found Shu Ha Ri, a simple way to think about learning and growing.

Shu Ha Ri comes from Japanese martial arts and explains three stages of growth:

1. Shu means follow the rule.

   👉 You learn by doing things step-by-step.

2. Ha means break the rule.

   👉 You try new ways and adjust what you’ve learned to fit your needs.

3. Ri means be the rule.

   👉 You master what you do and lead your own way.