The ancient Japanese framework and philosophy of the Godai 五大 (the five elements) remain relevant in today’s leadership landscape. Going through each one individually and truly getting a sense of how they can help you is time well spent and can be quite rewarding.
What is the Godai 五大?
The Godai 五大 framework is broken down into the following 5 elements and what they symbolize in the lives of those who choose to use them to provide guidance on leading and living:
- Earth (地 Chi): Stability & Integrity.
- Water (水 Mizu): Flow & Resilience.
- Fire (火 Ka): Decisive Action.
- Wind (風 Kaze): Atmosphere & Compassion.
- Void (空 Sora): Ego-less Legacy.
The focus of this time together is the Ka 火 (fire) Element. The energy you can observe within the 火 element is that of Transformation. It is the natural flow of energy from your values and grounding (地), and the resilience and ability to deal with resistance (水) that transitions into Impact and Transformation (火). The energy that is present here is a hard energy (yang) and really is the peak of your hard energy.
It is from this energy that you gain the courage to speak up, the drive to set standards in your life and the work of your team, and that ‘spark’ that motivates others and yourself to meet each day with anticipation.
One word of caution here: without a firm understanding of your ikigai and the grounding you feel from resonating with your core values, the 火 energy can turn into undirected anger or busywork. You can mistakenly take the thoughts you think and turn them into commandments for you to follow without taking the time to check those thoughts against the core values that you want to embody. This type of energy is an amplifier of who we are, so take my advice from someone who has lived without being connected to my ikigai: the amplification you get and the combustion of action can be dangerous if you don’t understand it well.
The Power of the Flame’s Light
Leadership is a verb, fueled by a mission, executed with Fire (火). In order for us to fully grasp the power of Ka, we must first recognize that there are two fundamental things that must be present in our lives: the Courage to lead without hesitation, and maintaining a healthy reputation and preserving our Honor.
Courage is the fuel that provides us with the nudge to act. You’ve likely heard that Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the ability to act without hesitation, no matter what might lie ahead of you. There is no indecision; it is making tough calls when we know it is our responsibility to act, initiating a challenging conversation with someone when all we want to do on the inside is remain silent. It is here that we can act without Analysis Paralysis and lead our teams or families forward when life isn’t easy. Anyone can lead when the decisions are easy; it takes real courage to lead when the opposite is true.
Our honor is like the brightness of the flame that we see. If we are honoring ourselves and our lineage, our flames will burn bright; if we ignore our predecessors and try to step on others to get ahead, our flame will burn like a small candle instead of a roaring bonfire. Think of it this way: would you rather have a light that can be a beacon of light for others to follow, or would you rather have a flame so small that it creates more smoke than light and chokes out those around you from your ego-driven methods of leading? Honestly, I’ve been the smoky ego-driven individual in the past, and it doesn’t work in the long run. People might follow you because they have to, but at a certain point, you will turn around and realize that you aren’t leading anyone; you are just going for a walk.
The Fire Audit
- Identify the “Waste”: What “fires” are you constantly putting out that don’t serve your Ikigai? (e.g., redoing others’ work, ego-battles).
- The Ignition Point: What is one “Bold Action” required to move your team or organization toward your mission?
- Using the GETGO Principle (Good Enough To GO). Fire doesn’t wait for perfection; it spreads. Design one “Fire Action” you will take this week to eliminate a specific inefficiency.
A leader who has truly harnessed the power of 火 doesn’t wait for others to tell them what needs to be done. They clearly see the path forward and light the way for others to do the same. Action is being taken on a regular basis, and with the flames burning bright, it is easy for others to see the ‘why’ behind your action because there isn’t a room full of smoke that hides your moves and intentions.
Steve Beauchamp 