Another step up the ladder... If you don't take the elevator
I might as well be honest – I had been looking forward to this camp as a little boy
On the way to Malmö, I had the usual butterflies in my stomach, and I was aware that I had not made the 100% physical and psychological optimal preparation for this camp. But nevertheless, I had made a very serious preparation, and from that point of view it could only get better.
RRCamp is 100% on from the first moment to the last moment, or drop of blood. Both my fellow colleagues and I know this, so after we had greeted each other we were a bit tight-lipped while we waited for what was going to happen. In usual style, everyone was ready on time, and Kimu Sensei allocated rooms at the Hilton Malmö, where we were to be for the next 48 hours. After 5 minutes to establish ourselves in the rooms, we met in the meeting room, which was quickly made ready for action. Then we got down to business. We had a new head instructor with us this time and I had been absent last time. Therefore, we should all introduce ourselves to each other, by quickly, honestly and effectively telling each other about ourselves. We all went to the task with enthusiasm, and thus the intimacy and working style were set.
RRCamp raises the level above everyday life, and Kimu Sensei draws up all the overall lines - why we are here, what our mission, motto, values and 1000-year heritage are. At the same time, Kimu Sensei set the scene in the usual way. The basic rules are simple. The camp is one long test, and the test only ends the moment we dump, or are told that we pass! Do as you are told, not as you feel like doing. Most of us have heard that before, but it still gives rise to a lump that needs to be swallowed, and then we're on!
Kimu Sensei presented the latest measures to support the strategic plan 2010-2015/20, and there was lively debate and enthusiasm. This meant that we had to rush to Burger King for dinner, where there was more fuel for the brain and muscles. It's not called fast food for nothing, and it didn't take long before we were back in our seats. After this, the previous RRCamps were reviewed at lightning speed for the "newcomers". We went through Shindenkan's toolbox for managing and streamlining local schools, and once again we were able to gain an increased understanding of the tools, and thus make better use of them. We were allowed to show that and after working on it in pairs, we were given preparation time until the presentation the next morning. To help us keep our brains clear, we had to dose ourselves at an appropriate time with a 30-minute training session in the fitness center on the 20th floor, with a view of all of Malmö. Hooray for 24/7. As something new, we were actually ordered to get some sleep. These are new tones, and a few hours are definitely worth taking. Therefore, it is no wonder that when we met the next morning fresh and well-rested, it took quite a lot of espresso and other coffee, as usual, before the conversation got lively.
After a hearty meal, where the new man on the team showed an impressive appetite, we had to go back to the arena. The day went by in a long sprint where we worked on KPIs and local school plans interrupted by another quick lunch. Then we had a hot chair session where we took turns questioning each other about why things had gone the way they had, in terms of both progress and setbacks. It was a very intense experience, alternately being grilled, and getting very close. We gradually know each other very well, and thus we can ask all the good questions and go straight to the core. And as usual, Kimu Sensei can help us very briefly and directly if we can't figure out how to be honest and make an effort ourselves. That evening, it was a tight-knit but close-knit crowd that went out to eat at TGI Fridays, where the menu is large and varied. We managed to present the latest task with the organization's optimization and handling of potential conflicts while we enjoyed the food. No one bet on big steaks, because there is always the chance of an unexpected physical test during the evening. However, it did not come. On the other hand, after dinner we were given a collaborative task where we had to plan the course calendar for the coming 5-year period in detail. The task was reviewed and the framework set so that we could get started. In addition, we had the opportunity to fine-tune our local school plans with the extra time, so that they were 100% tip-top for the next morning. If we were to get tired there was invigorating exercise on the 20th floor, good night was greeted by an always positive Kimu Sensei. Besides, we had to address ourselves with military titles during the exercise. Hmmm. Well but as said so done. We planned for several hours and found many challenges and solutions. And I have to admit that at one point I felt compelled to take a trip to the 20th floor to take a short run at maximum speed, hoping that the brain would also get in just as many revolutions. After all, it helped a little, and after finishing the calendar plan, we could move on to polishing the local school plans once more. That night I was grateful for the sleep I managed, and I had an extra cup of coffee when we met at the big breakfast buffet a few hours later.
And then came one of the big clues of the camp, namely that we had all fallen in with both feet. Kimu Sensei always teaches several layers at the same time, and the planning task was by far the most important layer. We have previously and for a long time worked with our individual work points – our normal patterns of action, and getting beyond them. And it had actually gone quite well. But no better than that a simple thing like military titles made us return to our usual patterns of action. Learning is good, but sometimes it hurts when a "slap" is required before I wake up. We all chewed on it well. We had a meditation session afterwards to gather ourselves, and with that we were also warmed up for the following round of the hot chair, where we again had to grill each other, and no fingers were to be put in between! It didn't happen either, I have to say hello and say, and here I have to say that the newcomer worked completely through. It is impressive to see other people moving, and when the rest of us took the stairs to the next floor, Claus Shishú jumped on the lift. It must have gone well, and was duly noted by Kimu Sensei. Congratulations on the good effort and the new degree 🙂
Compared to my last camp in September 2010, this one has once again raised a level, and it has been one of the wildest experiences I have ever had. Once again, it confirms to me that there is something very special here. I have seen other people and organizations (sports and professions) use the same tools as Kimu Sensei, but I have never, ever met anyone who does it with the planning, detail, purposefulness, charity and brutal honesty. Because this is not a coffee club where it is important to praise each other as much as possible. Here we tell each other the truth, and when there is a big game you get to know it 100% honestly. And that's how it should be.
