The Aikido of Organizational Change: Using Entropy's Energy for Creative Breakthrough - Part 2
In my last blog, I wrote about organizations' natural tendency toward entropy and the tools we can use to fight that current. Today, I want to explore a different approach—one inspired by the Japanese martial art of Aikido, where practitioners use an opponent's energy and momentum against them rather than meeting force with force.
What if, instead of always resisting entropy, we learned to leverage its movement and redirect its energy toward innovation?
The Energy Cycle
For months now, I've been exploring a pattern that shows up repeatedly in organizational life: a cycle that begins in chaos, births creative energy, leads to order, and tends toward entropy—only to circle back to chaos again.
If this pattern holds true, then entropy and chaos aren't just problems to solve—they're opportunities for creativity and breakthrough. Think about it: our most innovative ideas rarely emerge when everything is running smoothly and we're completely comfortable. Creativity emerges from challenge, from the productive tension of not knowing what comes next.
So here's my question: Can we do some mental Aikido when entropy and chaos show up? Can we recognize these moments not as organizational failures, but as invitations to innovate?
The Aikido Principle in Practice
Aikido teaches us to blend with incoming force rather than oppose it directly. In organizational terms, this means acknowledging entropy as a natural part of the cycle rather than an enemy to defeat.
When systems start breaking down—when communication gets muddled, when processes stop working, when that startup energy feels lost—traditional management says "fix it, control it, get back to order." The Aikido approach says "redirect it, channel it, use this energy creatively."
Teams that thrive are those that learn to ask: "What is this breakdown telling us? What new possibilities is this opening up?" They use the disruption as fuel for reimagining how they work.
Recognizing the Complacency of Order
The flip side is equally important. Just as chaos creates opportunity for creativity, prolonged order can create complacency. When systems are running too smoothly, when processes are too rigid, when "that's how we've always done it" becomes the default response—that's entropy building up in a different form.
Here's where the Aikido principle applies again: instead of forcing change when everything seems fine, we can recognize the natural momentum toward stagnation and use it consciously. We can ask: "What's this period of stability preparing us for? How can we use this solid foundation to launch into our next creative phase?"
Practical Aikido Moves – Conscious Response
So what does this look like in practice?
Be Open: Instead of immediately trying to restore the previous order, ask "What new solutions want to emerge here?" Use the disruption to experiment with approaches that wouldn't have been possible in more stable times.
Change with Intention: Rather than rushing to implement every new idea, focus on capturing and testing the most promising innovations. This is when breakthrough solutions take shape.
Embrace Flexible Structure: Build systems that can flex rather than break. Document what's working while staying alert to early signs of stagnation.
Choose Curiosity Over Blame: Resist the urge to grip tighter or blame individuals. Instead, ask what's ready to be released or transformed to make space for the next creative cycle.
Your Organizational Dojo
The key is developing the awareness to recognize where you are in the cycle and the skill to respond appropriately. Like any martial art, this takes practice. Start by noticing when your organization is in creative flow versus when it's stuck in rigid patterns.
Pay attention to the energy in the room during different types of challenges. Chaos often brings surprising engagement and innovation. Entropy, paradoxically, can create space for new voices and ideas to emerge.
Most importantly, remember that this isn't about controlling the cycle—it's about moving skillfully within it. The goal isn't to stay in a state of order permanently, but to navigate each phase with intention and grace.
When entropy shows up next time, instead of just fighting the current, try asking: "How can we use this energy to get where we really want to go?" You might be surprised by what becomes possible when you stop resisting and start redirecting.