Wise relational management: Tai Chi Chuan as an exemplar of embodied and balanced responsiveness

Abstract

Borrowing lessons from Tai Chi Chuan philosophy, principles and practice, this discussion paper examines how management responses to the tumult of daily relational practice can become more balanced. Viewing both management practice and Tai Chi Chuan as embodied and relational processes, Tai Chi concepts of grounding, stillness within movement, and the application of the ‘right’ amount of give and take are explained and illustrated. Moreover, Tai Chi Chuan as an element of management education can help cultivate an equilibrium as part of a preconscious, habituated state of being and to remain tranquil in the face of stressful events such as an aggressive customer, colleague, employee or manager. We argue that learning how to remain physically and mentally balanced in the face of adversity or emergent situations and to aptly leverage these situations in an embodied way will lead to appropriate, intelligent, creative, and measured responses.