Leadership, Bruce Lee, and the Three States of Matter

Not to perpetuate any Asian American stereotypes, but as an Asian American, growing up I liked martial arts movies and science. One of my idols was the martial arts movie legend Bruce Lee. Enter the Dragon?! Fist of Fury?! Classics. But offscreen is where he really impacted me. With a philosophy degree from the University of Washington, he would share his wisdom and knowledge.

“Life is never stagnation. It is constant movement, un-rhythmic movement, as we as constant change. Things live by moving and gain strength as they go.”

-Bruce Lee

One thing I have learned about leadership is the importance of adaptability. There is no hard and fast rule for leadership, whether it be speaking loudly or carrying a big stick. No two people are exactly the same and thusly no two people should be treated like they can be led in the exact same way. Effective leaders must be able to change according to environment, team members, and roles to make the team the best they can be. I see the way a leader needs to adapt much like being molecules in their different states of matter.

There are three basic states of matter; solid, liquid and gas. Solids are tough and rigid. Liquids are flexible and fill space. Gas is expanding and moving. I as a leader strive to be be like molecules being able to flow between these states of being tough, flexible, and expanding.

I want to constantly be freezing, melting, evaporating, condensing, sublimating, and depositing. As long as I am staying true down to my molecules(my vision and values) I can adapt to anything, being a leader in my world.

“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.

Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

-Bruce Lee