LIFE LESSONS | NARRATIVE PATTERNS | KISHOTENKETSU
Kishotenketsu: a narrative model with an unexpected scope
(a creative reflection on entrepreneurship)
I grew up in India, where familiarity with Japanese and Chinese traditional languages and literatures is as good as non-existent. You may call this ignorance or blame the language barrier. Even if, in India, all of us are multi-lingual by default — Japanese and Chinese are not typically the cultures we get in contact with. In my case however, through a common thread of curiosity, woven during my exploratory journey of Buddhism, I consider myself to have at least a faint sense of connection with the cultural realm in the Far East.
Discovering Kishōtenketsu
I stumbled upon the concept of Kishōtenketsu(Japanese) or qǐchéngzhuǎnhé (Chinese) when I joined a facilitator program with Francis Laleman and Charles-Louis de Maere in 2021–2022. The program has facilitation according to natural patterns as a guiding principle, with Kishōtenketsu being one of them. Little did I know that the narrative structure of its title would prove so powerful, not just in facilitation but in my entrepreneurial journey too.
The idea of Ki-shō-ten-ketsu has its origins in East-Asian narratology (the exegesis of story and narrative). Kishōtenketsu is a four-phased development model thought to be descriptive of a pattern innate in nature — and therefore (and since humans are very much part of all natural phenomena) ideal for human activity in general.
As you read further on my experiments with Kishōtenketsu in entrepreneurship, let your mind pause and reflect at different moments in this narrative.
Whether you are an avid reader, a contemporary art aficionado, a movie enthusiast, or whatnot, I am sure you will recognize Kishōtenketsu’s four phases of gratification in your meditative journey with a book, art piece, or movie:
Ki (起): Introduction
It is the beginning/inception of the story where you get introduced to the setting, characters, and context. It is the cornerstone of the narrative and sets the stage for what will follow.
Shō (承): Development
The story continues to develop and expand on the initial introduction. You explore the characters’ relationships and motivations, and the narrative gains momentum.
Ten (転): Twist
You then arrive at the pivotal moment in the story where an unexpected turn of events or a surprising element gets introduced. At this phase, you don’t want to keep down the book or the art piece or leave the movie incomplete. The twist challenges the assumptions made in the development phase and adds complexity to the narrative.
Ketsu (結): Alignment
Finally, you stitch the threads together — the conclusion phase. It may tie together the twist with the initial premise for you or offer a new perspective that arises from the twist. It can be the undefined closure that often leaves you with a deeper understanding of the narrative.
So what’s new? Isn’t all this kind of obvious?
If this is what you are thinking right now, you aren’t alone.
And yet — bear with me. There is more to it than first hits the eye.
When I took the Kishōtenketsu facilitator’s journey with Francis and Charles-Louis, I began to look at these phases from an entrepreneurial lens. I saw the potential for a holistic and reflective approach for entrepreneurs to deconstruct the unexpected challenges & setbacks into growth opportunities and creatively weave these phases of Ki-shō-ten-ketsu in their business narrative.
Here is how I adapted Kishōtenketsu in my own entrepreneurial journey:
Ki (起): Ideation
I used Ki to introduce my consulting business idea, its core concept, and the client problems it wants to address. Yes! The phase used for shaping your idea and offerings or as an artist will say: ‘I am sculpting my idea of art’
Shō (承): Development
I used Shō for developing the service offerings, and it involved deconstructing the consulting idea, researching, innovative prototyping, and designing the roadmap/blueprint of the business plan. Yes! The phase when you build the foundation and value proposition.
Ten (転): Adapt
I am using Ten in the unexpected challenges and opportunities I am finding in scaling my offerings due to a shift in the market with AI gaining momentum and the definition of remote work moving from beyond borders to within borders. I am adapting my business strategy and finding innovative solutions to navigate these changes.
Ketsu (結): Alignment
I used Ketsu for the initial global launch of my consulting services and achieved a few significant milestones. I am still on the pivoting journey for my business model from the lessons learned from the twist (Ten phase).
Kishōtenketsu shows that everything is a journey. Ten is not the end. It only leads the way to the next ki. The outcome is forever yet to surface. What will happen to my original entrepreneurial idea and its consecutive adaptations is just another Kishōtenketsu.
If you are an aspiring or bootstrapped entrepreneur — or you are ambitious to raise funding for your business, use the principles of Ki-shō-ken-ketsu as a transformative lens for your business idea. It will help you create a compelling narrative of your business for your clients, investors, and stakeholders to visualize your offerings.
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