The Attitude Lounge with Kodwo Brumpon: On becoming excellent

“There are no shortcuts to the top of the palm tree.” – Cameroonian proverb

We have all witnessed a toddler learn to walk. They follow a universal pattern of mastery that many of us never give much though to. First, they pull themselves up, rigidly holding on to furniture.

Then, they take tentative, wobbly steps, testing their balance and adapting to the terrain. Finally, they break into a run, seamlessly navigating the world, the skill now an unconscious part of them.

They follow a pattern which involves learning the fundamentals, adapting them, and then transcending them. This natural law has been codified by the Japanese into a concept they call Shuhari.

This is widely regarded as one of the most effective models for deep, lasting learning because it mirrors the natural progression of human mastery. It is a three-part phrase progression which aligns with what educational psychology calls scaffolding, or automaticity.

The first part is “Shu” which means ‘obeying or copying.’ The second part is “Ha” which involves ‘breaking or adapting;’ and the final part is “Ri” which means ‘transcending or embodying.’

As a developing society, this concept offers us a transformative strategic framework for us to use on how we can build ourselves up. For too long, the dialogue around our development has been trapped in a false binary: either slavishly follow Western models or retreat into isolationist policies.

Both strategies have failed us and it is about time we experimented with a concept that has a natural orientation. The Shuhari model provides us with a path that is disciplined, phased approach that can guide our decision makers and policymakers toward unlocking sustainable, and ultimately, self-generated growth.

We know that we do not lack talent or intelligence. And time has shown us that our deep passion alone too is not enough. Familiarising ourselves with the Shuhari would make us appreciate how our biggest challenge with development is our systemic skipping of Shu and a premature plunge into Ha; public institutions, educational systems, business cultures, and external actors often expect immediate creativity and results without the patient, disciplined work of mastering the fundamentals.

In the Shu stage, we copy existing systems that works. The call is to faithfully replicate the system’s forms without deviation to build muscle memory and a rock-solid foundation. There is no innovation here, only disciplined imitation. As a people, we do not need to reinvent the wheel of core business and governance principles. The Shu stage is about rigorously implementing the non-negotiable bedrock of a functioning system in ways that empower us to be able to excellent operationally.

The second stage, the “Ha” is where true strategy begins. Once we have acquired the basics, we are encouraged to question, adapt, and test variations of what we know. Creativity begins here, but it does so on top of competence. In the ‘Ha’ phase, we understand the why behind the rules and thus, we can break, bend, and adapt them to our own context, body, and environment. This is the opportunity we have been missing because we did not take the initial process of ‘Sha’ serious.

Our desperate hunger for disruptive, headline-grabbing solutions without the acquisition of operational excellence, has got us trapped in a cyclical ‘no growth’ attitude. We have got too many development programmes and startups seeking adaptation and innovation before mastering proven models. We need to understand that without the acquisition of operational excellence, we cannot disrupt our environment creatively. That is why appreciating the ‘Shuhari’ concept would help us.

At the final level of ‘Ri’ we no longer depend on rules. At that phase, we would have internalised the principles so deeply that we can innovate freely. There are no more forms to follow. We would become masters in our own rights because we would be transcending taught principles to create new knowledge. Our competence and creativity will combine to grant us an unconscious evolutionary aptitude, which will prevent us from being stuck in one mode. We will evolve to become the source of new paradigms.

This learning model would allow us to transition from a consumer of global solutions to a producer of world-class innovations. This is where our authentic ingenuity will begin to solve our own challenges with models so effective that they become global exports.

All in all, the “Shuhari” encourages deep, learning that prevents the common cultural and structural challenge in our education where who skip foundational skills and plateau early. We have monumental talent and energy, but until we teach, practice, and preserve the fundamentals, we will keep chasing shortcuts that feel clever but do not produce mastery.

Development is not merely innovation; it is a long, disciplined art of becoming excellent at the basics.

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