Lessons from judo on handling crisis

IN THE past year, we have seen leaders all over the world draw from different sources of strength and schools of thought, to manage a profound crisis best described as a black swan event no one was prepared for.

Leading my company DocDoc through uncharted territory - in an industry at the centre of our predicament - my experience as a trained judoka had come in handy. I found the evergreen principles behind the Olympic sport offering a wellspring of leadership wisdom perfect for guiding one through times like this.

Despite being a physically demanding sport, judo means "gentle way" in Japanese. It places emphasis on being gentle yet resilient in the face of bigger, stronger opponents.