Communications

• 2022-10-30
• 2024-04-10

The Power of “Listening Well”

It is easier to disclose a secret when speaking voluntarily than when asked about it The basic mission of ninjas is to gather information. Therefore, the most important skill for a ninja was the ability to communicate with people. The phrase, “It is easier to disclose a secret when speaking voluntarily than when asked about it,” means that people tend to provide far more information when they speak on their own accord rather than when they are asked to answer specific questions. The skill of the ninja to gather secrets lay within their ability to get people talking. They did this in several ways. First, it is essential to have a natural greeting to be a good listener. It may seem surprising that a ninja would […]

• 2022-10-04
• 2024-04-01

The Two Meanings of “Respect for Harmony”

The NINJA FOREST Interpretation of “Harmony is to be Valued.”   The phrase “Harmony is to be valued.” is written in Article 1 of the Seventeen-Article of the Constitution in the Chronicles of Japan. It has also become a proverb that expresses a spirituality that is essential to the Japanese. However, there are two main interpretations of this phrase. In this column, we will look at this phrase from both sides. The first interpretation emphasizes the importance of maintaining harmony in a situation, and that individual patience is necessary to achieve harmony. The other interpretation is that it is necessary to have a process which allows each of us to put forth our ideas and discuss them sufficiently in order to maintain harmony. I would […]

• 2022-09-14
• 2024-04-10

The Art of Interchanging Fiction and Reality

No hesitation, be confident. The fiction-reality conversion technique is a tactic that skillfully interchanges fiction and reality (bluffing and honesty) to gain an advantage in a confrontation or diplomatic situation. It’s a strategy that takes advantage of an individual’s psychology, such as making something appear to be there when it is not or acting confidently even when feeling unsure. There are two sides to every coin. No matter how perfect, excellent, or strong an opponent may appear to be, there is always a weakness hiding under the surface. With careful observation, you will be able to spot and exploit a rival’s emotional weak points to gain control of the situation. Ninjas used this technique of shifting fiction and reality, such as acting confident even if […]