Lessons from Zen about records management practice.
Zen koans are stories used to provoke thinking.
Here is one of my favorites - which I think is both universally and specifically applicable.
One day, at a particular temple of Shaolin, the monks emerged onto the training ground for their daily martial art practice routine.
During their routine, a cat appeared and began to cross the training ground.
First one monk, then another tripped while trying to avoid the cat, a sacred vase was broken, and a monk was injured.
The next day, just as practice began, the cat appeared again.
In his wisdom, the abbot captured the cat, and tied it to the tree at the front of the practice area.
Each day as practice began, the abbot would tie the cat to the tree to ensure that practice was able to be completed without problems.
Many years later, the abbot died, and a new abbot was appointed.
The practice of tieing the cat to the tree continued, and practice continued to be harmonius.
One day, just before training, the cat was found dead - from old age.
Panic ensued.
Heated debates about what to do, and how they could move forward were conducted.
Eventually, the new abbot went to the market, purchased a cat, and returned to the temple.
The next day before practice, the cat was tied to the tree at the front of the practice area and practice resumed harmoniously.
How much of what we do in our lives do we continue to do because we've continued to do it?
I think the answer is a surprising amount.
The practice of shaking hands emerged during a time when people used to try and kill each other with swords. Shaking hands was a way of saying "I'm shaking your hand, so i can't use it to stab you."
With regards to records practice, it has to raise some questions for us -
How many records practices do we continue to practice just because we continue to practice them?
How many were taught to us because they were how things had always been done by our predecessor's predecessor?
How many records management practices do we continue without evidence of whether they are effective?
How many records management practices do we continue in spite of evidence that they are not effective?