The Sento Mindset

The Sento Mindset is a revolutionary wellness approach to leadership based on the Japanese ritual of public bathing, that helps leaders align their inner desires with how they view success, and build the courage and resilience to lead with authenticity.

Here is the story of how I developed The Sento Mindset, along with the 3 Core Principles and how they apply to Executive Coaching and Learning Modalities

The Backstory 

As a business owner, public speaker, and author, I’ve encountered questions about courage and resilience in my own experiences. The first thing that always pops into my mind is, “It’s a lot like going to a sento.” 

But what does that mean?

In Japanese culture, a sento is a communal bathhouse where people gather to refresh, reconnect, and reset. My family has been in the sento business for generations, and for me, it’s always been a place of comfort, self-acceptance, and self-discovery. It’s a place where vulnerability allows for authenticity, introspection, and clarity.

Even though going to a sento requires the courage to be naked in a public space and resiliency to allow ourselves to adapt to hot water, the overall experience is worth the result: a deep sense of inner connection that wouldn’t be achieved otherwise. And that’s how I feel about my personal experiences - taking chances may have come with hesitations, but I have discovered parts of myself I wouldn’t have otherwise.

Since 2016, I have been helping leaders with their personal and professional development, especially when facing new challenges and transitions. I noticed that leaders - no matter the industry, level of seniority, or cultural background - also encounter challenges that require courage and resilience. Through facilitation and executive coaching, they’ve uncovered approaches to help them feel a deeper sense of connection to their leadership journey by seeing their experience as an act of self-discovery.

Maybe this metaphor of leadership being like a visit to a sento had more merit than I realized - I was onto something.

Below, I will share with you the 3 Core Principles of The Sento Mindset. When applied, these principles help leaders reframe their challenges as a journey of self-discovery by embracing vulnerability and taking intentional steps toward adaptation, resilience, and authentic growth.    

Here are the 3 Core Principles of The Sento Mindset:

Principle #1: Drop the Towel

One of the biggest challenges leaders face in a new role or environment is the feeling of exposure. Suddenly, you're in a position where you haven't mastered everything, relationships are untested, and imposter syndrome looms large. It’s as if all eyes are on you, just when you feel the least prepared.

This mirrors the experience of entering a sento. There’s that moment of hesitation while undressing when it feels like everyone’s eyes might be on you.

But whether you’re exposing your body or your mind, it’s not about others’ perceptions - it’s about allowing yourself to truly see yourself. Being open to this exposure gives you the power to influence others and can even normalize what makes you unique.

As an example, there was a woman in the sento with one breast and a visible scar where the other used to be. Growing up seeing her, I considered it normal for some people to have two breasts, one breast, or none. It wasn’t until much later that I understood she was a breast cancer survivor. Her presence influenced me by quietly normalizing what could have otherwise been seen as different.

Leaders build influence through vulnerability and by clearly understanding the value they bring. Vulnerability fosters connection, relatability, and a human-to-human experience.

Principle 2: Test before you Commit

When leaders have a clear vision or are up against a challenge, I observe a tendency to overcommit to tasks because there is an assumption that more commitment will lead to faster and better results. But this may backfire when the leader is unclear about what works best for them, and it can create unwarranted stress and burnout.

Overcommitting without clarity on what works best is like trying to cannonball into a hot bath.

At the sento, before people get into a super hot bath, they take a small bucket and scoop out bath water onto their body. This act is called kakeyu. The purpose of kakeyu is to rinse themselves before entering the bath, and also to acclimate their bodies to the hot bath temperature. 

The time you spend testing can help you adapt faster. It takes testing to understand your leadership style. And with every project, team member, or work environment, you may discover new things about your leadership. 

You don’t need to commit to a style that doesn’t feel like you - just give yourself time to adapt and find what feels “just right”. 

Principle 3: The 1 Degree

What’s the best bath temperature? At sentos, bath temperatures typically range from 38-42 degrees Celsius.

I spoke with Dr. Steve Faulkner, a physiologist who has researched passive heating and thermoregulatory adaptation. While you may know that hot baths are beneficial for health, the advantages are extensive: they can improve circulation, metabolism, blood sugar levels, muscle relaxation, recovery, and more.

According to Dr. Faulkner, to experience these benefits, you only need to raise your body temperature by 1 degree Celsius.

Now, think about your personal and professional growth. What would it look like to elevate your performance by just 1 degree?

For example, if you want to improve your communication skills and rate yourself a 6 on a scale of 1-10, what positive changes could come from simply focusing on being a 7?

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