From Square Wheels to Mushin and FLOW is about removing the square‑wheel frictions and “too many mind” clutter to generating more FLOW at work.

Most workplaces operate a lot like my Square Wheels One image and metaphor for how things really work in most organizations: a wooden wagon rolling on wooden Square Wheels^® while loaded with round wheel possibilities, being pushed and pulled by hard‑working people, thumping and bumping along on those square ones while perfectly good round ones sit unused and right at hand. Everyone is busy and maybe making progress, but the journey is not exactly smooth.

That image is funny because it is “workplace-true.” It’s been shared with hundreds of thousands of people globally with amazing discussions around possibilities. Everyone sees the obvious possibilities for improvement, yet they mostly stay locked into habits, systems, processes and the many meetings that keep us grinding forward on those Square Wheels; The effort is real, but the progress is jerky.

Mushin: “Too Many Mind” at Work

The Japanese concept of mushin, often translated as “no‑mind,” describes a state where action flows without inner chatter or overthinking. Samurai trained relentlessly so that, under pressure, they did not think about every move; they simply acted, drawing on deep practice.

In The Last Samurai movie, there is a great statement of this: “Please forgive, too many mind… Mind the sword, mind the people watch, mind enemy – too many mind… No mind.” (The line is spoken by Nobutada, the young samurai, to Nathan Algren after a fencing practice defeat.)

That line is also a perfect description of many modern workplaces: mind email, mind the politics, mind the metrics, mind meetings. Too many mind. No mind.

Square Wheels One (below) in the mud with Spectator Sheep and silos with a disengaged manager is the picture of an organization with “too many mind.” We are pushing and pulling the wagon while thinking about everything except actually making the work roll more easily.

Generating focus and flow is an opportunity for improvement. The round wheels are already in the wagon and the Spectator Sheep are adding their perspective on things.

Another one comes from my Supervisor Hellscape series of images and article. That one looks like this for senior management:

Many senior managers experience this reality. The butterfly is either strategy or hope. Note the quiet.

The choice is relatively simple: Get more better faster than the competition are getting more better faster or find yourself quickly getting less better or more worse. It is all relative.

FLOW: When Work Actually Rolls

Positive psychology describes FLOW as a state of deep absorption where challenge and skill are well matched, distractions fade, and people feel both productive and energized. Research shows that work‑related flow links strongly to better performance, innovation, and personal well‑being. (Read more here and here)

In one review, proactive behaviors and supportive, fault‑tolerant management strongly predicted more frequent experiences of flow at work. When people can take initiative, experiment without fear, and focus on meaningful tasks, they are far more likely to experience that sense of “rolling faster forward.” They are managing Mushin and keeping one mind.

If Square Wheels^® is the framework, FLOW is what it looks like when one finally puts a round wheel on the wagon and start moving with less friction and distraction.

Connecting the Dots: Square Wheels + Mushin + FLOW

Put these ideas together and you get a practical and straightforward storyline:

• Discussing Square Wheels exposes the visible frictions in our systems: clunky processes, legacy rules, slow decisions, unnecessary steps, etc..

• Mushin reveals the mental friction: “too many mind,” constant internal commentary, fear of mistakes, attention scattered across too many priorities.

• FLOW is the outcome we want: people fully engaged in meaningful work, using their skills to tackle real challenges with energy and focus.

When we smooth the mechanical side (swap Square Wheels for round ones) and the mental side (move from “too many mind” toward mushin simplification), FLOW becomes much more likely as a day‑to‑day performance experience. The reality of most workplaces is much more one of chaos and confusion, from the view of the performers and the supervisors. Too many things happening to disrupt any FLOW. 

There are LOTS of Square Wheels in most workplaces, it seems:

Understand that there are LOTS of Square Wheels. Here is one list. Seriously!

Three Simple Moves for Leaders and Facilitators

Step Back from The Wagon and reflect on opportunities to improve, Leaders do not need a Zen dojo to start this work and shift perspective. One can begin with three simple moves:

1. Ask about perceived Square Wheels
   Use the image and ask your people, “Where does work feel square‑wheeled around here?” Capture the specific processes, rules, and meetings that create drag. (Get the image for FREE here – https://performancemanagementcompany.com/square-wheelsone/ )

2. Name “too many mind”
   In a team discussion, ask: “What fills your head and pulls you out of the work you do best?” You will hear email overload, unclear priorities, rework, and fear of blame. And probably many other things that disrupt performance. Put a language around these as anti‑mushin forces.

3. Design for FLOW
   Using your flow research, install small, concrete changes: clearer goals, more autonomy, better feedback loops, and more fault‑tolerant coaching. Every step that reduces friction and anxiety nudges people closer to FLOW.

Note that I have written extensively about FLOW and how to generate more freedom for performance improvement.

A blog on Flow Ideas
https://performancemanagementcompany.com/2026/02/09/generating-flow-in-your-workplace/

Driving Flow as a Facilitator
https://performancemanagementcompany.com/2026/02/24/square-wheels-one-and-driving-flow/

State of Facilitation, Flow and Supervisors
https://performancemanagementcompany.com/2026/02/10/from-supervisor-hellscape-to-flow-facilitation-tools/

World’s Best Tool for Engagement: Square Wheels
https://performancemanagementcompany.com/2026/04/11/worlds-best-tool-for-engagement-square-wheels/

The Square Wheels wagon becomes a living metaphor: our job is to keep finding and installing round wheels, while also cultivating the mental conditions where people can roll with focus, confidence, and maybe even a bit of joy.

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Have FUN out There!

Dr. Scott Simmerman is a designer of team building games and organization improvement tools.
Managing Partner of Performance Management Company since 1984, he is an experienced presenter and consultant who is trying to retire!! He now lives in Cuenca, Ecuador.

You can reach Scott at scott@squarewheels.com
Learn more about Scott at his LinkedIn site.

Note that I often use Perplexity AI to help research and generate ideas for my posts.

Square Wheels® are a registered trademark of Simmulations, LLC
and images have been copyrighted since 1993,

© Simmulations, LLC 1993 – 2026

What I’m About:

My Square Wheels blog and website exist to help leaders, trainers, and facilitators make work smoother, more engaging, and more human. I focus on practical tools for process improvement, organizational change, and workplace collaboration that spark insight and deliver measurable results.

And I am convinced, after 30+ years of using Square Wheels^®, that it is the best facilitation toolset in the world. One can use it to involve and engage people in designing workplace improvements and building engagement and collaboration. It is a unique metaphorical approach to performance improvement and we can easily license your organization to use these images and approaches.

By blending proven facilitation methods, creative problem-solving, and engaging team activities, my mission is to support organizations in building energized, sustainable cultures of involvement and innovation.

Through accessible — and often free — resources and virtual facilitation tools, I aim to help teams everywhere collaborate more effectively, innovate continuously, and take ownership of their improvement journey.

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