Samurai Skills for Modern Leadership
Energy. Precision. Focus. Alignment. Leadership at its highest level.
Why Lead Like a Samurai?
After teaching at Stanford Business School and coaching hundreds of executives, founders, and other leaders, I began a program of study with Japanese Samurai Masters as a way to deepen my work.
I learned powerful practices for a clear and focused mind, greater resiliency and emotional strength, exceptional levels of energy and vitality, and the ability to maintain calm and balance in all situations.
They showed me the path to access “flow” states - states in which we produce higher quality work in a shorter time with less effort and more ease.
The Power of Incorporating Samurai Principles:
The Samurai lineage is almost 1,000 years old. For 700 years, they ruled over Japan, cultivating and refining the necessary qualities for superior leadership.
They were so successful that they were able to unify a very divided Japan and hold a record for unbroken freedom from warfare.
Their mindset and practices can be learned and, when integrated into our personal and professional lives, have a profound impact in our ability to succeed.
I started to bring these masters and their practices to my private clients and the outcomes have been profound.
Common results from our Samurai trainings include:
More effective, confident leadership
Greater clarity and unwavering focus
Higher productivity and efficiency
Increased energy and daily vitality
Stronger persuasion and influence
Navigating difficult conversations with more ease
Greater team cohesiveness, trust, and alignment
Staying calm, centered, and grounded in chaos
More restful, higher-quality sleep
Improved personal relationships — at home and beyond
Recent Events:
Stanford University Alumni
Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)
Women Leaders in Tech
See what they’re saying:
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"We were blown away by how much more strength and power we could have as leaders with such simple practices. This session was game-changing!
Adam Howowitz, Board of Directors, Entrepreneurs’ Organization
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"Everyone LOVED the Samurai! it was the highlight of the weekend at our leadership retreat. The Yin and Yang insight was particularly powerful for me. Thank you so much!"
Rachel Lockett, Executive Coach, Alpine Investors
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"Loved your session — we are all still talking about our samurai learnings, and putting them into action! I'm especially loving my new morning routine for more energy!”
- Emily Sands, Head of Information, Stripe
How Our Samurai Trainings work:
Our Samurai Workshops are highly interactive, customized 1–2 hour sessions that blend ancient warrior wisdom with modern leadership performance.
They’re designed to strengthen focus, energy, clarity, and communication — so your people lead with more ease and impact.
Topics include:
Leading with grounded strength and effectiveness
Operating from relaxation instead of tension and overdrive
Creating trust, alignment, and high-performing teams
Dissolving stress and anxiety in real time
Feeling more energized and powerful throughout the day
Accessing clarity to make faster, better decisions
Staying calm and confident in challenging situations
Communicating in ways that improve relationships and results
Cultivating inner peace and physical vitality through a one-minute daily practice
Meet the Team
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Lauren Weinstein
Lauren Weinstein is an executive coach who taught one of the most popular classes at the Stanford Graduate School of Business - The Essentials of Strategic Communication. She works with leaders from top companies, including Google, Apple, Meta, and more, and has a popular TEDTalk “Don’t Believe Everything You Think” that is now approaching 4 million views.
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Riichi Kitano
Riichi Kitano (Kitano-sensei) is one of the most elite Japanese Samurai masters in the world today. He descends from a long Samurai lineage and practices the oldest form of Samurai martial arts, Katori Shinto Ryu. He splits his time between the United States and Japan, working with top CEOs, leaders, Olympic athletes, and more, helping them achieve their peak performance.
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Masashi Odate
Masashi Odate is the most prominent and advanced student of Kitano-sensei's. He’s been studying and teaching with him for over 20 years and often travels with him to Japan for their leadership training.. He also descends from a long Samurai lineage and has committed himself to share Katori Shinto Ryu wisdom, which has a special emphasis on leadership and character development.