There is a saying in Japanese, sottaku doji, which means, literally, “pecking simultaneously from the inside and out.”
It is used to describe what happens when a chick is hatching from its egg: The first part refers to the chick and its pecking from inside the shell; the second part, to the response of the parent bird when it hears the chick and it pecks to help the chick emerge.
This is a very delicate situation. If the parent breaks the shell before the chick is fully formed, the chick will die. So the parent must listen very closely to the sound of the pecking from the inside and decide when it’s safe to add its own careful pecking from the outside to help break the shell.
In other words, sottaku doji is about finding the perfect timing for both of them.
It’s obvious how this relates to raising children, but it also has other applications.
When training someone at work, you cannot rush them or be too relaxed. And when you’re being trained, it’s your responsibility to send a signal that you’re ready to progress.
The best results come from both parties having the right timing and being in sync.