Impediments to sharing

I do not have to even say or mention much cliche'd "life is a two way street". Some people say life is give and take.

There is another concept I have learned in the west that says " what goes around come around". I have experienced and validate the same in my life. When I respected people, I got respected. when I hated a person, I got it back ( although there is a time lapse between giving and getting).

What are all the above got to do with "Sharing"? The cardinal rule says, "You will be shared, only if you share".

The essential things about sharing are :
1. We must have that resource in abundance for us to be able to share.
2. We can only share things that we have. What we don't have, we can't give
3. Our own security of the resource that is being shared.

I consider "feeling of security" as a big factor inpeding our ability to share. Unless we overcome these internal demons, we will not be able to overcome being "competitive". It is also important that we keep the above points in mind, intropect, and "self-talk".

I wanted to experiment with the knowledge giving and test if I get the knowledge back in return. I can't but excited to share one of my learning experience. . I have recently taught a class on the topics I have a lot of experience and knowlege. As I was articulating my thoughts, I have formed new insights and the questions from the audience have given me new dimensions and clarity to my knowlege!! My experience with sharing has been marvellously helpful for enhancing my own thought process. So, by sharing my knowledge, I improved myself, didn't I? I have been validated, verified and improved by a collective intellect, rather than my own!! Is there any other secret, more powerful than this - "Collective Intellect"?

We often get mixed up between "Collaboration" and "Competition", competition is based on the premise that in order for us to win, some others should lose. It may make sense in a environment with limited resources. We have now come to a world where the possibilities are limitless and the opportunities are abound. There is Abundance everywhere...it is all are in our thought process.

Collaborating for Success

"Collaboration", for me means a lot. Some insights have dawned on me last year and it is one of the basics, I should have mastered earlier in my career for achieving greater hieghts.

In the corporate life, we are repeatedly insisted on collobaration and how it will increase the effectiveness of individuals, teams, groups and eventually an organization. Multitudes of collaboration tools including, net meetings, chats, e-mails etc., are all ubiquitous at any workplace. This is to enable individuals to collaborate and share more and more.....

It sounds commonsensical that we collaborate. But, is it easy for people to collobarate at an indivual level? Does it come naturally to us to collaborate and share? On a little comtemplation, it occured to me, that it is easier to claim we collaborate than really do. The next question is why then, is it so difficult for many people to share knowledge and collaborate?

All through our childhood, we are asked and encouraged to excel individually ( more so in western countries than in east). In this tough competitive environment, we trained all our lives to compete individually. We are taught to be "Independent". We celebrate "success" for individual accomplishments. We get jobs based on our individual exploits and talents. Hence, the brain is hardwired to excel individually.

Given the pervasiveness of this thought process and the 'cultural' underpinnings, can we expect people to take a "u-turn" and start becoming a "team player" and "collaborate" just soon after they start being in teams? Can all people become Individual Contributors?

It is beyond any doubt, that global economy works on the principles of "synergies" and "free trade" which are intrinsically based on "collaboration". Thus, in working life, the skills of teamwork and collaboration needs to be relearnt. Whoever accepts that collaboration is the only way to succeed, will relearn this critical skill and have a successful career.

In the next blog I will explore a "self" thinking process to help individuals becoming more "team" oriented.

So long .......