Why Cooperation Is The Better Path
A popular workplace complaint. People can’t seem to get along. Often the trend is to take a different position, go against the flow, cause some havoc and get noticed. Have you considered why cooperation beats opposition?
Everyday Challenges
Diversity challenges us every day. When you break it down the real challenge with diversity is that we see differences as the other side, an opposition.
We often don’t agree, but believe we should. We believe we are practicing diversity. It is true across generations, sexual orientations, and protected classes of people.
This often breaks down to the agreement to disagree. That’s opposition, not harmony, not collaboration, and not teamwork.
Leadership and Connections
Individuals who are supported by the leadership style of some people move up while others move down creates an energy. Is that energy constructive?
Hierarchy has value and is important. So is respect and even authority. In a connected economy has that changed?
People often throw around buzz words. Things like servant leadership, emotional intelligence, and six sigma. Certainly, many components of these practices work. Do all components?
The climate of the organization conditions success.
Whether we like it or not we are living in a networked world. People converse all around the globe quickly, easily, and by desire. New contacts and relationships are made and older ones are reinvigorated or repaired.
Why Cooperation
Much of our lives and economies are being stimulated by connection. Push marketing still has value and deep roots, but the connected economy is much more about pull.
So when we see something different in our workplace and psychologically label it as the other side, we lack connection. Agreement to disagree is not a win-win.
Every moment as the organization moves across time, something new is created. What does that look like in the connected economy?
Cooperation reminds us of the value of connections. It reminds us that differences are not the opposition, but opportunity. Within any culture some differences are not tolerated. They never enter the system, or at least they shouldn’t.
The climate of your organizational success has an opportunity.
To become a force for the market, you must have a force within.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating a Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
