All of Us is Better than Any of Us
We
live in a society increasingly fracturing away from
broad-based engagements in groups. Instead, individuals are
roaming about often aimless, looking for some connection to
forces bigger than they are as individuals. Ironically,
computer technology has not been the unifying force we might
have hoped it could be.
While technology has given any of
us with Internet access a very fast way to speak to others
across the globe, read newspapers online, and visit libraries,
it often results in individuals spending hours away from other
people, sitting in front of a computer screen in the closet,
which has been renamed and remodeled as the "computer
room."
"An
army of one." "The power of one." These are among the slogans
that put a focus on the first person singular instead of the
plural. Civic groups Ñ such as organizations as wonderful as
Rotary International and the American Association of
University Women Ñ struggle for membership.
The
HR Doctor recently attended a Rotary presidents inauguration.
One of the goals set for her year in office was to increase
club membership by an overall net of one new member. Hardly a
visionary, inspiring goal, but one indicative of the
difficulties that are found in trying to encourage, push or
otherwise coach people into group contribution and group
collaboration. Further testimony to this sad state would be
attendance at any parent-teacher night in the public school
system. There certainly are teachers present, generally
because they are ordered to be there. However, count the
number of parents and you will find that the majority seem to
be home watching American Idol or professional
wrestling instead of becoming involved in the education and
development of their children.
The
HR Doctors family philosophy about that has been that the
education of our wonderful children is far too important to be
left to the school board.
We
dont want to be alone but we find ourselves increasingly
isolated. We dont want to grow old in a long-term care
facility, seemingly abandoned by any friends or family we
have. We dont want to be cared for by people we wont know
who work in low wage, high turnover jobs. Despite that, many
people dont socialize very much with neighbors. We build
walls separating ourselves from others in the neighborhood. We
seem too busy to spend much time socializing, except for the
occasional Friday night "go to a bar" or party.
Ironically, again, when we go to
a bar or have a party very often one of the features is music
turned up so loud that even though we are in a group of 20
people, we cant hear ourselves think, let alone hear anyone
else. We have created a conundrum for ourselves in that what
we need and want is retarded by what we do and how we
behave.
Since we spend so much time in
the workplace and in the company or at least the presence of
coworkers, the time and the opportunity to focus on group or
team accomplishments, as well as individual accomplishments,
seems all the more important.
The
work group can become a second family. It can be a place of
joy and development of others in celebration. My wonderful
British HR Colleague Alwyn Rea reminded me of that by saying
"All of Us is Better than Any of Us!" What we can accomplish
together, as a family or as a team, exceeds what any of us can
achieve individually, even if we are a superstar in our
profession or in a hobby. Even sports superstars or rock stars
may stand alone on the concert stage or at the Olympic race
starting blocks, however, they are part of a team of trainers,
coaches, mentors, etc. who will together celebrate a
victory.
Imagine what our agencies could
achieve if the silos we consciously and unconsciously build up
were to be chiseled away and replaced with a sense that HR or
purchasing or the city managers or county executives office
had no reason whatsoever to exist except to support and enable
the success of others? Imagine how procedures could improve if
the ancient papyrus scrolls of Civil Service rules or
purchasing rules or any other book of rules gathering dusk in
a bureaucracy were to be replaced by flexible, nimble rules
aimed at organizational success instead of protection against
unseen and rarely appearing "enemies of the state?"
Alwyn is right, the more time we
invest in working with others productively and in cultivating
a network or friends and the support of colleagues, the better
off we will be personally and the better off our families,
communities, country and the planet will be.
Think about this, how many truly
close personal friendships do you have? I dont mean people
you may go to lunch with occasionally or even regularly. I
mean people who would sacrifice their personal well-being for
yours. I mean people who might sacrifice their health or their
money to help you. Sadly, we dont have very many!
We
may have many fair-weather friends, but what the world needs
is more true friendship and true commitment between people. I
know that earlier in my own career when I was appointed as a
county chief administrative officer, I suddenly found myself
surrounded by people I had not heard from in a long time
assuring me of their undying friendship and support. I dont
count any of these among that very small circle of very strong
friendships.
If
you find yourself in the same situation that I just described,
join me in doing something about it. Keep in your mind that
concept of the "All of Us" as opposed to focusing only on the
"me." See what a difference it could make in your
life.
All the best, Phil
Rosenberg The HR Doctor http://www.hrdr.net/
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