NOT ALONE EVEN IF YOU WANTED TO BE

"No employer today is independent of those about him. He cannot succeed alone, no matter how great his ability or capital. Business today is more than ever a question of cooperation."

Orison Swett Marden, late 19th/early 20th century American author.

My career has largely been starting, running, sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing, in my own companies.

In all those times, the outcome was the result of what I did, what my partners did, and what our employees did.

You may think it won't be that way for you, and if so, that is your first mistake of many yet to come.

CELEBRATED DIFFERENCES

"Exclusiveness in a garden is a mistake as great as it is in society."

Alfred Austin 19th century English poet

Good to remember in this era of divisive politics.

There is strength in our differences.

ONE (CAN BE) THE LONELIEST NUMBER THAT YOU'LL EVER DO

"To be no part of any body, is to be nothing."

John Donne (1572-1632) English poet

This figures to come from the "No man is an island" man, however don't let that diminish his message.

It's good to be independent, just not to the point of failing to recognize when it's not.

1+1=3

"If you want to be incrementally better be competitive. If you want to be exponentially better be cooperative."

Unknown

I could just as easily rate competitiveness as being more important than being cooperative, but whichever you choose, one without the other renders each much less valuable.

YOU OR US?

"The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have."

Norman Vincent Peale

20th century Protestant preacher and author

If you could choose, would more of your accomplishments come from what you do alone or from the collective effort of you and others?

And which do you think would produce more results?

WHO WILL YOUR FRIENDS BE TOMORROW?

"Great perils have this beauty, that they bring to light the fraternity of strangers."

Victor Hugo

19th century French poet, dramatist and novelist

Strangers who often later become friends, having survived the peril that brought them together.

Consider the possibility that those you don't know today might be your ally tomorrow.

What's In It For Us?

"When a match has equal partners then I fear not."

Aeschylus

5th century BC Greek dramatist

The implication being, one should fear when there is not equality.

For a contract to be valid the law requires benefit to both parties.

It is logical then that there must also be mutual benefit in business relations including those between managers and employees.

Win win or all too often it will be lose lose.