HERE'S AN ORIGINAL THOUGHT

"It is difficult, if not impossible, for most people to think otherwise than in the fashion of their own period."

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish writer.

By "period" Mr. Shaw means thinking, doing, and saying what everyone you know is thinking, doing, and saying, only because that is what they are thinking, doing, and saying.

If you find yourself doing that you're little more than just one of many sheep in the flock, mindlessly following many other sheep.

It's ok, to a point, to follow, just make sure you do so thoughtfully, because you've decided that is what you should do.

THE IMPORTANCE OF US ALL

"I am a part of all that I have met."

Lord Alfred Tennyson

19th century British poet

There is much compartmentalization in business and all too often a belief by some that their "compartment" is more important than that of the next person.

It's not, there is value in us all.

If our business turns out to be a "house of cards" it is on all not some of us.

Do You Believe That?

"The privilege of absurdity; to which no living creature is subject, but man only."

Thomas Hobbs

17th century British philosopher

Just to pick this nit a bit, I could argue that absurdity is in the eye of the beholder.

For example "cleaning" oneself with one's tongue, behavior common to many animals, strikes me as pretty absurd.

Did you ever get the sense that Steve Jobs, Mark Cuban, Sir Richard Branson, and others like them, were absurd?

Or do we only ascribe absurdity to those who fail doing what the rest of us see as outlandish?

If so, how absurd!

One Or All?

"There is no monument erected to the memory of a committee."

Lester J. Pourciau

20th century American educator/author

There are many times more derogatory committee quotes than there are positive ones, this being but one example of the milder ones.

Why do so many find so much negative about committees while at the same time celebrating collaboration, strength in numbers, and other positive expressions of group activity?

I'm Not Like You

"I may not be better than other people but at least I'm different."

Jean Jacques Rousseau

18th century Swiss political philosopher

We focus a lot on experience and iconic indications of education in business, without saying much about the value of our differences.

What if we all were top 10% in our Harvard MBA class? 

If we were, how would we set ourselves apart from each other?

One And All: Getting The Best

"None of us is as smart as all of us."

Japanese proverb

This will strike many of you as classic Japanese decision making theory; however it is not unique to the Japanese nor even Asia.

Elements of the belief in the power of numbers to get things right are finding their way into all sorts of thinking from Clay Shirky's "Here Comes Everybody" to California governor aspirant Meg Whitman's "The Power of Many."

My question is this.

How do we balance the benefits that comes from the contributions of many with the genius that is often only found in one?

How Are We Doing?

"Remember, even at a Mensa convention, someone is the dumbest person in the room."

Unknown

And in a not so smart crowd, someone is the smartest.

While much is made of our individual talents, is enough considered about how well the group does?

Relationships: The Role of the Individual

"As a general thing, people marry most happily with their own kind."

Robertson Davies
20th century Canadian playwright/journalist/professor

Professor Davies was referring to marriage between two individuals but I think this applies equally well to business relationships, which after all, consist of people.

To what extent do you consider individual differences in business relationships that involve you?

Teamwork: All For One Or One For All?

"No member of a crew is praised for the rugged individuality of his rowing."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I suppose because all that rowing was always only about getting the shell across the finish line before the other team?

Maybe it's similar to the lack of attention paid to the effort of any one individual ant by all the other ants in the colony. If they don't all work, the colony dies.

But still, no praise for individual effort within a team?

Personal Responsibility: Time to Step Up

"To hazard much to get much has more of avarice than wisdom."

William Penn
17th century British religious leader

We live in a time when business is much maligned, finance in particular, for having been too greedy, seemingly wrecking the economy as a result.

Really?

What is "business" if not individual sellers and buyers of goods and services. Without us individuals, is "business" anything other than buildings full of empty desks?

Greedy?

Yes, but let's not lay it off on some abstract such as "business". No, it was, is and will always be, we individuals whether we are acting in our professional or personal lives.

If we don't like the way things are, we can change them, starting with ourselves.

The Organization: One or Many?

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself."

Friedrich Nietzsche
German Philosopher

The entrepreneur in me loves this. Rugged individualist to the end standing against the oppression of the group, etc., etc. However as a business owner I know that you go nowhere alone.

Successful organizations are built on the harmonious, integrated contributions of many while at the same time, the best companies are those that can access the inspiration that only comes from each individual.

So how do we do this? How do we celebrate the individual while at the same time integrating them into the "tribe"?