Tag Archives: interdependence

¡In(ter)dependencia Grita!

empoderamiento, empoderamiento profesional, emprendimiento, nirvana profesional, rse, tomadecisiones

Fireworks(Post escrito pensando en las 20 naciones que celebran su independencia en el mes de julio)

Es claro que la independencia tiene un lugar protagónico en la historia. A sido gracias a la lucha de mujeres y hombres que un sin numero de naciones se crearon después de dar fin a la desigualdad, injusticia y demás fuerzas oprimentes.

Sin quitarle crédito a todos los héroes y heroínas que a través de nuestra historia han entregado sus vidas para conseguir independencia, me cuestiono, ¿en un mundo globalizado e interconectado, cual es la función de la independencia?

Mi respuesta es la interdependencia – un hibrido que no es independencia, pero tampoco deja de serlo. También va más allá de la colaboración entre equipos.  En su esencia es libertad con responsabilidad global. Es lo que debe venir el día después del triunfo del grito de la independencia. Más allá de la búsqueda de igualdad y justicia, tiene propósito.  Por lo tanto busca alcanzar ambos como un medio – no como un fin en si. El fin son los resultados.

Sin duda que en un mundo aplanado por la inter conectividad y la globalización, la independencia tiene su lugar.  Mas no es el fin, ni es suficiente.  Es decir, es necesario desarrollar al máximo nuestras fortalezas como individuos y así dar fin a la dependencia.  Pero para sacar el máximo provecho al estado actual del mundo, es necesario ir más allá.  Los altos niveles de inter conectividad que se han alcanzado por medio del Web 2.0, hacen aun más posible la interdependencia.  Tan posible que se ha convertido en una necesidad. 

Para ti y para mi eso quiere decir que no atenta contra nuestra independencia, ni nuestra libertad.  Todo lo contrario. Para ser un integrante valioso de aquel circulo virtuoso, es necesario ser independiente.  Y luego contribuir las fortalezas que en primera instancia hicieron posible tu independencia a un todo más grande.  Es mera vanidad pensar que tu trabajo ha terminado luego de desarrollar tus fortalezas. El próximo paso es contribuirlas a ese poso de sabiduría colectiva del cual todos podemos sacar y entregar – gracias al Web 2.0

 Entonces ¿que necesitas para alcanzar la interdependencia – y a la vez beneficiarte?

1. Enfocarte en obtener resultados – no en recibir reconocimiento.  Lo primero es esencial. Lo segundo es vanidad.

2. Saber que cada uno de nosotros no sabe lo que no sabe. Es decir, sin excepción, todos tenemos puntos ciegos.  Que solo vemos cuando nos sorprenden – y si tenemos buenos reflejos o buena suerte reaccionamos a tiempo. Como tal hay situaciones que ameritan acudir a otros – por su mayor experiencia, sabiduría y fortalezas. Si resultados es lo que buscas alcanzar, lo harás sin pensarlo dos veces.

3. Reconocer y desarrollar tus fortalezas.  En un mundo globalizado, tus fortalezas son la moneda más fuerte.  Es lo que contribuyes para complementar las debilidades de otros – y a cambio recibir las fortalezas de otros para complementar tus debilidades.  Así se crea un círculo virtuoso bien aceitado.

4. Entender que ser líder no es lo mismo que ser independiente o libre. Sin duda el liderazgo trae consigo privilegios – de los cuales los seguidores no gozan.  También trae responsabilidades que los demás no cargan.

Buena semana. 

 

*Hoy, hace 3 años nació este blog.  Te invito a leer mi primer post.  Gracias a todos por su apoyo – sin palabras me deja cada vez que cuento el numero de lectores. Namaste.

Independiente – si. Sola – lo dudo.

contruyendo redes, empoderamiento, empoderamiento profesional,

AdvisersMe refiero a tu carrera. 

Aunque es recomendable que seas independiente y autosuficiente en tu carrera – la meta debe ser la interdependencia. 

Aunque ese será el tema de otro artículo – por ahora solo necesitas saber que la meta final en el trabajo, diferente a lo que muchos ego maniacos creen, es la interdependencia.  Te explico.  Lograrás mas combinando tus fortalezas con las de los demás, que desgastándote tratando de ser un sabelotodo que conoce todo y a todos.  Con eso en mente, la interdependencia entre colegas existe solo entre personas independientes y autosuficientes – que deciden unir sus fortalezas para crear algo mejor.  De lo contrario – cuando una o más personas, que aun no son autosuficientes se unen, se crea una relación de dependencia – al estilo de un parasito en el reino animal.

Pero suficiente de ese tema por ahora.

Gran parte de ser autosuficiente en tu carrera es crear una red de apoyo profesional. Piénsalo, desde el Presidente Obama hasta el billonario Warren Buffet hasta la CEO de PepsiCo Indra Nooyi – se apoyan en un grupo de consejeros para alcanzar sus metas profesionales.

Esto quiere decir que por muy independiente y autosuficiente que seas en tu carrera, no estas sola.  Si prestas atención, te darás cuenta que hay mas personas que están dispuestas a dar consejos – que lo que hay personas dispuestas a pedir.

Por empezar esto quiere decir que si tienes un grupo de consejeros te diferenciaras del común empleado – que no busca ayuda.  Importantemente un grupo de consejeros actúa como pilares para tu carrera. 

Por lo tanto un buen consejero será alguien que te reta, que te dice las cosas tal como son, y que más que cualquier otra cosa, esta interesada en tu éxito – sin esperar más de la relación que la satisfacción personal que se siente por ayudar a alguien.  Además, un consejero te infundirá valores, te dará acceso a información que quizás hubieras tenido que esperar mucho más tiempo para acceder, y te dará pistas estratégicas.  Piensa en eso si te da artera (o miedo) buscar consejeros.

En ese orden de ideas, entre más expertos sean tus consejeros, mas fuerte serán tu pilares profesionales.  Te sentirás más segura – e incrementaras las probabilidades de alcanzar tus metas. 

Entonces no confundas autosuficiencia profesional con soledad.  Arma un grupo de consejeros.  Los profesionales mas exitosos cuentan con esa herramienta en sus cajas – ¿tu que esperas?

Cut the (umbilical) cord

autoconciencia, empoderamiento, empoderamiento profesional, estratégico y sostenible, liderazgo, marca personal, , ,

 (Or the birth of  brand YOU)

A few months ago Dan Schawbel (personal branding guru and author of Me 2.0) asked me if I wanted to contribute to his e-mag: Personal Branding.  He offered me the option to either edit or write a column.  I chose to write – and accepted to write The Brand Assessment column.  I figured that although as an editor I’d be in a  unique position to learn from other  writers, by writing I’d be able to further develop my voice. And that was a risk worth taking.  
By clicking here, right now you can receive your free sample of the e-mag and read my very first article.  (The yearly subscription, which includes 4 issues, costs $12.95 and 50% of proceeds go to the American Cancer Society)  

To celebrate this milestone in my writing career, I decided to write this post to remind you that as an employee you’re a stand-alone entity with business needs of your own.   That said, this is not to perpetuate the ‘free agent’ conversation – mostly because plenty has already been written about that.    This is to empower you to answer a question that will resonate throughout  your entire working life – “Why do I need a personal brand?”

So why do you need a personal brand?

Here’s the deal.  As an employee you may be a vital part of the organization you work with.  And you may count on that organization for your lively-hood – (a.k.a. paycheck).  Even so, you’re not an extension of that business.  That simply means that just as that organization has business needs of its own which btw you help cater for, you also have business needs that require attention – a personal brand being among the main ones.

I’ve raised more than a few eye-brows each time that I’ve advocated that employees work for themselves with employers, not for them.  I stand behind this even if that involves changing jobs at a pace that appears to benefit employees more than their current employer.  To continue to defend my position, I’d like to remind you that working with an organization goes beyond being independent.  It’s about interdependency.    And a basic requirement for achieving interdependency is for both parties to be independent in principle from one another. Only then will true collaboration arise – between two independent parties that decide to collaborate.  Although it’s possible for parties with varying degrees of dependency to co-exist for some time, the relationship is doomed from the start.   If you’ve ever seen what a leech does to its host, you’ll agree that a parasitic relationship does not benefit either party.  The leech remains a leech – with no other option than to find another host to leech off from – and the host is eventually sucked dry – slowly but surely.   To learn from real-life collaboration, think orhcids.  These breath-taking flowers grow from the branches of trees without taking away nutrients from its host. That’s because orchids are epiphytes, not parasytes.  They have their own mechanism of survival, independent from its host.  As such they’re able to add to the host – not take away from it.

Realizing that as an employee you have your own brand (and identity) – separate from the current organization you work with – and developing that brand to support your own goals, are two key steps in cutting the umbilical cord from your current employer.  Failing to do so will keep you in a state of dependency, unable to reach your fullest potential as an employee.  You loose and so does your employer – remember the leech-host drama.

As you think through that, here are a few key pointers:

1.       A personal brand is for YOU. It will inspire you, empower you, focus you, drive you and help you achieve fulfillment in your work-life.  It will also prevent you from being dragged by others. 

2.       A powerful personal brand is authentic.  Yes, your uniqueness is your strength.  The world of work is light years away from your school playground where other kids would make fun of you for not fitting in.  Not following the herd in the world of work is an asset. Look closely at yourself.  When amongst your colleagues, take time to notice what makes you stand out (yes, like a sore thumb).  How can you further develop your distinguishing traits?  How can you cash in on them?

3.       A sustainable personal brand emerges from a place of honesty within you.   The closer to your truth your personal brand is, the longer you’ll be able to stand behind it.   Being honest (with yourself) marks the difference between building a sail boat with a long keel* and one with a short one. The one with the short one will be toppled even by  small waves.  The one with the longer one will be well-grounded and will be able to withstand many rough waters.

Think about this next time that you’re contemplating a change in your career.  What steps will you take today to cut the cord?

 

*For my land-locked friends, a keel is a long, slim plank that juts out from the bottom of the sail boat.  It’s the structure that keeps the boat from tipping over.

Inter-Dependence Day

autoconciencia, empoderamiento, empoderamiento profesional, estratégico y sostenible, liderazgo, , ,

Being that close to 20 countries around the world celebrate their independence day in July*, this is a good time as any to ask if independence has a place in the real world of work.

Admittedly, for all these nations independence was a necessary step to end oppression and inequality. But in the 21st century world of work, where interconnectivity, collaboration and team-work are the rule of the day, the time has come for independence to move over to make way for interdependence.

In the words of the best-selling author Stephen Covey:

“Independent thinking alone is not suited to interdependent reality. Independent people who do not have the maturity to think and act interdependently may be good individual producers, but they won’t be good leaders or team players. They’re not coming from the paradigm of interdependence necessary to succeed in…organizational reality.”

Bring on interdependent times

For those labelled on a contract “employee” as defined as: ”one who works for another” it’s crucial to understand that that label exists only for legal and tax purposes. It should not and it must not define a state of mind.

In an interdependent world, the reality is that an employee does not work for an employer.  That would be defined as dependence.  By the same token, it’s not necessary for an employee to claim their independence and work against an employer.  The winning mindset in an interdependent world is that of an employee who works with an employer, as a partner, regardless of labels.

Even though this is not about your boss or your employer, it’s worth noting that from their perspective, your independence may not be as bloody as it was for those free nations, but it’s certainly costly.  Take for example (adapted from real life) an employee who takes 8 hours creating a contract from scratch for a client, when instead they could collaborate and use a template their colleague created – and instead take an hour to get the job done.  (I’ll let you do the math)  When your boss insists on collaboration and team-work, it’s their way of saying: ”leverage existing company resources – that’s what they’re there for.”

Back to you

At the individual level, interdependence has many fringe benefits.

Here are my favourite perks:

1. Effectiveness – where the rubber meets the road, two heads (and three and four and more) are better than one.  With the right leadership and direction, a team has the potential to achieve more in less time than an individual working in isolation.  It’s simple logic. The likelihood is that in a team, members will complement their strengths and weaknesses. Where weakness lies in some, other team members will be strong.. In a collaborative environment there is no room for individual weaknesses – what really counts is the sum of the team’s strengths.

It’s worth making a mental note that collaboration should not be mistaken with delegation.  It is not about sending someone else off to do the work for you.  Okay, if they volunteer (and they insist, as sometimes those who kill with kindness do), I say, by all means take them up on it.  Especially if you have a to-do list that is bulging at the seams and they have time to kill. Quite simply, in the world of work, it’s about delivering results.  In the ego-ruled monarchies of the past millenium, it was about who took the credit. In today’s ultra competitive global environment, the winning team (and company) is the one that delivers results.  I am not advocating that you become so good at collaborating – or even delegating – that you skip learning how to do your job. I guarantee that in this environment, sooner or later that strategy is likely to land you in the redundant pile.  What I am suggesting is that you focus on getting the job done – even if that means having to swallow your pride.

2. Learning opportunity – If you’re open to learning, you’ll benefit from the natural transfer of knowledge and skills that takes place when people work together.  For that reason, you should aim to collaborate with people who are better than you – however humbling that might be.  As an avid runner, and learning from this sport,, one of the best  ways to improve your running time is to go for a run with someone who is fitter and faster than you. The same applies at work.  That’s one of the reasons why I’ve made it a priority to choose to work with companies that attract smart people.  Personally, I’d feel that there’s something wrong if I’d be the smartest in the team.

3. Greater reach – When you’re open to the fact that a. you’re not alone and b. it’s about getting the job done – not getting the credit, it becomes easier to accept roles that you do not necessarily have experience in.  With the right attitude, most of the time you’ll be able to get support and help from someone else in your team or company.  It’s virtually impossible to know every single detail in our jobs before we take them. For that reason, it’s crucial to be able to ask for (and accept) help and learn fast.

4. Collaborators have more fun – by nature, as humans we are social beings.  I say this even to my fellow loners out there, who enjoy working on their own. The fact is, it’s human nature to enjoy interacting with people. Looking at how our brain works, a happy brain, with serotonin flowing through it is a more focused and productive one too.

Claiming interdependence

Unlike independence, interdependence need not be bloody. 

Here are the essentials:

  1. Trust – In a collaborative environment there is no room for hidden agendas.  These will only suck life out of the interaction.  Open communication and transparency will go a very long way when it comes to getting things done as a team.
  2. Self-reliance – The strongest teams are those made up of individuals who are able to hold their own weight.  Understand that this is not about hiding your weaknesses or being dishonest about them either. It’s about focusing and developing your strengths in order to make the greatest contribution, and about recognising your weaknesses in order to complement them with others’ abilities.
  3. Team play – As in the soccer field, it’s crucial to pass the ball to other team members who are better positioned to score a goal. In short, don’t be a ‘ball-hog’.  Keep in mind that how you add value to a company (i.e. what makes money – and pays your salary) is your ability to deliver results – even if it costs you your pride.  You were not hired to be an island.

What do you think? 

*Wikipedia’s ‘partial’ (their wording, not mine) list of countries celebrating independence day around the world