Often people who are in service industries or speaking positions are advised to keep their best materials and secrets for their special clients and avoid sharing with others in their industry.
I am very fortunate that I am in an organisation here in Australia called the Career Development Association of Australia (CDAA). Their intent is to be “a vibrant and diverse national community who share a collective interest in career development; and a desire to promote its ability to effect positive change and growth in the lives of all Australians”. They are very generous with their expertise and have the viewpoint that not only is there enough of the pie to go around but that in sharing the pie actually gets bigger which benefits everyone.
I am reminded of a story by author Dan Miller, where he tells of a farmer that continually won prizes for his crops which were considered the best in the whole region.
Strangely he would not hold back from sharing his secrets and would even gift his neighbouring farmers some of his seed for the next planting.
When asked why he didn’t hold back on his generosity, he simply said that it was not just generosity but also wisdom that he shares his good fortune. He said that the same wind that blows across his neighbours’ farms blows across his and the bees that fertilise their crops also fertile his crops. Therefore by keeping his neighbours’ crops healthy, he was ensuring that his crops remained top quality and without spoiling pests or disease.
When we share with those who are in our businesses the quality of the whole industry goes up and the reputation improves. When we share with our neighbours, the whole neighbourhood improves and everyone prospers, crime drops and general wellbeing and safety are enhanced.
When you light one candle from another, the source of the original light doesn’t lack anything.’ – Anonymous
In the west, we are trained in ‘rugged individualism’ that says there is not enough to go around and to ‘take care of number one’.
However, no-one is an island and we are all products of the efforts of others in reality. Someone had to selflessly look after us as infants in order to get us to this point and we have to work as a community. From politics to fashion to food science we are being fed a constant stream of ideas backed by agendas that seek advantage by swaying us one way into groups to exclude what is neurologically described as our ‘tribe’ and ‘others’.
I know the temptation to hold close your methods is strong because there are some out there who will rip off others innovations. Counter to this is the laws of synergy which exponentially expand the productivity from the efforts of those who work as a community.
In my experience ‘lone rangers’ seldom prosper and are often trapped in old thinking because they are not invigorated and stimulated by others thoughts and opinions. They are usually left isolated by others who soon realise that the information stream is one-way traffic.
Let’s go forward and succeed together! Remember that being different is your biggest asset and you don’t have to be like everyone else. If you need a career coach, drop me an email or private message today to get you on the right track.
Dave Brebner.
About the Author:
Dave is an Adult Educator, Speaker and Youth leader living in Western Sydney, Australia where he teaches the Electrical Trades at the Western Sydney Institute. He has Diplomas in Business and Training, a Bachelors Degree in Adult Education, Vocational and Workplace Training and a Masters of Education with a major in Career Development. He has lived with Tourette’s Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Anxiety Disorders since an early age, you can read his story online. He is married with 6 children. He is a passionate coach and mentor to young people especially in the vocational guidance and career development areas. Dave is a professional member of the Career Development Association of Australia and has authored a course on Living with Tourette’s which you can study and purchase online through his website – www.davebrebner.com.