What’s in it for us?

In any organization, whether it is small, medium or large, a constant state of tension exists. This tension (and sometimes leading into conflicts) is not articulated, yet sharp leaders understand it’s there and try their best to address it. This tension is the constant tug between individualism and collectivism. This does not only happen to business organizations, it happens on the national level as well. The recent riots in France is a good example for us to study. There was the initiative of increasing taxes on fuel as a means to help curb climate change. This initiative may be labeled as collectivism. On the other hand, the action of the people who marched into the streets and opposed the measure because they are concerned about their own immediate lives may also be characterized as individualism.

We are quite aware of organizations wherein individuals work in their own bubbles. Their individual rewards and recognitions are king, but problems arise when people are exclusively governed by the philosophy of the question, “What’s in it for me?” and the results may be very calamitous.

Good, sharp and well-trained leaders are those who can successfully deliver a healthy tug of individualism and collectivism. This simply means that skillful leaders celebrate, recognize, and reward individual performance but at the same time, and without missing the cadence, skillfully align the team behind shared goals they should all care about and believe in. In relation to this, it would be very difficult to achieve collectivism when the goals are not articulated and understood. Because of this, leaders fail to get the buy-in of their people much less for them to care and believe in. Now, this in itself maybe a different topic we may one day tackle, but let’s go back to the tug of individualism and collectivism issue.

Here is another issue to consider.

When leaders are revered as visionaries, would this be taken into consideration that their ideas or “vision” from the top is now imposed on everyone in the organization and become a “shared goal” or are they individualistic from the onset? But, the reason why they are leaders is because they can see a story in advance that most people could not see. Thus, the vision is always individualist in that sense and it requires the necessity of persuading, selling, committing and engaging the rest of the organization to follow the lead and to care for the goal. This will then turn the individualistic vision into a shared goal. Hence, collectivism.

A much under-rated and under-used tool that can help align people is a framework of core values. These serve as a compass that helps everyone navigate the constant changing business landscape such that their individual contribution is aligned towards shared goals. The entire organization’s collective success as well as rewards are intrinsically connected to what each one in the organization delivers, and they better be aligned and must be in motion towards the same direction.

As the year ends and a new one begins when most leaders of organizations will have to think about the successes of 2018, address areas that would require improvement and develop new strategies and objectives, as well. This is an excellent time for leaders to think about how you can equip your people to balance individual and collective needs for even greater success in 2019.

What does your 2019 destination look like?

How are you going to get there?

What are the individual contributions you need from your people and the corresponding rewards you need to provide in order to inspire and motivate them to do so? And what is it that you need to do in order to align and arrange them so that each one contributes to the collective goals?

How do we convert the term “What’s in it for me?” to “What’s in it for us?” so as to make 2019 a great year? How can the rewards be shared by everyone in the organization?

We want to form an organization wherein there are great and winning individual performers that would form a great and winning team and achieve the desired goals for the new year.

And as I have posted in my digital spaces and articulated in my talks and leadership seminars: It’s one thing when someone accomplishes something, but isn’t it better when a team achieves something together, and everyone can celebrate? Talent may win games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.

(Mark your calendars on Jan. 25, 2019 for the much-awaited event “Power Up for Peak Performance”! It will be happening at the Samsung Hall, SM Aura, BGC. This whole-day event featuring a power-packed cast of fantastic speakers will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For further inquiries or advanced reservations, contact April at +63928-559-1798 or register online at www.powerup.ph)