Have you ever heard someone, maybe even yourself, say this:
“If they are not for us then they are against us?”
This statement seems to me to be a consistent philosophy of visionary leaders and innovative companies as they tend to size up competition and maintain their “lead” in the marketplace.
Yet, what if this was wrong? What if the carrying out of this idea that… “if they are not for us then they are against us”… actually harmed you and your business? Do you truly know the ramifications of a competitive environment like this?
Here are few that are obvious:
- Disloyal culture
- Paranoia
- Vindictive communication
- Passive Aggressive behavior
- Short lists of those considered good and those considered bad.
- Uber-competitive actions in the marketplace
- Slander and malice as an everyday style
All of these things affect people and the families they go home to every night. Stress increases. Productivity decreases. Blackballing every group or person who is not for you is not a way to live.
Instead, try turning the philosophy around to this:
“Anyone who is not against us is for us.”
This statement highlights only those who are obviously and notably against you, which for most of us would be a very small amount. It assumes then that unless it is clear that they are not against you then they must be for you.
The other philosophy puts the pressure on others to be notably for you or they are obviously against you.
Let me admit, I have spent far too much time putting pressure on others to be over the top for me and in a number of cases assumed they are against me if I did not feel the love. This is an ongoing issue for me as I work to become a different type of leader.
This hit me squarely in the eyes as I spent time recently with a person I admire. What I saw in him was what I have seen in me – a paranoia of competition and those that are against my vision. In my friend I felt a heavy pressure to state that I am for him and that others needed to line up to state the same.
Yet, reading about the most amazing leader in the history of the world – Jesus. I watched how he told his guys how to handle competition. Here is the account:
“The disciple John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to perform miracles. We told him to stop because he wasn’t with us.”
Jesus said, “Don’t stop him. No one who performs miracles in my name will be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.”
I heard it this way. “Relax. They are on our side. They want to do good things for others, let them. Don’t claim that only you can do that. They are obviously not against us so let them be.”
This blog post is crucial. For me it is both a confession and realization. I am working to consider everyone that is not obviously against me to be for me, rather than being suspicious of everyone’s intent and falsely accusing others of being against me.
