Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Mindshift for Pollyanna

One thing I will never understand is why people would look to something good, look to something that is successful, and instead of trying to facilitate further success by collaboration, insist on destroying the good and success. Ego is a really horrible thing. Ego that is centered on a bloated sense of self-importance can't be an element that encourages long term success. I suppose it is a piggyback on my thoughts yesterday from the "I" in the word TEAM. People like this may see themselves as team players - they might even refer to themselves as such - when really they are power hungry ogres.

I sat in today for my boss on a conference call with some of these people. I am reminded of the work pain and agony we went through a year ago - and have been working through ever since. It was a good experience for me in that it allowed me to see our business practices through her eyes. I have been frustrated many times by her instant rage and for once, today, saw how challenging it has been for her, as our leader, to deal with those power hungry ogres outside our organzation. I have been allowed the luxury to move forward - focus on new challenges, and immerse myself in the culture that is the larger organization I am so excited to be a part of.

The people on this call today are people I used to deal with some weeks on a daily basis. I saw them previously as allies in my work with educators and technology. Granted, the lense that I view them with has been colored, fogged, even cracked, because they chose to remove us from the team and do it without us. I suppose it is indictative of education - you always feel as an educator you can build a bigger, better wheel from the ground up. And, coming now from a non-profit business world I realize there is much we can learn from those who came before us - and those working on the wheel as we speak - WHY build it all from scratch.

Some people seem to see power and title and self-importance as the ultimate means to an end. Those people are so deluded. The real way to bring about change and make a difference in the world around us is to build up others around you, foster the seeds of good ideas, recognize the value that was there before you, and collaborate to make things even better. The days of the Roman and British empires conquering the world are antiquated. 21st century thoughts and skills require us to collaborate, acknowledge differences, and build on the power of the collective. Why is it that these people, these so-called leaders don't see that value in the latter?

Its hard to be a Pollyanna when you are reconfronted with the arrogance of those in leadership roles. It is infuriating. It is difficult to decide whether to contribute and try to bring about change - even if small - amongst people who decided you were of no value - or to simply move on.

Still looking for that "I" in TEAM. Maybe it is something related to the terms in cyberspace - like iTeam ;) OR maybe it still had no place and as a Pollyanna it is time to move on... and spread those cheerful good ideas and work-your-fingers-to-the bone-for-a-good-cause kinda effort on to places that value it.

8 comments:

Parker said...

I am with you on this. There are also the ones who get one or two to do all the work and have all the ideas then claim them for themselves and sit back reaping the rewards and taking all the credit. The iTeam kind of world we live in today can cause even the naivest, most Dewey-eyed Pollyanna to consider a cynical view of things from time to time.

Me said...

Dear Pollyanna,

There may be no 'I' in team, but there is a 'ME'. Keep that in mind.


Sincerely,
Management

Crighton Johin said...

lol Blissie!!

In a strictly spiritual viewpoint, Buddhism, and Zen in particular, views ego differently from the psychological definition. In Zen, that separate sense of self. It is the belief that we are separate. If I am completely separate from you, then I can really do whatever I want for my own good, you be damned. I also have to do everything myself and for myself.

If I operate under the opposite system, that we are all connected and that, at the end of that spectrum, that we are all One, then it behooves me to help and to treat you as I want to be treated. When I help you, I help myself. It's not God keeping score and rewarding me, it's a function of Nature.....the way the Universe works.

I am not there yet, by the way, but it's where I want to be..lol. When I see someone like Cheney or Bush or Derek Jeter, it's hard to get with the fact that I am connected to them...lol.

Bradley said...

Everything you've described is exactly why I'm happy to be out of the corporate world and have gone into web design. This way I can be an "I" and it's actually AOK.

Yordie Sands said...

Hi Kim... I've been exploring blogs today and was thrilled to find yours.

You say, "Why is it that these people, these so-called leaders don't see that value in the latter?"

I think the answer to that is buried in the reptilian part of the brain. It is the survival instinct at it's worse.

Like Bradley, I'm happy to be out of the corporate world too, but just look at our political leaders if you want to take this one step further.

Bradley said...

@bigd

"What the fuck is Crighton talking about" has been determined to be one of the most common statements made in America.

Joonie said...

I just want to sell everything I own and move to the mountains. Is that a problem?

erm.....what was the topic?

hang in there, Kim! hugs!
JJ

Kimala said...

Man... I leave you all alone for a few days unattended in my comments and YIKES! :) heehee

Yordie ;) ty for finding me
Blissie ty for reminding me of me - i forget to put me first most days
Parker ty for being the pollyanna icon to live up to - don't go getting cynnical on me :D
Joonie ty for reminding the crowd to focus in my absence :) lol! Someone needed to!
Brad - YOU'RE BACK! Brad :) you ARE AOK *hops on your lap and hugs you tightly*
D - be nice. Crighton is a deep thinker. :) You are a pragmatist and thank god you are - you balance me out!! You remind me of those 3rd daily and keep me going! LOL
C - ty. You are like the cliffnotes of spirituality and I love that about you!

Once again - cheers to my SL imaginary friends with RL lives. I love you :)