The Leadership Advantage of Cooperation

Most leaders believe they’re quite capable of working with others. When they have to.

Yet the reason many seek a leadership position is so they can make their own agenda the prime focus for everyone else. They need to be in control.

But then they wonder why leadership feels like pushing a rock up a hill.

Real success comes through cooperation, not control.

The value of cooperation means working together for a common purpose; or collaboration.

Sounds easy, right?

Unfortunately, cooperation doesn’t come naturally. It requires practice. It’s a skill that needs to be learned.

Just think about a young child playing on the floor with their toys, when another child comes along and takes their toy away. What happens next? Screaming. Crying. Yelling. Hitting.

Then an adult intervenes and says: “now, play nice!” Well…. that statement is rarely effective. At best, it’s simply a way of exercising control.

But…

When an older sibling, a friend of the parents, or even a grandparent sits down on the floor together with the children and works with them, everything changes. This “new” person demonstrates their leadership ability by promoting the value of cooperation. They share a vision of what could be, and the opportunities for each participant to contribute – and have fun.

More importantly, this leader is involved. They are showing how to cooperate because they are part of the solution.

Did the leader intervene to merely stop the yelling or prevent further screaming? Maybe. But more often it’s because they are interested in the welfare of the children. They can see the potential of something greater if everyone could just work together around a common vision.

Effective leaders are truly interested in the welfare of others.
(and do NOT treat them as children)

 

Do you know of a leader who excelled at the value of cooperation?

 

Today’s value was selected from the “Enthusiasm-Teamwork” category, based on the e-book Developing Your Differentiating Values.