We’re all familiar with a declaration of independence. It’s how our nation was formed.
We also know the concept of dependence. It has quite negative connotations surrounding an inability to stand on one’s own two feet.
Moving away from both of these, how about Inter-Dependence? It’s a less familiar expression, but one I think we need to give more air-time, and this is why:-
Firstly, what is inter-dependence? It’s our ability to work as a team and seek out and grow mutually beneficial partnerships with those around us – our work colleagues, family, friends, customers and business stakeholders – our circle of influence.
When we make a declaration of inter-dependence, we are accepting that our team is more capable than the collected individuals within it. We use this knowledge to build synergy in our organization. We make a commitment to work seamlessly together with our teams and acknowledge that everyone has different strengths which are equally important, and we seek out their contributions to maximum effect.
In the same way that a choir performs music with beautiful harmonies when each member practices and performs his or her own part, your team will make great things happen when they each use their strengths and perform their roles in a spirit of inter-dependence. In the same way that our choir can still make music without a few choristers although the sound might not be as rich; your organization will be able to operate without a few people but, without a culture of inter-dependence, it will be surviving rather than truly thriving.
So, to help us remember how to build this culture of inter-dependence (shown here as inter-d for short), here’s a quick acronym to help us understand how to achieve this:
Inclusive: An inter-dependent culture is inclusive. It values everyone’s contribution and is collaborative, not competitive.
Networked: When people are operating in an inter-dependent culture, they seamlessly network together, sharing knowledge and using their strengths to help each other.
Trusting: Trust is the cornerstone of an inter-dependent organization. The contributors to the organization trust each other and are trustworthy themselves.
Energized: An inter-dependent organization is a high-energy organization, and it shows in the productivity and motivation of the staff within it.
Respecting: when people are inter-dependent, they don’t play off against one another, but they lean from each other’s successes and failures, help each other to reach their true potential and ultimately respect each other, holding each other in high regard.
Developing: Inter-dependent organizations are nurturing environments, giving their members the opportunity to develop their skills and be all they can be.
So, we know what it is, and how to get there, but here’s a good measure to help you work out how your organization currently measures up to the ideal inter-dependent culture.
Consider these questions:
1. Can your team trust you? Are you 100% dependable every time?
2. Do you openly criticize others or their work?
3. How much energy and enthusiasm do you have for your daily work?
4. Do you make an effort to bring others at work into the team?
5. Whenever you meet someone new, do you collect their business card?
6. Do you value your own and others’ mistakes as learning experiences?
7. Are you an individual, or a piece or a piece of the overall puzzle?
8. How important to you are the diverse backgrounds and skillsets of your team?
9. Do you hold mini ‘meetings after meeting’, or do you bring up issues and opinions with everyone present who needs to be?
10. When you have constructive criticism to bring, do you have a small group of close colleagues you discuss it with, or do you take it straight to the person or people with the capability to do something about the issue?
With these hints as ways you can help ‘lead the charge’ in developing an inter-dependent culture in your workplace, you’ll be able to make sure the whole organization, like a choir, is singing in perfect harmony!
