Our vision narrows onto what matters most when things get tough. You find it is important relationships that quickly take centre stage: family, friends, work team, employers, customers, suppliers, business partners and so on.
The mindset of ‘I’ and ‘me’ leans more towards ‘us’ and ‘we’.
For example, the past week has seen Australia release a new defence strategy that narrows scope onto the Indo-pacific region, while the Indonesia Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) came into force yesterday.
Regional relationships for mutual prosperity and security have escalated in importance.
I was a member of the independent design team for the Economic Cooperation Program that will support implementation of the IA-CEPA and have seen firsthand the efforts involved in giving businesses in both countries the opportunity to increase trade and investment.
The business opportunities in both directions are significant. However, success will depend on going beyond the transactional attitude of ‘I’ve produced something and you should buy it’.
Such a mindset is a hangover from the commodity era and of little relevance in a networked knowledge economy.
As you read media stories proclaiming what Australia will get out of the IA-CEPA, imagine for a moment that you are an Indonesian business or government leader reading the same story. And vice versa.
Is the tone mainly about ‘I’ and ‘me’ or does it lean towards ‘us’ and ‘we’?
Whether it’s international or domestic business, industry services, or personal well-being, success is shaped by the quality of relationships with key people and organisations.
Place deliberate attention on nurturing important relationships. Identify the specific relationships which are critical for your personal and professional success. Then figure out what you want, what they want and what you both want.
You will discover that the future will start looking after itself.