I believe in oneness. I believe in balance. I believe in diversity. I believe in conscious capitalism. I believe in accountability. I believe in working together. The working title of this book was One Yes. “In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang describes how apparently opposite or contrary forces are actually complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. Many tangible dualities (such as light and dark, fire and water, and male and female) are thought of as physical manifestations of the duality of yin and yang. This duality lies at the origins of many branches of classical Chinese science and philosophy, as well as being a primary guideline of traditional Chinese medicine. This duality is also a central principle of different forms of Chinese martial arts and exercise, such as baguazhang, taijiquan (t’ai chi), and qigong (Chi Kung), as well as in the pages of the I Ching written in 1,000 BC. Yin and Yang can be thought of as complementary (rather than opposing) forces that interact to form a dynamic system in which the whole is greater than the assembled parts. Everything has both yin and yang aspects (for instance shadow cannot exist without light). Either of the two major aspects may manifest more strongly in a particular object, depending on the criterion of the observation. The yin yang shows a balance between two opposites with a little bit in each.” Wikipedia
In fact, in 2008, I designed my corporate logo to include the yin and yang and “S” for Savage to represent holding of the whole.
Here is my challenge to you:
Reflect on the ways and behaviors in your leadership that you integrate the whole.
Reflect on the ways and behaviors of business leaders that do not integrate the whole.
Reflect on your beliefs on what the outcomes of both approaches most often create.
What are you mindful of based on these reflections?
How might you change the outcomes of your business decisions and initiatives by utilizing a more holistic approach to collaboration?
“Getting the people of the world to live in harmony will never happen until we learn to get along and understand that everyone has a different goal, but we are all one people together for life.” Colin Campbell, President, Guidance Planning Strategies Ltd., Cranbrook, British Columbia.