By Sally Anderson
The Literal Linear Meaning of Co-Opetition:
Coopetition is the act of cooperation between competing companies; businesses that engage in both competition and cooperation are said to be in coopetition. Certain businesses gain an advantage by using a judicious mixture of cooperation with suppliers, customers, and firms producing complementary or related products.
Reframed Non-Linear Meaning of Co-Opetition in the Context of Co-Creative Leadership:
Co-opetition in this context is operating from a connected state leveraging one’s co-creative ability to operate from an ‘abundance consciousness’. I do not believe in their being competitors in the marketplace to believe this one is operating from a disconnected state in ‘scarcity consciousness’ from an insecure standpoint. In over 3 decades in the leadership space for example there are many leadership service providers, many leadership coaches but I NEVER focus on what they are doing, I ONLY focus on what I am doing for I know my point of difference.
I celebrate anyone making a difference with the human condition and have for over 3 decades done nothing but supported my fellow leadership providers. I see them as my allies NOT my competitors. You could bring another 1000 coaches into the global marketplace and it would not touch the sides for the amount of dysfunction out there – why do I know this, I understand the human condition integrally
Why Do I Raise This as a Subject Today?
I am often acknowledged for the degree to which I support and pay forward the services of others. Always fascinates me for I believe it’s my responsibility to share what I know can make a difference for others. (As a generalization: Why do others I wonder not feel the same level of responsibility to do the same; (as in send the elevator back down)). Quite literally in 30+ years of operation there is rarely a day where I am not connecting someone with someone. It’s like breath for me. What saddens me is that this is not the norm! If more leaders, more business owners operated from a connected state, in abundance consciousness what could be possible in the business realm globally? Heaven help us what could be possible if this concept was adopted by those in the political realm????
I recently posted Elon Musk’s post/jpeg which stated ‘Instead of baby showers (I would have preferred he said ‘As well as’ baby showers let’s host ‘business showers’. When a friend starts a business, we all come together, celebrate them and bring resources for their business start’. This post got 17,000 likes recently – it obviously resonated. EVERYONE deserves to be supported PERIOD!
Co-opetition in my context also is about co-operating with others for mutual benefit. Apply this context to what I term ‘proactive networking’. Few know how to truly network for they are pre-occupied with whats in it for them – I abide 1000% by Zig Ziglar’s ethos of ‘You Will Get All You Want In Life If You Help Enough Other People Get What They Want!”.
I stand for conscious leaders embracing the concept of co-opetition in the non-linear context from which I speak. I outline below my top 12 recommendations to assist you with what could be possible for you and your business/organization.
Top 12 Recommendations
1. PROACTIVITY
Be proactive EVERYDAY to introduce someone from your network to someone else in your network, it only takes a few minutes and the more you do this the more you are demonstrating to the universe that you are worthy of receiving.
2. GRATITUDE
Be grateful EVERYDAY for what you have and get a conscience – give more and you will receive more. There is always someone worse off than you! Operate from a state of ‘gratitude’ and watch your world transform.
3. SIMPLICITY
Do something EVERYDAY that hones your message – Make it easy for people to refer you – know your USP, know your WHY, know what your needs are, know your avatar, know the demographic you target – be BOLD! Be a demand!
4. ACTIVITY
Take action EVERYDAY to forward your game. The more activity you generate the higher the probability of return. If you do not plant seeds EVERYDAY you cannot harvest!
5. LISTEN
EVERYDAY learn to listen more and talk less, you will be amazed what you hear. When you connect with a referral or potential prospect STOP talking and START listening and you will hear ‘what’s NOT said’. Focus MORE on what they need and the more you can assist them with what they need by osmosis they will want to help you get what you need.
6. SELFLESS
Come from nothing – EVERYDAY in EVERY meeting come from nothing – do not go in with a pre-conceived outcome – dance more, allow the magic in the unknown to play out – do not get me wrong, having clear intentions is critically important BUT not to the deficit of mutual exchange.
7. ABUNDANCE
EVERYDAY do something to learn how to transition from ‘scarcity consciousness’ and operate more from an ‘abundance consciousness’. There is enough for everyone if you believe that. Beliefs run EVERYTHING.
8. STRETCH
EVERYDAY push the boundaries on what is perceived as ‘comfortable’. Stretch your current thinking. Explore what could be possible if you focused less on you and focused more on others. Go out of your way to make a difference for others in all areas of your life, with your respective intimate partners, with your kids, with your fellow work colleagues, with your executive team, with your staff, with complete strangers!
9. CURIOSITY
EVERYDAY become more curious about how you can help your fellow man. The direct benefit of this is that you STOP worrying about what is wrong in your world and find evidence for the power of making a difference in another’s life!
10. RECEIVE
EVERYDAY learn how to receive, I for example am a ‘vehement giver’ and in the past if I did not monitor this behaviour it could have verged on ‘martyrdom’. If you do not demonstrate to the universe that you are worthy of receiving ‘EVERYDAY’, I am here to tell you, you will not receive. If you are so self obsessed worrying about what the competitors are doing that energy is a repellent energetically. Watch that the pendulum does not swing too far out of balance!
11. HELP
EVERYDAY train yourself to ask for help, allow contribution and make requests of people. The more you allow people to support you the more you are teaching the universe that you are worthy of receiving and you will receive more. This at times can make the majority of people feel uncomfortable – GREAT I say for the more uncomfortable the action the more abundant the reward.
12. FAITH
EVERYDAY cultivate your co-creative ability in alignment with your faith – whatever that is for you – I am not interested in what you call it, higher power, universal force, collective consciousness, god, all I am interested in is people/leaders tapping in to the limitless resource available to you EVERYDAY and all you have to do is tap into it! If you are vacuuming and you have not plugged it in and turned it on it is a bit tricky!!!! To access the electricity you have to plug into the energy source!
I will continue EVERYDAY to pay forward connections, resources, knowledge, wisdom for I believe it’s my responsibility to honour the gifts that I have been given. It’s important to ‘send the elevator back down’ daily! What could be possible for you in your life, personally and professionally if you chose to buy into the non-linear concept of ‘co-opetition’ I speak about today?
