{"id":655,"date":"2011-04-25T09:10:00","date_gmt":"2011-04-25T16:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tigers-den.com\/?p=343"},"modified":"2011-04-25T09:10:00","modified_gmt":"2011-04-25T16:10:00","slug":"interdependence-if-we-win-i-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/2011\/04\/25\/interdependence-if-we-win-i-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Interdependence: \u201dIf we win I win\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
\nCopyright\u00a0 (c) TIGERS Success Series<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

By Dianne Crampton<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

I am often asked what the difference is between a group of people, called a team in an internally\u00a0competitive culture, and a team in a true team culture. The short answer is that in a true team\u00a0culture, people are interdependent. They understand that when the group wins they win so the\u00a0focus is on collective success and the welfare of the group rather than individual achievement.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the long answer.<\/p>\n

Developmental psychologists describe interdependence as the third of four human development\u00a0stages and the launching pad from which ethical, quality focused, loyal, service oriented and\u00a0successful group relationships are formed. It is the stage where the concept if we win, I win is the\u00a0standard and where group-centered thinking rather than self-centered thinking thrives.<\/p>\n

The two earlier human development stages are dependence (stage one) and independence (stage two). The fourth stage, after interdependence, embraces global consciousness and world\u00a0view.<\/p>\n

The dependent stage relies on others for support, needs gratification and success. The thinking\u00a0process associated with this state is needs-based and narcissistic. This means that people are\u00a0unable to think about themselves (to self reflect) beyond getting their own needs satisfied. The\u00a0capacity for self-reflective awareness doesn\u2019t exist yet, so the world is seen as an extension of\u00a0self.<\/p>\n

Because the distinction between me and not-me is still fuzzy, the narcissist is unable to take\u00a0the perspective of another person. This means that when a need is desired it must be granted\u00a0regardless of where that need stacks along side the needs of others. This is a reasonable\u00a0perspective for young children, but not for adults. Instead of if we win I win, the thought process is\u00a0you provide for me — It\u2019s your fault if I fail.<\/p>\n

The independent stage matures from dependence. This stage can also be narcissistic but people\u00a0learn to satisfy their own needs and become accountable for their own decisions and subsequent\u00a0consequences \u2013 good and bad.<\/p>\n

Children who are raised by emotionally healthy parents or who have affective mentors learn to\u00a0gradually become more accountable for their actions and consequences, to establish goals, to\u00a0make decisions that serve their goals, to develop morality, and to understand how what they do\u00a0impacts others. Instead of the thought process, if we win I win, the process is I win. This means\u00a0that power struggles often erupt among independent people who must win and expect others\u00a0to accommodate or compromise resulting in a focus that is competitive and in some instances\u00a0combative.<\/p>\n

To mature into interdependence, developmental psychologists suggest that the two previous\u00a0stages must be complete. If group members are still narcissistic and feeling entitled to having\u00a0their needs met \u2013 now \u2013 then dependence exists. If highly competitive group members are butting\u00a0heads or secretly laying the groundwork to beat other team members to rewards or resources,\u00a0the talented and more interdependent group members will leave the group. This is because as\u00a0a person moves to higher levels of mental maturation, the focus moves more and more to what\u00a0can be done for others, rather than what one gets for oneself. The bottom line is that talented\u00a0interdependent thinking group members move on to greener pastures because competitive work\u00a0environments are less safe. To mentor another group member to success could result in one\u2019s\u00a0own position being threatened.<\/p>\n

Abraham Maslow, for example described the other-oriented perspective as self actualized, which is higher on the needs continuum than groveling for resources. This is why organizations\u00a0where groveling for resources and vying for positions is the norm have problems pulling together\u00a0healthy, high functioning teams and collaborative leadership. In order to anchor interdependence,\u00a0other levels of need fulfillment must first be met which include physiological safety, love\/belonging\/social needs, esteem, and cognitive opportunities to learn and grow.<\/p>\n

Therefore, interdependence which forms a foundation for healthy group dynamics, is required in\u00a0today\u2019s information age where group-centered processes call upon higher levels of relating than\u00a0what was expected of employees during the industrial age. Now that team skills are expected of\u00a0college-bound students graduating from many high schools, more young adults are entering the\u00a0workforce with interdependent skill sets and subsequent expectations.<\/p>\n

For example, an article recently appeared in the Bend, Oregon Bulletin highlighting Amity Creek\u00a0Magnet school\u2019s holiday youth talent show, which is produced and directed by grade school\u00a0students. The decade old school annually produces a youth talent show as an alternative to a\u00a0holiday school pageant. Principle Carol Hammett explains, \u201cIt isn\u2019t really about the performances\u00a0but the skills, like cooperation, collaboration and learning to give a little.\u201d In this example,\u00a0interdependent thinking is being introduced to grade school students.<\/p>\n

Interdependence relies on sharing, service, openness, acceptance, respect, support, and wholeness. It means that two or more people appreciate and rely on one another\u2019s strengths\u00a0and are mutually responsible for personal limitations. Accordingly, people must be willing to be\u00a0self-reflective and accountable for their relationship and work actions. This is where TIGERS\u00a0executive and team coaching has helped motivated leaders and teams achieve high levels of\u00a0success with interdependence securely anchored in the workplace.<\/p>\n

TIGERS Success Series is currently hosting a series of complimentary webinars based on building Interdependence at the forming level of group dynamics. To register and receive previously recorded 30 minute sessions click here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interdependence is the collaborative principle that encourages workforce cooperation. It is essential for the forming level of group dynamics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26,27,28],"tags":[236,237,13,238,60],"class_list":["post-655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-team-cultures","category-teambuildingsuccessnow","category-tigers-among-us","tag-competition","tag-cooperative-values-collaboration","tag-interdependence","tag-team-cooperation","tag-team-culture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/655\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}