I love random and unplanned conversations because I always bring home some unexpected insights, questions or reflections.
Like yesterday, I found myself talking about the IT world. A world that seems so far from me now, even if I was part of it only a few years ago. We started by sharing stories that helped us create common ground, where we recognized each other. From there, the conversation took an unexpected turn into the intricacies of human beings and their relationships. We then realized that we spent a life convincing ourselves that knowing more meant creating a competitive advantage.
And to be honest, it is if you are driven by a competitive mindset.
We may all get to a point in life where we know more about something than the people around us. A lot more or just a little, it doesn't matter. And it doesn't matter how you get that knowledge. It may be the result of your studies or just life experience.
What truly matters is how you use that knowledge.
You can exploit it to rise above others, beat the competition and get to the top. Or you can share it to elevate the others so you all win together.
While the first kind of people are the ones we celebrate, the second ones are the ones we remember.
Innovation is not about getting there first; it is about getting everyone there.