Yesterday, I received a wonderful gift from a friend, a new perspective on how I approach work. I didn't even know I needed it until I received it in our conversation.
Such is the power of conversations. I keep receiving gifts in the forms of ideas, new thoughts, insights.
This particular gift is realizing that there is a profound difference in working "with" instead of "for" others.
When I work for someone, the relationship is purely transactional. I give you something - knowledge, experience, services, time and so on - and you reciprocate with something else, usually money.
When I work with someone, however, we become partners in realizing a shared vision. The common goal is to make an impact that we both feel is important. To do so, we cooperate, bringing what we have in the endeavour.
This perspective changes everything for me. When I'm working with you, I am fully invested in the outcome. We are going to get there together because it's important for both of us. It is not your goal; it is ours.
To achieve that, we both bring in the relationship the resources that we have. That includes money.
But it's not transactional.
You're not giving anything to me, and I'm not giving anything to you in exchange. We are both investing in a shared vision.
That's what I want to do.
I love to work with others.
Do you want to work with me?