1…. An eye for an eye and the whole world would be blind… the need of the hour is to shun our differences and come together. Black and White is all good but go beyond the feral instinct and recognize that every right and every wrong is not in isolation. Respect the grays, read between the lines, understand your customer, build products that evolve with feedback… don’t just shove what we are selling down the customers throat….. for after all a Zebra also believes in adapting to change and end of the day survival is about embracing the gradients between the black and white..
2…. All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; in a troupe as we are it is most essential that we move in cohesion…. much as like when in battle a well oiled unit moves together and not separately. Be unique but be unique together. There is much to gain from keeping the collective competitiveness and caliber high and much to lose in falling behind. Strive harder to stay together for together we can ride the waves better than individually. After all what’s the joy in a victory if the troops have been decimated.
3…. Diversity is the cornerstone of innovation, surrounding oneself with like minded people is a clever ploy of the weak, it is the true leader who takes along a heterogeneous team. Familiarity after all breeds contempt, contempt is the root of acrimony and acrimony extinguishes creativity. Innovation dies when you stop learning and what would you learn from being in the midst of all like minded people they after all are the same as you in thought, range and ability. Being a social animal was never the design specification for humankind. Survival depended on doing rather than tweeting, Facebooking, instagraming about it. Be social but within reasonable limits, let it not become a demand on your time to such an extent that innovation and reflection take a back seat and blind following of the trend of the day becomes the most important agenda of the day. Think more, listen more, talk less.
4…. To go with the tide and be declared a loyalist is easy what is difficult is to ride against the flow. It is often a thankless battle while it lasts but loyalty is proven by challenging the populist point of view and defeating it in the course of time. Yes men have more often proven to be the crowd that cheers a naked king while the real loyalist is one who has the gumption to stand up and say it like it is. It takes courage to do so but if you really want progress for yourself and your team always question always analyze. For what good is intelligence and wisdom if you keep sacrificing your individuality at the altar of loyalty. Actionable Intelligence is worth dirt in the absence of action and action can spring forth only from the rich soil of freedom of expression and debate.
5…. When in a team the most important job you have as a member is to carry everyone with you. No man left behind is the Israeli armys’ most revered tenet. They are acknowledged as the best soldiers in the world by far. So much so that they train soldiers of multiple allies and impart this golden rule. Watch your team mates back it ensures you have a team mate to watch your back. Survival relies completely and solely on carrying each other over the line. Individual achievement has no significant scope in a team activity and at work it is all teamwork without any exception. So always look for ways to lighten each others load for a team that travels light goes far.