A Formidable Force

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200 words, Alberta, Calgary, Canada, collaboration, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, mission, passion, Purpose, teamwork, together, vision, world issues

Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together. – Vesta Kelly

A SINGLE SNOWFLAKE is very fragile.

When I catch it on my finger, or with my tongue, it melts quickly, way before I can even fully appreciate its beauty.

Having lived my entire life in Canada, I can tell you that when thousands or millions of snowflakes join together it takes a concerted effort to keep sidewalks and roads clear enough to allow traffic to move freely from point A to point B.

When those individual snowflakes connect, they are a formidable force!

Recently, I saw an ad for an upcoming episode of a superhero show. The scene went something like this:

A group of superheroes discuss a common enemy.

One says, “I’m not strong enough to overcome him!”

“None of us are strong enough alone. But together we can defeat him,” says their leader.

Most of us aren’t trying to defeat an enemy. But maybe we are working to accomplish something important. Something that would make the world a better place. Something that would have a better chance if we work together.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

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How To Destroy Your Enemies

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200 words, building community, collaboration, common ground, common sense, compassion, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, enemy, Fear, friend, health, integrity, love, peace, war, working together

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them? – Abe Lincoln

How To Destroy Your Enemies

1. You could dig up dirt on them and leak it to the public
2. You could study them to determine their weaknesses and chip away at them until they break under the pressure
3. You could study them to determine what/who they love and cut them off from it/them
4. You could gather data to prove that they are wrong about something and discredit them
5. You could bear false witness against them, thereby inviting the unjustified wrath of others
6. You could harm them in some way and render them useless
7. Or you could enter into a conversation with them to find out what you have in common and take it from there…

Often when disagreements surface, we feel we must clobber down those who work against us and their ideas.

We’re afraid if we don’t, we won’t get our way.

We want to win.

If we really want to win, we should start where we agree and work forward from there. And if we’re really lucky, the end result will be better than either side could have imagined alone.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Beyond the dividing line

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200 words, accountability, Airdrie, Alberta, Calgary, collaboration, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, greater good, understanding, working together

Sunlight bursting through the storm

Our mind is capable of passing beyond the dividing line we have drawn for it. Beyond the pairs of opposites of which the world consists, other, new insights begin. – Hermann Hesse

Above, my view on Friday.

Just before, it was 27c/81f degrees. And when the second storm cell came in it was 12c/54f.

It’s supposed to be hot and dry.

What’s with this sudden storm?

Oh but it was powerful.

And I couldn’t help being in awe of it.

And when the sun broke through it brought the rainbow.

That’s Alberta for you. The calendar tells you it’s summer,  but nature tells you different.

This got me thinking about negotiations where opposing sides each feel strongly about their position.

It creates a dividing line.

It can get ugly.

I’ve also witnessed the beauty that transpires when both sides start from where they agree.

The outcome often surpasses the hopes of both sides.

Things don’t always go our way.  

But if we can reach beyond the dividing line, 

just as rain and sunlight bring the promise of the rainbow,

mutual understanding may bring new insights…

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

 

 

A Lesson from Star Trek

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200 words, caring, collaboration, community, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, hatred, integrity, love, power, Relationships, survive, thrive, true to yourself, trust, values, world issues

There’s another way to survive. Mutual trust…and help.   ~  Captain Kirk in ‘Day of the Dove’

Kirk laughs with McCoy and Kang, and the alien eventually departs.

In the ‘Day of the Dove’  Star Trek episode, Kirk and his crew find themselves in an intense battle with the Klingons.

Each side suspects the other of sabotage.

The more they fight, the more their hatred grows, all the while they unwittingly give up who they intrinsically are; feeding an alien entity exactly what it needs to grow stronger.

The stronger the alien becomes, the more it is able to cause dissention between them.

Eventually, they figure out what is going on and cease their warring. The alien (Hatred) loses its power and hope for mutual trust is restored.

Sometimes we find ourselves fighting so hard against something that we forget what it is we stand for.

If we clue in to what is really going on and strive to work together, we too can find common ground and build trust, not only surviving, but actually thriving.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

 Can you think of a situation that would benefit if you shift your approach?

The ‘I’m Right and You’re wrong’ Mindset

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believe, caring, collaboration, community, courage, environment, health, integrity, mission, natural resources, passion, Purpose, working together, world issues

When I think about the tensions between companies that harvest natural resources and groups who want to protect our environment, I am saddened that both sides often get stuck in an ‘I’m right and you’re wrong’ mindset.

Instead of hitting heads where we disagree; often resulting in the end of any discussion or collaboration at all, why can’t we start from a place of common values and build on them together?

This video illustrates what we may face if we can’t work together.

 We need to find a way to work together.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

What can we do as individuals to encourage open dialogue in situations where two parties have stopped talking?

Related posts: For the Greatest Good and Is being right, always right?