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Crabs and Climbers

Notes to my future me

Crabs and Climbers

This week I adressed an 'inconvenient truth' at work. Disclaimer: I have a huge part in it.

I give the blame for all to the fact that I easily subscribe to 'Crab-Mentality'. That one is quickly explained: Imagine a bucket full of living crabs. Cooperative crabs could easily escape their captivity: They would help each other to overcome their bucket-prison - piece of cake. Lots of resourceful crabs would create a climbing-crew and release each and every one into freedom - no one is left behind.

Crabs

Instead something different happens. The crabs pull each other down and hinder any crab to escape successfully. "If I can't have it, nobody can." is the motto. The result is well known: everyone is worse off, or more specifically: in the end all crabs end up as a yummy dish.

Climbers

The -more constructive- opposite of the crab mentality is the climbers' mindset. It is pro cooperation and its purpose is to improve systems, processes and organisations. In the end everyone benefits. However switching from one mode into the other is tricky and demands at least two preconditions: awareness and consequence.

The Challenge

I often struggle with awareness already. Diagnosing crab-mentality and a short-sightedness in other people's decisions and acting I find mostly the least of a challenge - however not so much considering myself. My go-to-question for clarity and awareness therefore is:

"Does this improve the system or do you serve an alternative motive?"

Even in case I have managed to change my perspective, the second end-boss is already lurking around the corner: consequence in action. Am I really ready and willing to admit my own mistake/fallacy and clear the air to move in a new, more productive direction? Even when I have invested so much already? At this point my future-me is a decisive helper. If my future me could control my actions, how would it decide in my stead? Most of the times this gives me the nudge to move into the right direction - not only see, but really to follow up and act. Always pro climbers, always for the better solution for everyone.

What mistaken thinking, error in judgement or fallacy is your end-boss? What is your secret formula to overcome it?


Happy Easter!


#crabsandclimbers #mistakenthinking #notestomyfutureme







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