Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Rules and Rebels....

We start something and learn from it. We get better. We practice. We work on making it sustainable. We're happy with what we've accomplished. So we make rules. We develop guidelines. We create frameworks. We settle for a predictable process. We measure. We analyze. We improve again. Someday, the process becomes a mundane habit for many of those at the heart of it all. It has reached its maturity. Then, all of a sudden, the surroundings change...the people change, their needs change. But what do we discover? All this while, there was a set of people that was never really comfortable...and hadn't adopted the process in reality. They're still complaining. They're still resisting the change. And then, on the other hand, there is a new set of people who want to get rid of the old and start their own thing or at least change the existing set of rules in preparation for a new 'world'. Society swings between these two sets of people. Always. Between the old and the new. Be it organizations, be it generations, be it technology, be it solutions...be it emotions! Will these two sets of people ever come together and be forced to speak in a common language? Perceptions are different...experiences are different...and the stakes are different. Where is the room for commonality? Well, we need to start somewhere if we want to avoid the see-saw....how about starting with genuine conversations and tolerance?

6 comments:

InConvincible said...

Hi Nimmy !

Excellent post, i must say !

Well i think that the two sets of people can only come closer and speak a same language if they communicate.
Now communication is a bilateral process. Both speaking and listening are equally important.
As far as i am concerned, i feel that to get any job, the discussion should be like, either I will make you understand my ways, or You make me understand yours.

I really really admire this post, its very simple, yet so detailed !

Nimmy said...

Hello R.K

Thanks for the appreciation! To be honest, I never really thought anyone would comment on this post as I was under the impression that I was simply rambling and I also thought I was quite inarticulate in my rambling! :-)

Ashish Surana said...

hey,

Nice post and very well written, my take would be, dnt change anything, let the difference be there and just accept it; more importantly respect the difference and learn from each other.

Keep blogging

Nimmy said...

Thanks a lot, Ashish! Appreciate it. I think it's beautiful to accept differences! Well said!

When it gets difficult is when you have a goal and that goal calls for bringing people together! That's when it becomes important to not just respect the differences but take another step forward and see if we can learn from each other and close "false' differences and gaps. This is what will allow us to pursue activities that call for collaboration! :-)

Kaber Vasuki said...

You won't believe it, I was thinking along similar lines for a long time. I was thinking how hard it would be for any organization to work at all because of these specific reasons.

Excellent observation. :)

Kaber

Nimmy said...

Hey Kaber,
Thanks for leaving a comment! :-) Happy to know I have company! Collective rambling can be an amusing experience! :-P