The 12 C’s of the Cooperation Cycle
Living together is not the same as being together. It takes an array of finite skills to join hands and collectively achieve our goals. A cooperation Cycle is completed when the 12 C’s come together with an additional six C’s.
Cooperation is the
ultimate answer to interactive problems and a major skill that enhances interaction skills. It is essential for thriving in society,
especially when complicated tasks are to be achieved.
It becomes essential to
tweak our individual goals to suit the common purpose. All the “I” becomes part
of “WE”. The collective goal becomes the primary concern rather than personal goals.
Group Norms should be adhered to at any cost. Individual
wants and desires have no place here unless they are on par with those of others.
Implicit acceptance of a combined effort is the rule. Who does what, and how
much makes very little difference.
Dependence and
independence are both detrimental to collective growth. They both are extreme
features of individuals that do not work to fulfill a common goal. The answer
lies in interdependence with a give-and-take relationship.
Give what you have more
of and take what you have less of. How much you give and who you give it to,
should not be measured. One may give more and another person may take more. Personal
contribution becomes an inherent aspect of cooperative behavior and not an
exception.
All links and joints
hold the interaction together just like a chain holding each of the
links and just like a body holding all the bones. Anything that goes wrong
anywhere affects the whole system and hence, the importance given to a single
individual does not exist. As the proverb goes, “the chain is as strong as its
weakest link”.
Support systems should be systematically connected
and organized. During the cooperation, when every member of the group knows
their roles and responsibilities, it becomes easier for the group to function
as a single unit. The lesser the interference from the members the smoother the
implementation.
Quality of effort is more important than quantity of
effort. It is always better to include everyone in the group irrespective of
their contribution. The value the member receives does not change despite the
role the individual plays.
All those in the group
must have and show concern for the other members. Someone’s loss is everyone’s
loss and similarly, someone’s gain is everyone’s gain.
The depth of involvement
may vary but the width of involvement in cooperation remains the same.
For instance, the group could be as small an institution as a marriage where
husband and wife interact with each other, or it could be as large as an
organization like a company where there could be thousands of employees. In both
these, the amount of time and energy a person invests in cooperating with
other/s is the same.
Caring and sharing are the two gems of working
together. A lot of caring and sharing happens among the members. The sharing
could be materialistic or non-materialistic. Similarly, the caring could be
physical or psychosocial.
Caring for the weaker
and needier and sharing your goals and responsibilities with others become the
hallmark of cooperation. Reciprocate with each other through thought, word, or
deed. Show compassion and conciliation with the others in the group.
Competition and
comparison work against cooperation. Irrespective of one’s contribution to the cause of
the group, the fruits of labor have to be equally distributed among the members.
I am always right, let’s
do it my way, and my idea is better. These utterances interfere with the team
spirit and split the group. Both attack and withdrawal come in the way of effective
team performance.
Compromise and
negotiation
create a comfortable platform for cooperation. Cooperate and flourish, else perish
has to be the new mantra. Listening, encouraging, taking turns, and doing your
part form the circle of cooperation.
Mantra on
cooperation
It takes a
lot of courage to help others
Greater
courage is needed to seek help from others
There are signs of a lack of cooperation.
When a husband and wife quarrel frequently, they are telling each other that
they can’t cooperate. When parents shout at their children or vice versa, their
message is loud and clear that they haven’t learned to cooperate.
Relatives and friends
fight with each other because they haven’t understood the power of compromise. Everyone
feels that the other person should cooperate with ‘me’. Why can’t we feel that
the other person is also expecting the same from us?
Coming together is not
unidirectional with giving or taking but bi-directional with giving and
taking. Take from someone who has more and give something you have more to
someone else who has less of it. It is always wiser to first learn the skills
of cooperation before forming a group and start working together.
Complement others for their effort and focus. Keep
the communication channels always open. Use Collective Thinking, Collective
Decision Making, and Collective Problem Solving. Exchange ideas, values, and purposes
that are beneficial to the group.
The learning of
cooperation need not have to be structured and methodical. It is an implicit
understanding of how to get things done and move ahead.
Do not use pull or push
tactics when working together. Do not manipulate others to suit your ideas. Do
not take criticism personally and do not put yourself before others. Appreciate
others’ efforts and include others’ ideas.
Manage your ego by
minimizing egoistic behavior. Show kindness in thoughts, deeds, emotions, and
perception.
The following are the
six C’s that are important for cooperation.
Concur with others when necessary and let
not the discord hamper the collective goals.
Conjoin effectively with the members to get
the job done and exchange expertise.
Conform to the rules and regulations of the
group by accepting the mores and taboos that are instituted.
Compassion for the weaker members of the group
goes a long way in binding the members together.
Conciliation should be the goal of the group
rather than hoarding differences of opinion.
Consideration of others’ wants and needs gets a
priority over selfish gains.
Collective decisions are powerful energizers
of a cooperative enterprise.
The 12 C’s coming together in
cooperation is as follows.
- Collaborate
- Coordinate
- Communicate
- Complement
- Conducive
- Cohesive
- Correspond
- Collective
- Contribute
- Compromise
- Combine
- Commonality
Let us all make a list of events
that personifies and amplifies cooperation skills like Kumbh Mela, the distribution
of lunch by Dabbawalla of Mumbai, Pilgrimages like Sabarimala that sees 40 to
50 million every year, etc.
TOGETHER IS THE KEYWORD
What are 64 NAVA VIDYA or 64 NewSkills?
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