Saturday, February 10, 2007

Success Doesn't Happen In Isolation

There was a farmer who grew superior quality and award-winning corn.

Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won honor andprizes.One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learnt somethinginteresting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmershared his seed corn with his neighbors'.

"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors whenthey are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporterasked.

"Why sir, "said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field.

If my neighbors growinferior, sub-standard and poor quality corn, cross-pollination willsteadily degrade the quality of my corn.If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."

The farmer gave a superb insight into the connectedness of life. His corncannot improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves. So it is in theother dimensions! Those who choose to be at harmony must help theirneighbors and colleagues to be at peace. Those who choose to live well musthelp others to live well.

The value of a life is measured by the lives it touches.

Success does not happen in isolation. It is very often a participativeand collective process. So share the good practices, ideas, new learning'swith your family, team members, neighboursand friends.

Contributed by:
Ravindran T Menon.