Building bridges

THOUGHT

WE SHOULD BE BUILDING MORE BRIDGES & LESS WALLS

COMMENT

IT IS OFTEN SAID THAT BUSINESSES WORK IN SILOS I.E. AN INTROVERTED OR PAROCHIAL APPROACH RATHER THAN AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH (IS ADOPTED). I BELIEVE THE ESSENCE OF THIS MIND SET IS THE FEAR OF SHARING & IN THE PROCESS OF THEN LOSING YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (‘IP’). DURING DISCUSSION/NEGOTIATION INVISIBLE WALLS ARE RAISED & THE PARTIES ARE HAPPY TO CARRY ON THE CONVERSATION BUT NOT WILLING TO SHARE THE ‘NITTY GRITTY’ OF THE IP. RATHER THAN RAISE A WALL, I FEEL AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH SHOULD BE ADVOCATED I.E. EACH PARTY SHOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE HIS/HER IP TO THEIR MUTUAL BENEFIT BY MEANS OF A ‘MENTAL BRIDGE’ BUT PROTECTION OF SHARED IP IS STILL POSSIBLE IF EACH IDENTIFIES THEIR IP, AGREE ON A SHARING METHODOLOGY & AN EXIT STRATEGY WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP COMES TO AN END – IT MEANS EACH PARTY’S IP IS RING-FENCED BUT THERE ARE CLEAR ‘RULES OF THE SHARING/USING GAME’.