So there’s the value that we can add to people and our world.
Our contribution.
What we have to offer.
Then there’s the value that others want.
What they – as individuals or organisations – are seeking out and have decided is valuable to them.
Economically, it comes down to value supplied (by us) and value demanded (by others). There’s a whole tangent here related to putting a price on this value we offer, but that’s a separate rabbit hole.
I often think in nerdy maths diagrams about all of this stuff, and in this case… it’s the good old Venn diagram!
This first diagram flows from yesterday’s post about unique value add. Most of us have the potential to work in hundreds or thousands of jobs. But there are very few if any we could say we’re in a unique position to do.
Same goes for relationships, friendships and connections… of all the people we have the potential to spend time with, how many would say we play a unique, almost irreplaceable, role in their lives?
This brings us to partnerships, which can range from non-existent, to weak, to mediocre, to strong, all the way to flourishing.
Let’s assign a new dotted circle to the value this partner (again, it could either be an individual or an organisation) is seeking out. Obviously there are seemingly infinite partners out there of varied sizes, but for now we’ll keep it simple and consider just one.
In the above situation, there is zero value exchange because there is no intersection between the value they seek and the value we offer.
A company we aren’t qualified to work for. Someone we can’t connect with for whatever reason. A store we don’t want to buy from.
However, once there is at least some intersection and the circles begin to overlap, a partnership is established.
When their circle starts to significantly overlap with ours, we’re making a significant contribution to their journey, and our partner really values us.
But how does this leave us feeling about our contribution?
With limited time, energy and attention, and a zillion other circles floating around demanding our time, energy and attention, would the strongest partnerships for our world exist when we begin to provide what we believe is our unique value?
The greater the intersection of these circles, the more we experience the kind of relationships and vocations we’re uniquely here to give ourselves to.
Is this the place where we experience that new buzzword flow?
Or is it more connected to selflessness? A giving of ourselves in unique ways regardless of what we think, feel or receive in return.
Or is is it flow and selflessness?
After writing this, i’m even more curious about the intersection of flow and selflessness. And how does one’s ego fit into it all?
Fascinating!
More tomorrow.
Potentially Kinetic 