Many of the organizations I have worked with are, in some way or other, a cooperative or collaborative. These are people, and their organizations, that have come together in cooperation to create something that is more than they could be on their own. However, cooperation requires some degree of sacrifice of independence and individualism. The way an organization manages the tension between cooperation and individualism is often characterised by culture. Not that long ago, I found myself quoting the Three Musketeers – “All for One and One for All”. At the time, it seemed a simple, universally familiar, way of expressing the path to maintain a positive, cooperative culture. Then I was reminded of a motto from my days at summer camp – “The Best of Each for the Good of All”. This seems a better, if somewhat more complicated, motto for cooperative work. I like the idea that, in a cooperative environment, everyone brings their best ideas and efforts to benefit everyone. A cooperative that respects individuals for bringing their best to the table creates a positive culture that will find a successful balance between cooperation and individualism.
