Alone, by Maya Angelou

Lying, thinking
Last night
How to find my soul a home
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I came up with one thing
And I don’t believe I’m wrong
That nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

There are some millionaires
With money they can’t use
Their wives run round like banshees
Their children sing the blues
They’ve got expensive doctors
To cure their hearts of stone.
But nobody
No, nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Now if you listen closely
I’ll tell you what I know
Storm clouds are gathering
The wind is gonna blow
The race of man is suffering
And I can hear the moan,
‘Cause nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

No matter how you cut it, we need one another. This is not a new phenomenon, neither is the need likely to become extinct with the passage of time. The need for collaboration, for complementation, is here to stay.

This need is present at every level of society and in every level of organization. No matter if rich or poor, family or nation, young or old, complementation allows for the best use of resources as it unlocks resources that would be otherwise withheld in an untrusting, dog-eat-dog, isolationist and protectionist world. No one can deny the many advances that have come at the hand of the actors in a competitive environment, but even more impressive is the revelation of what is possible when otherwise competitive actors collaborate.

Take the rescue of the Chilean miners, for example. Were it not for the competitive forces of a relatively free market, the drill bit that was loaned to the Chileans by the American private company that developed it might not have been available. Without the recognition of the need to put competition aside for a moment and share technology, the available technology might not have made its way into the right hands. I suppose the challenge is in developing the sensitivity to know when competition is best and when collaboration is most fitting.

My company is one actor among many in the health care industry. Making the world a better and healthier place is our primary goal, and more often than not we find ourselves sharing and contributing in ways that are perhaps better described as collaboration than competition. We value transparency, synergistic relationships, the sharing of ideas and experience and our emphasis in all matters is to add value.

Early in my professional career I worked in the financial services industry and I recall how shocking it was to see co-workers undermine one another in the spirit of competition. It was an unhealthy environment and those who participated were clearly suffering and I could hear the moan. That personal experience gave me an item for my “To Not Do” list, one that has remained in the top ten ever since.

Competition, the drive to give your best, is healthy. When integrity is compromised, however, competition quickly turns ugly. Look at any race for political office, the shady business of bringing new pharmaceutical drugs to market or the shocking things young actors and musicians are forced to do to promote themselves and generate sales.

One of my great hopes is that we can find the ways to rebuild a foundation of integrity in the body of humanity in a way that competition can once again be healthy. The recognition that no man, family or nation is complete unto itself is a starting point, but we must look to foster the spirit of collaboration in every sphere of human activity if we are to disperse the storm clouds described by Ms. Angelou.

Together, all together
All, yes all
Can make it out here together.