Working Knowledge

The Aja Mountains Newsletter
Issue 2- Volume I

Working Knowledge Series: Grow or Die by Sam El-Shazly*

	The world is changing, business is changing, yesterday’s assumptions have to be re-visited, the new world requires a new set of tools, a new set of skills, where sameness is to be minimized and diversity is to be maximized
Human beings grow and develop within three stage pattern; based on the classical theory of “Grow or Die” (George Land, 1973). The 1^st is what is known by Accretion, the focus of this stage is on the growth and development of the single individual who is looking for food, love and security to survive. This stage extends from birth to eight lessons; the 2^nd stage is known by the stage of Replication, this stage focuses on joining with other elements as nearly and as likely as the original element- bacteria does this by splitting in two; Aspen trees do this by sending a new Aspen tree, our children do this by becoming teenagers.
In the stage of replication, sameness is maximized; so our children form groups and clubs; they talk alike, dress alike and act alike. This stage carries some advantages where the group can accomplish things you can not accomplish alone no matter how strong or talented you are. Your personal existence is validated by others who choose to be with you since every one talks alike and thinks alike it is easier to communicate. Finally the level of similarity within the group increases the level of predictability therefore surprises are very rare. The stage of Replication also carries lots of risks where a homogenous society is very vulnerable for any single threat, if an organization or a society lacks diversity in its people; imagine the great vulnerability it faces with just a single threat. In an environment of sameness, it is almost impossible to be innovative as the saying goes “The nail that sticks out, get hammered down”. Any system, Biological, Cultural, organizational based on sameness, similarity, homogeneity or purity, leads to stagnation and stagnation to collapse, not the type of system on which you build along term future. To reach a much more promising future, we have to follow the path of differences, the path of diversity. Such future has the capacity to sustain, not only for decades, but for centuries, even millennium. High diverse system is more capable of dealing with large scale shock, and recovers from any damage faster. High diverse system, utilizes the available resources much better that simple or homogenous one. High diverse system creates healthier culture in the long run and is considered to be much more productive; this type of diversified system is more stable, it involves much higher predictability over wide variety of changes representing the challenge of the twenty first century. The 3^rd stage of growth is what is known by Mutualism, where diversity is maximized and where the focus is on forming endless number of combinations based on differences. Between those series of combinations we can choose the appropriate solution to deal with problems and to access opportunities in our complex world of change. Managers, Leaders of the new world have to learn to manage the future, working and living with different people from different backgrounds, from different culture; we should be able to sing the new song and to teach ourselves the lesson of diversity. Singapore had taught the world this lesson before as well as the United State who had achieved a great deal of success based on diversity. The world of diversity is a world built on mutual respect and understanding, it is the world of innovation where the sum of our creativity is equal to wealth. The world of diversity is a colored world where we are able to build on our differences and to cooperate for a better future. Here we are confronting a very important choice, one which is so important that it will help to determine the direction of the twenty first century. The question of the twenty first century is the question of diversity, the ability to be a member of the team, to be an added value for the group, to be able to appreciate all advances that diversity can bring, to minimize sameness and to maximize diversity. The question of the twenty first century is not any more to like or dislike, to do or not to do, it is the question of to be or not to be, To Grow or Die! References: 1- Land G., (1973) Grow or Die, USA 2- Barker Joel (2000) wealth innovation diversity: putting our differences to work in the 21^st century. AMI (Internet) available from www.ammedia.com (Accessed 21 October 2004
(*)Sam El-Shazly is the Assistant Dean of Strategic Planning & Development at the Hail Community College of King Fahd University, Saudi Arabia, The Former Dean of Innovation Studies at the Cambridge Philosophy Institute and the Fellow of the AMS, University of Miami.© 2004, Hail Community College/ King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, 2440 Hail, Saudi Arabia.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in spread sheet, or transmitted in any form or by means-electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise- without the permission of the Dr. Sam El-Shazly and Hail Community College.