Scarcity versus abundance
‘Not what we have but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.’
- Epicurus
We are hard-wired to notice scarcity. For most of our time on earth, resources to survive have been in short supply. And for some people, in some parts of the world, they still are. Scarcity and danger were constant companions for much of our history. But, for most of us living today, that is not the case.
When we focus on what is missing we are less capable of noticing what might actually be there for us and the potential for what might be. Getting into the habit of looking for what is good is one way of helping us to feel hopeful, not helpless. In organisations which have the scarcity mindset, relationships are often characterised by competitiveness rather than cooperation, where there can only be one winner and the rest are losers. In these settings, it is sometimes the case that coming first becomes more important than doing the right thing. Competitiveness itself is not a bad thing, as it is one of the drivers for improvement, in providing better products and services, in becoming generally better. But when it is one colleague out to beat another, it is less healthy because the mindset is: there is only so much acclaim or prestige and I must get it whatever the cost.
What happens when an organisation shifts from a scarcity frame to an abundance frame? For a start, mistakes are not seen as the end of the world. Most of the mistakes which are made both by organisations and by individuals are not life-threatening. Mostly, they can be rectified as long as two things happen: one, it is acceptable to own up to mistakes without the fear of ridicule or humiliation and two, everyone asks themselves what can be learnt from this. The abundance mindset allows us to imagine what it might be like next time, and to act on that, rather than focusing on all the things that have gone wrong.
The organisations which have embraced this actually encourage mistake-making. Not because creating chaos is a good thing in itself, but because through the messiness of getting to good work, things often go wrong. Organisations and individuals who own up to mistakes often build up long term trust, because the default mechanism for many is to cover up, to deny and to refuse to respond. Those that do, convey a refreshing honesty, which is a way of signalling that we are serious about what we do, that we want to get things right in the future. Customer service theory has it that a dissatisfied customer is the best way of creating trust in a brand. As long as that customer’s concerns and complaints are dealt with fairly, it results in the underpinning of good, honourable, commercial relationships.
Similarly, in individuals, those who have an abundance mentality do not hoard their ideas or suggestions. They are prepared to share them, even if it makes them feel vulnerable, because they understand that there are always more ideas and suggestions, and that one idea that doesn’t go down well, is not the end of the world.
Again, those who have great expertise and experience in one area are prepared to share that with others, when they are coming from a space of abundance. Their contribution is always: how can we make this better, how can I help others, what have I got to give? The irony is that in giving themselves and their ideas away, they are accruing more from others. Not that they do it for this reason. They do it because they know that abundance is a more productive and healthy place to be, rather than one of scarcity. Individuals who think and work in this way, tend to feel more hopeful than helpless about their own futures.
In the classroom, teachers who work to abundance rather than scarcity principles know that however badly things have gone one day, it does not mean that their practice will always be like that. They know that on reflecting on their work, they can tweak it to make it better. They understand that the focus on abundance and more good things to come is a way of getting stronger. They also know that anyone who has done anything worthwhile has gone through moments of despair and despondency, but that these are not lasting when the wider ocean of abundance comes in to play.
And they model this for their pupils. They reassure them that nothing in the classroom is the end of the world, that there is always the next lesson to get things better. And to enjoy the process in the meantime. They encourage their pupils to see all the good things in their lives, including having them as their teacher, to honour nature, to savour the moment and to look forward to the future. They emphasise the fact that there is enough for everyone. That friendships are not limited to just one person; that human love doesn’t not reduce by being shared and that there is more good than bad in the world.
Leaders who understand abundance, notice it and talk about it. They don’t keep quiet about the things which are going well, the potential there is for all to improve, to find more satisfaction in a job well done, to make a contribution.