When we where kids I remember my parents constantly reminding us of three key things:

1. To share
2. Treat others as you would like to be treated
3. Always stand behind what ever decision you made.

I would have to say that these are three rules that have stuck with me for most of my life. Throughout my many experiences working in diverse environments these are three things I have always stuck to no matter what situation.

Sharing

I was always reminded of sharing what we had. My parents instilled this into us. I have a brother that is younger than me and to this day we are able to help each other when we have a need. My dad was always sharing what he had with others since he grew up in a very poor household with 11 other brothers and sisters. I remember how when I was in high school still living with my parents, my high school friends would arrive at the house to have a meal. They knew dad had great culinary skills and was always very happy to share what we had with others (even in the most extreme circumstances of financial hardship).

The same principles of sharing that my dad uses I apply in the online world. I have to say sometimes I wish to share more of others and expose the great stuff I read from individuals like @michaeldcc, @ricklipsett, @margieclayman, @raffel, @suzannevara, and a few others but sometimes time is my enemy.

The process of sharing ideas and knowledge is key for any successful effort. Right now with Papá Heroes I have learned a lot from the great people who have submitted articles and content. I have also had the chance to clear questions on the use of wordpress and other things related to blogging. It is the least I can do for people who are supporting a collaborative effort which has no financial gain for them or myself at the moment.

Treat Others as You Would Like to Be Treated

Treating others as I would like to be treated was something I was taught very early in life and I am very thankful for. This is also a huge principle in business that is forgotten by too many.

A few years ago I had a good friend John Duncan from Oklahoma who taught me many business and personal lessons. Yes John was one of the good ole boys from the south and very vocal about his opinions. Being a “Gringo” like he called himself running a business in Puerto Rico brought him a different perspective in life which he shared with me.

But something John was really passionate about treating others as you would like to be treated. If John saw any threat towards that rule he would act quickly to correct it. If you have ever seen an 800 pound gorilla shaking a cage ( I have only seen this phenomenon in the movies until I met John) he was as close possible of experiencing that.

I have always treated others like I would like to be treated. At CIMA IT Solutions I subcontract many projects given how small we are and I have to man tasks making sure my client is happy and making sure my contractor is happy. This way I get the best quality work from my Vendors to offer to my clients.

Some people might want to put the pressure on the vendor in unfair ways when the client gets out of line but in my case I treat everyone as I would like to be treated. If you want to learn how a large company that gives a good example of that feel free to read Tony Hsieh’s (CEO of @Zappos) Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose (Amazon Affiliate Link). You will get a clear picture of how this worked to build Zappos into the awesome company it is.

Always Stand Behind Every Decision You Make

In life, we sometimes don’t make the best calls but something that is key is standing behind what we believe in and whatever mistake we also make. Standing up to what we believe in can be difficult at times like for example when you see some of the injustices our local Government is part of with individuals like @julito77 and myself by censoring people. Others are companies like @searslatino who decide they are going to spam people  because it is more important for them to push their brand and products than have time for those who might spend at their stores.

It can be more difficult to admit that you made a mistake and apologize. The last few weeks I have had certain incidents where people have offended me. Even when I let them know that they went a little too far with what they said they decided to not apologize and act like everything was ok. If they would have at least said I apologize I did not mean that then I would have gotten over it.

The worst thing you can do is have someone offend you and really not care that they did. When I feel uncomfortable I measure intent. If in the long run I see your intent was not to hurt me then I can move away from the issue very easily. When you resist to own up to whatever happened that offended others then I make the decision to stay away from you.

Overall these three factors I grew up with and stick with me to this day, help me collaborate with a variety of people. They also help me filter out those who seem benefit themselves no matter who gets hurt they are toxic for any environment.

What factors do you think are key towards collaborating?

photo credit by jennlynndesign