Have you noticed how fiercely people at the bottom sometimes compete, while people at the top often find ways to collaborate?
I noticed it in everyday life. Shopkeepers competing for the same customers. Political karyakartas competing fiercely with one another.
As my work grew and my circle expanded, I began noticing something different. Corporates that compete in the marketplace also form partnerships. Political parties that oppose one another forge alliances when interests align.
It made me wonder: Is competition human nature, or is it shaped by our position in the system?
When opportunities and resources feel scarce, another person’s success can seem like our loss. With greater access, stronger networks and more security, collaboration can become a way to multiply influence.
Of course, people at the top compete too, and people at the bottom collaborate. The difference is often in the opportunities and incentives available to them.
Perhaps the real lesson is not to stop competing, but to recognise when competition divides us and when collaboration can move us all forward.
Those who compete for the same little space may never realise how much more space they could create together.
What do you think: is collaboration a mindset, a privilege, or a strategic choice?