I have been writing and thinking about the paradigm shift a great deal lately. And was in two major meetings this past week where the split between the two was clearly visible in the participants.
New paradigm folk believe in bringing everyone together, being inclusive. Old paradigm folk still claim to be damaged by what ‘they’ – the others – are doing. New paradigm folk are welcoming, making connections, putting information together in new ways. Old paradigm folk are still looking for the problems. Very few opportunities are visible from their point of view.
And each of these folk are creating their own realities. Someone who is afraid of change, secretive with information, not easily trusting others, sees that world.
Someone who welcomes the world and looks for what its gifts has an altogether different experience, as people shake hands heartily right back, and soon become friends.
One strategy works to increase our impact and make success more likely. The other strategy separates us, shrinks down the size of our world, makes change look a lot more unattractive.
It’s almost as if these two different points of view come from two different planets. Yet often it’s people living right in the same neighborhoods who carry these two different worlds around with them.
And we’re living right in the middle of it – the rubberband being stretched tighter and tighter. The tension of living through a paradigm shift.