14.1
SCARCITY AND ABUNDANCE:
THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTITUDE
Inspired by Viktor Frankl, Roger Harrison, Gay Hendricks, Kate Ludeman, Peter Senge, and Abe Wagner.Leaders’ underlying attitudes have profound and far-reaching effects within their workgroups
and organizations. Usually formed in early life and from previous work experience, attitudes
often don’t reside at a conscious level. For purposes of this tool, we define attitude, also known
as frame of reference, as the way you understand yourself, others, and your relationships with
others. Leaders need to understand the impact of their own frames of reference on their abili-
ty to get things done through other people within organizations.
428 SECTION 14 TOOLS FORLEARNING
Assumes scarce resources:- Fixed pie or zero-sum perspective (if you
give someone a piece of your pie, you have
less). - Only so much interesting work and recogni-
tion are available. - Leads to we–they thinking.
- Continuous struggle
- Competition
- Win–lose
- Need to be right and convince others of
your position. - Making others look good diminishes your
own success. - The expert, aggressive, or know-it-all leader.
- Defending and defensive
- Turf protection
- Selling, advocating
- Arguing to win
Assumes a synergy:
✔ With people, 1 + 1 can be more than 2 (by
cooperating, we enlarge the pie and every-
one can have more).
✔ It is a world of plenty if we share what we
have.
✔ There’s ample recognition for all.
✔ Is community-oriented.
✔ Leads to a willingness to give away your
hard-earned expertise.✔ Sharing, cooperating
✔ Listening
✔ Concern for mutual success
✔ Realistically cautious✔ My leadership success comes through the
success of others.
✔ Willingness to hear contrary points of view.
✔ Desire to learn from others.
✔ Build success on success over time.✔ Mentor, coach, and lead others.
✔ Find value in and share in other people’s
successes.
✔ Share your work and rewards so that others
can also benefit.Scarcity AbundanceBasisFeaturesPositionActions