Move faster, but not alone

There is a popular term that we should have all heard: if you want to run fast, take it yourself. If you want to run away, take it together. English version like this: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

(Before continuing, who knows you want to know the origin of this term or proverb, you will be interested in reading the following article)

Without being explained longer, this proverb is very easy to understand.

I was reminded of this term when answering questions on Instagram Live in the framework of the 13th GNFI birthday two days ago: What made GNFI run this far?

Previously, I wanted to give an affirmation, 13 years was a relative number if it was associated with a short or long, short or far.

For example, compared to Kompas, who this year is 57 years old, of course we are still very young. But compared to Gojek which this year is 12 years, and at 10 years they have held the status of Decacron, expanding in several countries, we are already “aging”.

After looking back until now. The proverb above is very connected to our trip in GNFI.

First made by Akhyari Hananto, GNFI was born from his unrest when he saw the optimism deficit in the younger generation because he did not get information that could make them proud of their people. Main header or Primetime The media at that time were dominated by “Bad news”.

Alone, Akhyari moves quickly to create a blog. His experience traveling to various corners of the region and the world, plus his productivity in writing, making the blog quickly get readers.

Efforts alone Akhyari to build GNFI attract sympathy as well as fans. They not only read but also share writings from the GNFI website. Some even helped technical matters without expecting rewards. Done because like and feel GNFI deserves to be supported.

Efforts alone without any form of business entity are proven to make GNFI movements look agile and very practical. Research, writing, spreading it through social media (first Twitter then Facebook), responding to questions, and other things done almost all of themselves.

Until around 2014 I met Mas Ari, as I called Akhyari. We talked several times. I capture the very broad energy, enthusiasm, and insight.

But with GNFI that is increasingly known to many people, it seems he began to overwhelmed. Working solo can all be controlled easily. But tiring. So it is difficult to imagine further development.

This is where the next trip phase GNFI begins. Work as a team. People who support GNFI are no longer just volunteer or involved when there is a project, but in full Working for GNFI.

Changes in the form of a very liquid form to the organization (in the form of a company) built to work to realize development plans with targets, it turns out we must pay with trial and error efforts that sometimes succeed sometimes fail. The situation often tempts us to think: it turns out that work together complicated.

Tired of taking care of technical problems alone, much lighter than taking care of non-technical problems while working together. Because when together, so that the execution runs smoothly and effectively we must reach consensus. Very different when done alone. Set sitting Finished. There is no drama.

Together move further. But I want it too fast. Can?

Luckily we didn’t give up quickly. We still believe that if you want to grow it can’t be alone. Moreover, we also want this GNFI to live long. So it should not depend only on one or two figures that are definitely limited age. Both productivity and physiological age.

GNFI needs to grow as a place that fosters the collaboration of the people in it. Where the results of their interactions produce impacts in the form of pace movements and advanced for the organization.

More broadly, interactions with parties outside the GNFI should also produce the same thing: the movement of the rate and advance for mutual growth.

Ecosystem, not ego-system

Increasingly here, we are increasingly aware of the cooperation is indeed the key to growth. Internal cooperation and cooperation with various parties outside of GNFI. Competence and expertise are increasingly spread, and we cannot fulfill everything ourselves.

Build everything yourself, fully control, it could be. But expensive and requires large resources. Even though internal resources must have a limit. By working together, we “only” need to strengthen our core competencies, then share roles with others. Efficient.

Referring to the article Otto Scharmer entitled From Ego-System to Ecosystem Economies, we increasingly need to develop ecosystems and leave ego-system to face various challenges of the world.

The egosystem is tiring (also annoying), the ecosystem is fun. Those who are not happy to work as an ecosystem are usually not finished with their ego.

Ecosystems require openness and good intentions. Egosystem likes closure and is always suspicious of other people’s intentions, making it very difficult to work together. He thought by mastering and doing himself, everything can be done more practical, safe, and get greater profits.

Yet with ecosystems that work together, proverbs If you want to go far, go alone has often been broken. We more often see a row of big achievements around us which actually happens quickly because of the results of working together (like mergerStrategic cooperation, building a consortium, and so on). Organizations that grow significantly and innovatively usually also develop collaboration culture.

We are still learning about this. While implementing it in GNFI organizations. Our belief, working together and building an ecosystem will be able to make it move quickly at the same time. Plus is more fun.

If you feel you have goals in the same direction as GNFI, or some can be in order, I think we should be able to work together and build an ecosystem. Then move quickly together. We will be very happy to get acquainted.

Wahyu Aji