As we collectively decolonize our structures, I can see how withholding information is a way that some still try to maintain a sense of power. The problem is two-fold: for people who could benefit from knowing the details, it prevents them from doing the best job possible, and for the people who are not sharing information, gives a false sense of misplaced power.
I can appreciate that sharing space, sharing information, is a radical way of doing business, as we continue to move through a post-pandemic world. I had to look at my hesitations, and why I felt them, but once I accepted this new way of working, I began to see that it connected us in meaningful ways. There is also a surprising spiritual component, because there first needs to come a sort of levelling of pride in order to gracefully work within this new frame of business.
There is no harm in sharing, it is only the ego that thinks giving, or at the very least not taking, will depete us, when really, it has the opposite effect. I have witnessed the effectiveness of sharing information and collaboration, and in my professional development I have gotten to experience the power of taking a step back to listen to others' voices or to validate their experiences, instead of only focusing on my own.
Through more equitable use of resources, we can all be more productive and even have less errors. There is a satisfying feeling of comradery and elevated teamwork, and in that, a greater sense of purpose and even hope for how ideas can grow and make way for better work days. While it can feel jarring at first to relinquish a sense of power when sharing, the truth is, that sense of power is a smokescreen that doesn't lead to any real growth. When working as a cohesive unit, we get more done, with a greater sense of fulfillment.