Parasites and pollinators: Which one are you?

Here’s a question for business owners. Which best describes you: A parasite or a pollinator?

What honeybees produce through their harmonic enterprise is perhaps the most amazing biological substance in the world: Honey. That’s because it never goes bad, even after centuries have passed. Yet honey is not the bees’ greatest contribution. The tiny, fine hairs on the legs and bodies of these insects transfer pollen from flower to flower, as bees supply humanity with food.

In the business world, some people are pollinators in much the same way as bees, freely spreading innovative ideas, connecting others, and offering help to everyone around them ‘just because.’

Then there are parasites that drain everyone around them. It’s that salesperson who will grab leads left and right but never takes the time to give the owner of a struggling start-up some advice. We all know what it feels like to be in a parasitical business relationship.

Parasites rarely perceive the collateral damage their behavior inflicts over time. While they may feel a temporary sense of victory when they strike a blow to the competition, they never make the kind of connections needed to create something that lasts.

When people become stepping-stones, relationships languish in shallow water, but abundance always comes from seeking the good of others. When you see a chance to help someone, take the time to spread some encouragement. That’s the most potent pollen of all!