SINCE it is so easy to find a car or bike available for sharing on Shanghais streets, I often wonder about doing some soul-searching about this new trend.

The emerging sharing economy over the past one or two years has managed to survive sabotage, hoarding, losses and all kinds of accidental damage. It has also stirred debate about human nature and not all of it is optimistic.

I dont think we have quite arrived at the level of civility that enables sharing, said my friend Vincent, who takes a hardened, hopeless stance against my optimism.

He comes from Chongqing, a pilot city for car sharing in southwestern China, and said it feels all too familiar seeing the colorful two-seater cars that zoom around his hometown suddenly appearing in Shanghai for hourly rental. To him, it feels like the calm before the storm.

I remember the headlines about how some hot-tempered Chongqing local just abandoned a car-for-share at a parking lots exit to protest a dispute over parking fees. Vincent has his own more personal anecdotes about the perils of car-sharing. He said he once rented a car with a takeaway Chongqing hotpot spilled all over the seat by the previous driver. The smell and the stains were hard to wash away.

I have definitely seen worse, I said, trying to hold back a laugh.

In a photo widely circulated online, a thin needle is shown sticking up from the seat of a bike-for-share. The thought of what could possibly motivate someone to do that made me cringe. There have also been photos online about the scan codes to unlock shared vehicles being smeared beyond recognition, bikes-for-share piled up like garbage or even dismembered for resale with just a stump left.

Its not hard to guess who might be behind all this vandalism. Careless users, childish pranksters, street thugs, calculating thieves. The list of possible culprits sows deep seeds of disappointment in the selfishness of humans, and it certainly doesnt help the image of a sharing economy.

Last week, a local bike-for-share company in Fujian Province went broke after nearly 80 percent of its bikes went missing 19 days after its service was launched.

The drawbacks arent crushing the high hopes of companies that view the sharing economy as a beneficial investment. Across the country, many companies in the business are expanding their footprints.

In Shanghai alone, there are two major operators offering car-share and about 10 bike-for-share services. All use vehicles with distinctive styling or paint to lift their profiles. Whenever I see these colorful wheels roll by, I start to worry that industry latecomers may be at loss to come up with even more innovative ideas to stamp their signatures on the streets.

How many of those companies do you think will still be operating next year? I once asked my friend Andrew, who works in the venture capital industry a prime investor in the sharing business.

I find it ironic that an industry that prides itself on making money by exploiting human greed can invest in a business model that relies on human honesty and trust.

I dont think its about overcoming our selfishness, Andrew told me. When most people come to find themselves beneficiaries of the sharing economy by saving money and enjoying convenience, they play by the rules and even take exception toward those who violate them. It has nothing to do with altruism. It just becomes a new life order you dont want to be disrupted.

His words evoked memories of Scandinavia, where I was once an exchange student. Its a peaceful part of the world where bike-sharing was warmly embraced by the public early on. Upon arrival, I was surprised to find that locals would leave their private bikes unlocked by the roadside. Several other Chinese exchange students and I hatched a plan to pinch one of the bikes and then return it a few days later, just to show the owner the risk of unguarded trust. But later on, the mere mention of this idea embarrassed us because it would ruin something beautiful and precious that we found no longer distant, and grew attached to.

In China, it is not easy to bring every person who violates sharing rules to heel and make them pay for their actions.

Some sharing company encourages users to be knights on wheels by reporting the misbehavior of others in exchange for credit points that can lead to discounts. Law enforcement and the judicial system are also taking action by identifying rule breakers and fining them or taking them into custody.

But there are times we involuntarily betray the trust that we can be responsible members of the society because we are so lack of certain practice that the ultimate boundaries have yet to be firmly established.

Because of the explosive growth of bikes-for-share businesses, some downtown areas of Shanghai have reached their capacity for parking cycles. A district recently seized 4,000 bikes-for-share, stirring a controversy over how much the sharing economy should be allowed to eat up public resources.

The spirit of sharing can even take on a life of its own. A code manual has been compiled and circulated on WeChat, showing how people can get free rides at a bike-for-share service that uses combination locks. For every half an hour, one can save 1 yuan at most.

Is that really worth all the trouble? I sneaked into one of those WeChat groups, out of curiosity. I wondered whether these people are really so poor that they are willing to cede their sense of common decency.

My question was answered by another question. Do you really think those sharing companies care about making money from our payments? The cynics seemed to think that the safety deposits charged in advance of hiring a shared bike are being used clandestinely to invest in other businesses rather than being held in deposit for refund.

I hate to tell them this, but the grey zone of safety deposits that inspires their conspiracy theory is now coming under supervision by banks.

Sharing companies dont stand to make a lot of money for the time being, given their low-pricing strategy, low-quality maintenance and aggressive deployment. Their profit prospects will no doubt clarify doubts about the sharing business being just another example of market-invented hype.

No company wants to run a business like a charity, even if its credentials are eco-friendly. It is against their self-interested nature.

If only a hidden agenda can satisfy some peoples imaginations about businessmen being shrewd and dishonest, I do have some theories. Think about the maps that can be completed with GPS-equipped bikes for narrow back lanes and think of the expandable scope for desirable new home locations as more shared bikes and cars are available from Metro stations. Surely these offshoots will generate more business opportunities. Just as priceless are the lessons they teach us about what kind of people we can choose to be.

Mia is an independent market observer.

Originally posted here:
Human behavior drives trend of shared transport | Shanghai Daily - Shanghai Daily (subscription)

You did it. You were given that coveted seat in the C suite. There is no doubt that the impressive title and hefty six figure salary along with the big bonus and variable compensation package is great. However, the innate power that comes with an executive position has begun to intoxicate you, and the inflated perception of your own importance is your drug.

Although youve been around the block many times in your career journey leading up to this moment, its important to take heed before you write your own one way ticket to self-destruction. If you think it cant happen to you, think again. Not convinced? Let me share some insights for you to consider.

There are two types of leaders those who maintain their effectiveness over time and those who dont. In fact, those who dont can find themselves falling from grace as their egocentric behavior transforms them from a glory child into a destructive force. Great leaders who have true staying power understand the importance of checking their ego at the door. Other leaders are so caught up in their love affair (with themselves), they dont seem to notice that people feel uncomfortable with their stories of lavish vacations that cost more than their employees homes, or constant name dropping to showcase they hob knob with exclusive company.

Weve all seen multiple examples throughout history of people who lose their sense of reality when they are in a position of authority. Unfortunately, this is the dark side of human behavior and its been studied and written about by industrial psychologists such as in the famed Stanford Prison Experiment of 1971. This happens when people lose perspective and begin to believe they are far more important than others.

In the work world, individuals with runaway egos may have trouble admitting mistakes, or asking for help. The relationships they have with others is one-way, and they dominate most conversations talking about themselves. Their emotional intelligence is low; with little self-awareness or emotional capacity to genuinely think of others or exhibit empathy. While they may be able to go through the motions of demonstrating care for others, it is only done when it serves them well for self-promotion or advancement. When they get what they want out of the contrived interaction, they sharply change their tone in all subsequent communication leaving the person feeling used and confused.

If you think any of this might describe you, chances are you wont admit it to others. Thats ok. However, I invite you to use this article as an opportunity to reflect privately upon your intentions and the ultimate impact of your behavior on what drives you; to remain in a position of high authority.

There is little doubt that your self-serving behavior will garner quick wins early on in your new position, as youre able to push ahead aggressively with tangible results such as cost cutting measures or drastic process improvements. However, as you wrack up more interactions over time, your alpha demeanor will begin to leave others feeling annoyed, discouraged and untrusting of your true intentions. Eventually, this will turn into members of your team feeling like they have to watch their own backs because of the many times theyve heard you spew sharp tongued attacks about others, only to see you turn on the charm as you continued to use them until they were no longer needed. Individual agendas will begin to become the norm as this untrusting tone spreads. Your employees will begin to slack on completing their best work as their mistrust of you grows.

The most dangerous outcome of an out of control ego, is the path of self-destruction down which it can lead you and your organization. Chances are, in the beginning of your career, you became successful because of the relationships you built with others. However, youve allowed your success to change your perception of reality by inflating your own importance and believing in your own perfection. When this happens, you stop listening to others, asking for input and appropriately considering the human impact of your decisions. History has shown us how dangerous this can be.

Challenge yourself to rise above your ego and instead of constantly trying to dazzle others with your infinite wisdom, be a leader who will stand the test of time by bringing out the best in others. People will remember how you make them feel. Thats what sticks.

Elizabeth P. Cipolla SPHR, SHRM-SCP is a leadership communications professional specializing in the areas of leadership training, creative recruitment strategies, employment branding, professional development and executive coaching for more than 15 years. Her leadership experience comes from various industries including marketing, mass media, apparel, education, manufacturing, aerospace, nonprofit agencies and insurance. To contact Elizabeth, email her at elizabeth@catapultsuccess.com.

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Don't Let Your Ego Take You On A One Way Trip - Jamestown Post Journal