How Working with Someone is Different than Working for Someone?

I don't know about you, but for me, working for someone is a lot different than working with someone. Honestly, I thought of the two as one and the same things about a year back till I read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. In that book, Napoleon Hill shares the story of Edwin C. Barnes and his desire to work with Thomas Edison. Even when Barnes was a tramp and was on Edison's doorstep, he expressed his desire to work with Edison one day and for that, he was willing to start off as his servant/ intern too.

It was that story that made me understand how different it is to work for someone and work with someone. When you work for someone, you are working under him and often when you work under some person, that person starts to treat you as his/ her subordinate and then dictates you.

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However, working with someone is different than that. It is when you are working in collaboration with another person and the two of you influence one another or may give directions too, but the element of dominance gets eliminated from the equation. That's when together you and that person can grow and even enjoy each other's presence, ideas and energies.

That said, it is not often that you get to work with someone right from the start. Sometimes, you gotta work under someone and for him before reaching the point to collaborate with him/ her on something. I have been very fortunate in that regard to have found a person whom I see as my mentor and guide, and who is also the person I am closely working as my freelance client and working for his company too. That man Wasim Ahmed is someone who makes you feel that you work with him even though you are working for him. It has been about 3 months that I have been doing lots of content for him and now social media facilitation stuff and working with him has been an absolute pleasure.

I started off as a freelance e-book writer for him and did books and articles for him, but then seeing my work and commitment, he brought me on board as the lead content developer, editor and social media facilitator for the Oxford Creative Hub (OCH) which is an incubation center that provides businesses with a space, guidance and support to grow and prosper. The primary goal of the OCH is to help entrepreneurs, start-up businesses, bootstraps, innovators and emerging companies launch new businesses, enter new markets, commercialize and conceptualize breakthrough ideas, develop ‘big ideas’ for future opportunities and maximize their growth, productivity and success.

Working with Wasim Bhai (Urdu for brother) has been incredible. He is someone who would tell you if he wants something more or if he is not too pleased with some content, but would never put you down. Instead of saying that's bad, he would say, 'Bring more feel into it' or 'I am not really connecting with it.' The way he talks to his team is amazing and he is not just like that with me, but with everyone else. He is 32 and almost everyone in the OCH team is younger than him and he speaks to everyone like they are his friends. He is a serial entrepreneur, life coach, collaborator, keynote speaker and has spoken at various events and is also supporting the Women4Africa organization and events which I think is amazing. So speaking and coaching are his domains and usually when you tell someone that you want to grow in their field, they would tell you how difficult that it is because they want you to just focus on doing work for them. But with this amazing person, it is entirely the opposite. When I told him of my goal to become a motivational speaker and a coach, not once did he tell me that there is a long way for me to go or that I should just learn from him, instead he surprised me by saying go ahead and that he would arrange for one of his contacts to have me speak at an event. How amazing is that. Its his picture below.

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Honestly this man is just brilliant. If anyone of you had great business ideas or wants some business coaching or wants to know how to take their business forward or get great digital marketing services, do consider connecting with Wasim Ahmed. He is pure brilliance! I know this piece seems like a promotional article on him, but that's not what it is entirely. I am just so happy working with him that I want to share my excitement with all of you guys and you guys already know how expressive I am.

I am happy to have found someone who has achieved and is achieving all the things I aim to do so I can observe him closely and then follow his footsteps and advise. And also someone who constantly inspires you to be better and never undermines you. Alhamdulilah for all of my Lord's blessings. That's it for now. Just very happy and thought to share that with you. How do you feel about working with or for someone?

Love and light,

Sharoon.

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