Gathering Together
Written by
Guest Speaker | 18th April 2021
Gathering Together
Even the mightiest river doesn't exist on its own. It is fed by a multitude of trickling streams and small tributaries, but the combined effort of those little streams can have a huge impact. The Grand Canyon was carved in such a way. It’s rare for somebody to accomplish anything of major import on their own. A person’s achievements are the products of their own efforts, to be sure, but there is nearly always a team of people behind them; advisors, secretaries, creative types, manual laborers and so on. Even their teachers in school, parents and other family shaped their attitudes and supported their ambitions. If we want to a achieve anything in this world, we need to learn to work with other people, listen to their opinions and value their contributions.
I feel this is one of the great failings of leadership in modern (or is it postmodern, or even post-postmodern now?) times. Entrepreneurs and politicians and even many creative people don't see themselves as part of a team working toward a shared goal. They see the other people who put their heart and soul into their project as working FOR them rather than WITH them. They regard their accomplishments as solely their own and give little, if any, credit to the people who did most of the actual labor. This sort of leader may thrive as manager or team leader in the workplace, because their superiors see the results, but not the valuable input of the overworked and underappreciated workforce they leave in their wake.
The Colorado River became a force that carved a mighty canyon because myriad tiny streams flowed down from the mountains to gather in the valley and become an inexorable force. Likewise, any leader's accomplishments are due to the combined efforts of their team. Effective leaders who can maintain their momentum over the long haul understand this. If you recognize the efforts of the people on your team, they will reward you with their loyalty and together you can move on to even greater achievements.
Om Shanti,
Diti Kaal - 600766