We had family visiting this weekend, and they were a real blessing. Not only was it great to hang out with people you love, they lent a helping hand and got us over a few humps in our backlog in getting things done around the property. Their hard work and creativity helped us move forward AND relieved us of work that we could not get done by ourselves. Together we all had a fabulous time and enjoyed every minute. These words from Nate McConnell allow us to understand why it went so well:
The Whole is the sum of the parts.
– Nate McConnell
Be a good part.
We each play different parts in this world depending upon the group, situation or circumstances in which we live. When there is work to be done, a need to fill, people to help, a life to live to its fullest – we all need to play our part. Sometimes it is hard to know what that part is until someone helps you understand how your skills fit into the grand scheme of things. We need other people to confirm our abilities, encourage us to grow our strengths AND to challenge us to learn more and therefore become more. None of us exists in a vacuum.
Most conflicts arise when someone is not playing well in the sandbox. They refuse to work, play well with others, or dare to believe that they are so special that the rules and mores do not apply to them. These people are hard to get along with, they make things more difficult than they have to be, and they are somehow immune from hard work. Even worse, they know it all and the rest of us should always listen as they know best. You know these people, you work with them, are related to them or even worse…you might be one of them!
To make the whole thing work, all the parts need to function as a unit. Elite talk and habits are not helpful. Daring to challenge ourselves to learn something new in order to help the whole – THAT is when the magic happens. Being willing to help, even if it means learning a new tool or getting dirty, THAT is what makes the whole work. When people step up, step in, or find a way to contribute what they can – THAT is when the sum of the parts get things done.
Let me challenge you to being open to becoming a better equipped part in order to serve the whole. It may mean feeling unsure or ill-equipped at first, before you get your sea legs. It may mean doing something menial in order to alleviate someone else’s work load. OR it may even mean stepping into a less important role in order for someone else to have an opportunity to learn how it feels to be in the important role. As Nate McConnell said, be a good part. Do it well, because when the whole is served everyone wins!
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