Dry Stone Walls
This week’s post Dry Stone Walls is another reflection back to across the Atlantic Ocean to the United Kingdom with the dry stone walls of the countryside becoming more than merely only that. Enjoy!
Dry Stone Walls
When I was on a trip through the countryside of England, our guide for the day pointed out the dry stone walls surrounding the area. He explained how each dry stone wall was not held together by mortar yet rather by the stones themselves. Each dry stone wall was built in such a way with the given stones to provide a firm, secure wall protecting the fields as a result. Later on, the guide directed the group’s attention to a section of a dry stone wall which had fallen apart. The guide informed us how a change or misplacement of stones near the top of the wall may lead to more of the wall coming apart.
After hearing all of this information about the dry stone walls from the guide, I started thinking beyond the walls surrounding me. I began to relate the dry stone walls to teams. Each team of any sort, whether sport or business, is compiled of a number of individuals. These individuals will have had different life experiences which may work in favor of the goal of the team. Yet, the culture and chemistry of the team can be fickle at times. Similar to dry stone walls, the team’s culture can dictate the strength of the group overall. If the team’s culture is there in a loose regard, then the team may achieve their targeted goal with an air of low energy and chemistry. Such a team may remember negative feelings of the group more than the positive ones and even the achieved outcome. If the team’s culture is carefully constructed, the team may achieve their targeted goal with a strong feeling and memories of the experiences of the team from the micro of each individual to the macro of the group dynamics. All in all, maintaining the positive rapport and culture of any team can make the difference if the team stays strong together or only stays strong individually.
