What airplanes and minecarts have to do with digging deep and achieving the impossible
Pardon the Interruption
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The mallowstreet team has been working remotely for about eight weeks. In that time, they have accomplished something many told us was impossible: our first Digital Summit – 'Living in a COVID-19 World'. Over a day and a half, 30 key influencers gathered on our new technology platform to hear engaging keynote speakers, have robust conversations with asset managers, and work through a detailed case study. It seems we’ve found a way forward to allow us to do what remains vital; collaborate with one another and continue building relationships.
Like almost everyone (I assume), I miss personal interactions. The conversations that happen spontaneously, and being in the presence of others. If lockdown has taught me one thing, it is that we are social beings, and crave social interaction. I tell myself that this will return one day. In the meantime, I remind myself this is not a sprint; we are running a marathon. Having only ever personally completed a half-marathon, I still find the idea of a marathon quite daunting.
But it is not just me running this marathon – I’m doing it with my team. Together we are passing each marker, getting fitter and more agile for the new world in which we are operating. Only when the last team member crosses the finish line will we achieve success. The power of the team has never been more important.
That’s true with patience too. In times of great uncertainty and stress, patience can sometime be hard to come by. I’ve found I need to dig deep and find seemingly limitless patience. I often speak in metaphors, and often am teased by my team when I mix up airplanes, skiing, mining carts, and gardening in the same sentence.
Patience has no metaphor. It simply requires listening, being clear and articulate, and always putting yourself in the other person’s shoes. Using so much mental energy in this way, it is no wonder we are all exhausted at the end of the week. But I find it is more than worth it. I’m holding the moment in my head when the team crosses the finish line together. Holding that image in my head is important, as it guides me, as I guide the team forward to even greater successes.
