I Want To Start a Movement: Grab the Rope

I have been in some fun classes where you imagine teamwork with objects. In one class, we all put on blindfolds, and a rope was laid on the ground by our feet. Our goal was to hold the rope and create a square without looking. I’ve seen some amazing shapes in my years of doing this kind of activity. One group I was working with made a figure eight (not on purpose); it took tremendous miscommunication to do that! The best square I ever saw was created by a group of 13-year-old scouts; their square was almost perfect. Considering the amount of chatter I usually witnessed amongst them, their listening and collaboration was awesome during this activity. But before they could succeed, they first needed to grab the rope.

I believe the essence of problem-solving is connecting people with different gifts and different perspectives; it is hard to see all options when you have one set of life experiences and one set of skills. When others engage, you get more ideas to consider and more people testing the ideas to determine how they might work. There are — if we listen closely — plenty of opportunities for great accomplishments. All those accomplishments begin with grabbing the rope. When you think about the challenges you face in life and in work, how many times are you holding the rope with someone else? What can you do to encourage someone else to join with you?

Consider these ideas and add more things to the list:

1. Simply ask for help or tell the person you need help

2. Ask the person what they need from you

3. Offer to help them first

4. Ask the person for an idea

5. Express gratitude

You may find that you will need to give a little. Add your idea to theirs and create something unexpected (and wonderful).

Consider this scenario: The wash needs to be folded, and you have three full baskets. You need help, and would really like to read for half an hour, but the night is getting away from you. Your favorite way to handle the clean wash to do is dump all the laundry on the bed, line up three baskets, and sort and fold into each one; it will take you an hour to do that. By the time it’s all done, you won’t have time to read! Your husband wants to watch TV, and he could both watch TV and help fold the wash, but not in the bedroom (where there is no TV). What would you be willing to do differently to get his help? What are the choices?

Remember to always grab the rope when you can. “One who is insistent of his own views find few to agree with him.”