If we’re going to defend together, we must train together and if we’re going to train together, we must first be friends.
This was told to me recently while overseas and I think truer words were never spoken. What is the intangible benefit of face-to-face, open thinking, undirected, fun with coworkers? A colleague of mind calls it mandatory fun but perhaps there is more of a purpose, more of a reason for it. Something happens when we all learn the human side of our coworkers. We begin to let down our walls, we begin to talk as humans, we begin to form friendships.
Through the formation of these shared experiences, trust is built and the outcome of that trust is greater effectiveness at work.
It is so commonly the case that every minute, every dollar, every meeting needs to be requirements-driven, justified, and the outcomes clarified. Of course this has developed out of a necessity for accountability but in the act of severe control, we lose the benefits of creativity, thought safety, excitement to explore and create. The most innovative companies in our nation are well known for creating fun and safe environments – why? Because the secret, yet directly unmeasurable, outcome of these spaces is the encouragement of new ideas. Born from these ideas are profits.
Ironically, the very act of focus on requirements reduces the likelihood of addressing them at our best level.
Creativity and effectiveness are enhanced by team building, success driven, failure- accepting spaces. Our nation would be wise to capitalize on these ideas and methods – they create the highest likelihood of success for our people locally and worldwide. International friendships and respect for the unique capabilities of other nations will predictably enhance our worldwide economic and defense stronghold and impact.