I came across this a little bit ago: Fred is trying to cut a log in half with a dull saw. Mark comes along and says “Hey, if you stop and sharpen that saw things will be easier and faster.” But Fred says “I don’t have time to stop and sharpen this saw! I’ve got too much work to do!”
We can all see the wisdom in Mark’s words… unless we’re Fred. Far too often when we are in the middle of our project, we can’t see the obvious because we are too close to the action.
Some people (managers, teams) are just so deep in it they can’t see a way out. A crisis is usually the wake up call for those types and then it’s usually too late.
As we walk through life, it is imperative that we have people that we can trust enough to point out when we are working harder instead of smarter. People that are removed just enough to have some objectivity and yet close enough to have an understanding are hard to find. And yet, they are important to have.
The leadership team I am currently serving on is in the phase of sharpening the saw. We’ve recently filled a couple of staff openings and their fresh eyes are bringing perspective and insight. It is an exciting time, it is a challenging time, it is a fun time!
