Building from the Falling Pieces

Inevitably in a long career managing one's own as well as others' career, one reminisces about teams and people built over time and a plethora of What-ifs find a way to creep in... not to cloud but to enhance the moments almost like the piercing glow of headlamps through the fog, giving shape even in its effervescence. With the oft repeated adage about employees quitting because of their bosses, hovering like Damocles' sword, I still bask in the joy of shared success that teams delivered; of individuals coming together and giving it all for a collective purpose; of the camaraderie established while not necessarily sharing trenches but quite definitely desks. And yet smilingly and with great joy de vivre they move on.

Is it a phenomenon of today's ever evolving norms and need for instantaneous gratification? Make no mistake, the pecuniary motivation is important and by no means am I slighting it. It's extremely important. However, in frank exit discussions there is always an uncontrollable X-factor that seems to drive the change. I have been fortunate to have had some of the smartest around me as we built teams together and I maintain a very cordial relationship with all my "exes", for the most part. I have had to build and rebuild right from scratch almost on an annual basis to the extent that I once asked my HR leader to start awarding certificates of graduation at the time of exits!

I do not hold a grudge, for it gave me always the opportunity to work with new perspectives. The tough part in the rebuild is not the empty spaces but the punctuation of those left behind - some see that as opportunity within and some as opportunity without. As we transcend into the radically new, I am wondering what would it take to build and run a team of bots or on the receiving end managed by one? What if the bot conks out one fine day and one just carries on with a new "plug-n-play"? Would we lose out on team spirit; of sharing deadlines and the emotional connection of having made it through?

I am but reminded by Dr. Seuss: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened"...and I have a wide smirk spreading across, thinking about all that I have had the privilege of working with in my teams, of the moments we have had and the many more to create still.

#Teambuilding #Leadership #SocialGenpacter