WEEK 10
TEAMWORK. So, this one’s about the guys (mostly). Our team has has consisted of Kent, the architect who brought the vision out of our minds onto paper (Environmental Dynamics Inc), Richard, our builder, (Rennaissance Man Construction), who is the well-named builder contractor pulling all the strings to make things happen at the right time, and the CREW. These are the guys doing the on-site work day to day -- the core of which is Michael, the foreman, Tony, and Frank. Other guys have been around when needed for framing, concrete pouring, electrical, and digging footings, but the latter three have been so consistent they really are starting to feel like family. And no, so far, no women on the crew.
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| Kent (I think he was preparing to eat his children there) |
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| Richard -- looking like any good manager should…. |
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| Michael |
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| Tony on the beam |
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| Frank, in a rare moment of repose |
I have reallly been impressed by all of these folks, and especially with how the CREW works together. It’s fascinating to me -- as a professional biologist/manager, I led lots of teams of various configurations with a variety of goals and objectives -- and outcomes. My best experiences came when the teams were small, not laden with lot of heavy handed top-down management, had a common focus they cared about. And of course, great people....Well lots of corporations, government agencies, and the like could take a lesson or two from this crew of 3 guys on how to work together to get something done. As with anything, it takes a good plan, discipline, leadership, mental flexibility, attention to detail -- and most of all, a spirit of cooperation. These guys work HARD, when it’s hot, sweaty,
buggy, raining, cold -- whatever -- but they seem to generally have a good time doing it. They play music (kinda loud, but that’s ok), sing along, joke, razz each other constantly - but they keep working and they keep thinking. I’m really astonished at what changes in a few days if I don’t get to the house, and I don’t like missing out!
AND….they've been so careful to protect my mom's memorial flower garden, below - which has flourished in the midst of all this chaos. Thanks guys!
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| Sunflowers guarding Dotty's garden |
So, here’s a really cool example of some recent teamwork. The design for the back of the house required 2 60-foot beams running horizontally across the top of the second story to support the cantilevered roof and the parapets on the west side. They are 12 inches wide, and weigh about 375 lbs each. These beams had been lying in the street running the length of our lot for several days, so I told Michael I wanted to watch, and hopefully film the process of getting them up to where they belonged, and settled into their supports. I imagined it would talk all sorts of crane works and heavy machinery -- but no, it just took 7 guys working together. I have some great video, but I've been unsuccessful after 2 weeks of trying to post the video on this blog. May be able to do it later, but in the meantime, here are a few photos...
I was also thinking about teamwork over Memorial Day -- Ed and I went to Chicago, primarily to see our (great) niece play volley ball in a regional tournament. Katelyn is just 14, topping 6 feet tall, brilliant, and a pretty amazing volleyball player. Watching her, and her teammates -- the oldest are only 15 - work together to pull off the plays they implemented (to say nothing of their individual skills, really wowed me. I grew up in Nebraska in the 1960’s -- feminism and women’s sports were just the proverbial gleam in America’s eye. My school emphasized athletics for everyone, as well as academics, but even as seniors, we never approached the level of competence and confidence these girls did. A long way baby, indeed.
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Katelyn (left) and her teammates - GO "FREEZE" (they're from Minnesota…..)
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Oh yeah, and how about the U.S. Women's Soccer team beating Germany 2/nil in the semifinals!!! OUTSTANDING!
