When a father couldn’t convince his sons to stop quarreling, he decided to make his point another way. Presenting his sons with a bundle of sticks, he challenged them to break the bundle and not one of them could do it. When the father asked his sons to separate the bundle and break the sticks one at a time, they did so easily.
In this tale from Aesop’s fables, the father showed his sons that there is strength in unity – together, like the bundle of sticks, a group can be unbreakable. For the project manager, there’s a similar takeaway: Your team will be stronger and able to achieve far better outcomes when you leverage the skills of the whole team rather than those of a limited few.
Seek input from everyone on your team and empower them to use their talents and experience collectively. Team members will be more likely to engage with each other and the project in productive ways as a result. They are more likely to feel invested and willing to take responsibility as a whole then working under the fear of being singled out.
Encourage team unity and harmony. The strength of your team is greater than the sum of its individual parts. Collaborate as a team but take responsibility as a single unit for all your actions.
Key Takeaways
- Leverage the skills of the whole team for better outcomes
- Encourage all members of your team to contribute their unique skills and insights to a project
- Foster a collaborative environment in which offering up ideas and feedback is valued and appreciated
- Work as a single team committing to and taking responsibility for each other’s actions