Your concerns about losing sight of the "big picture" in your work is so important. I'm reminded of the parable of the three stone cutters? Have you heard this story?
A journalist was writing a story about stone cutters. So he went to the quarry to see what he could learn. He saw three craftsmen hard at work under a bright and hot midday sun. The first was grumbling and swearing as he swung his hammer.
"Tell me about what you doing today," asked the reporter.
"Can't you see I'm breaking my back breaking these damn stones?", was the answer.
"I see," said the writer, and he moved on to the next man who was working just as hard.
"Tell me about what you are doing."
"I'm working hard all day to make a living and provide food and shelter for my family," he said.
"Thank you," said the journalist. He moved on to the third man who was swinging his hammer just as the other three, but whistling and singing as he did. "Tell me about what you are doing," said the reporter.
"Ah," said the sone cutter,"I'm working on a cathedral!"
What I like about this story is that all three men were doing the same job, wielding hammer and chisel and cutting stones. But the frame of reference for all three was different. No one wants to be in the situation of the first craftsman. We respect the dedication of the second craftsman. However, we aspire to be the third craftsman. Why? The difference for the third craftsman is that he had vision. And he saw how his work fit into that vision.
Soon after I arrived at Save the Children, I was at work on our technology strategy and vision. I was struck by how small groups of field workers, and the community groups they mobilized, were making a large impact on children's lives in the villages in which we worked. I wanted to be a part of that village in a real way, and I felt our donors would as well. What I saw in technology was a means for shortening the distances between children in need and donors with the means to meet those needs. What we needed to do was use technology to create a "virtual village" so that we could all work together as if we were in the same community. That's why our IT vision statement is "making us all part of one virtual village." That's our cathedral! We do the same work as other programmers, network engineers, computer operators, help desk technicians, etc., but we are doing these common technology tasks because we are helping to create that village.
What's your cathedral, your village? Think about that, and discover what resonates with you and your team. Don't be afraid to think big! |