“I just picked up the ball and carried it through Sir”. I heard these words come out the mouth of a supervisor as he was being drilled about a situation. This is what was offered as an answer to questions on how the ball was dropped in the first place. I found his response to be brilliant and he had no idea how powerful that statement was. Unfortunately I don’t think the others in the room picked up on it either.
Dropping the ball is a metaphor used to describe a project or task that was not carried out. Owning up to being the one who dropped it doesn’t happen as often as it should. Taking the initiative to pick up someone else’s dropped ball is nearly non-existent. I now have a new found respect for that supervisor.
We accomplish so much more when we are looking out for dropped balls, picking them up and carrying them through. Instead we watch the balls drop, bounce around a little like a fish out of water and then sit in waiting for someone to realize that the one who dropped the ball might not be so competent. It is this line of thinking that creates division among teams and a cut-throat environment. Everyone is NOT out for themselves.
It is everyone’s job to ensure the team succeeds. If someone on the team is dropping the ball, causing something to fail, we all lose. Next time you see a ball being dropped just pick it up and carry it though, be recognized as someone who sees something that needs done and does it. In the end you will be rewarded for your efforts.
Just pick up the ball and carry it through especially when its not your ball. #Teamwork #Leadership #whyyounowClick To TweetLast updated on March 11th, 2018 at 06:55 pm
