Monday, July 27, 2009

Week 4: Reading... Being a Contribution

Starfish
"What difference can saving a few of them possibly make?" Smiling, she bends down and once more tosses a starfish out over the water, saying serenely, "It certainly makes a difference to this one." (p. 55)

My senior year in high school I attended a leadership retreat, complete with ice breakers, a ropes course and a long line-up of motivational speakers. It was there that I first heard the inspiring anecdote that opened this chapter and first began to ponder the idea of "contribution." Participating in that leadership class was one of the first opportunities I had to collaborate with my peers, each of us offering a unique combination of ourselves to reach common goals.

In The Art of Possibility, Zander and Zander describe a "contribution" as the power to make a difference and the ability to reserve judgement on whether one's offering is good, bad, right, wrong or indifferent. It is the realization that our presence and intention is an immeasurable gift. There is no way of quantifying one's contribution as it means different things to different people at different times.

Entering the EMDT program, I again found myself pondering the idea of contribution. I was weary, being one of the few non-teachers in the bunch, that I would have little to offer my classmates and that I would drown in the wake of their varied classroom experience.

What do I bring to the table?

With each passing month, I become more aware of our unique personal journeys. Over time and through our continued interaction, I appreciate that we are all here for different reasons... relying on different strengths... building on different weaknesses... and reaching for different goals. My contribution is sincere and is reflected in the relationships I've built with each of my classmates - in counsel, in collaboration and in camaraderie.

Sources:
Zander, R. & Zander, B. (2002). The art of possibility: Transforming professional and personal life. New York: Penguin Books.

Image Credit:

3 comments:

  1. Quote: "There is no way of quantifying one's contribution as it means different things to different people at different times."

    If I could only stop quantifying my own contributions. In life we tend to measure ourselves against what we've "invented" as Zander says. This is definitely one area I will have to build upon. Erasing the engrained towers that have cultivated my psyche for ages upon time. The feeling that brews in my belly is one of defeat and I must not let it remain, remembering it's all invented.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Quote: "There is no way of quantifying one's contribution as it means different things to different people at different times."

    What an interesting quote, it makes one stop and ponder its deeper meaning. Why is it that we are always questioning ourselves? I don’t mean to say that it is a bad thing, because it can be very valuable, especially when we are reflecting. As I am reading Emily and RaShida’s posts I only wish that they could step outside of themselves and see and appreciate all of the contributions that they have made to every class and classmate throughout this program. I don’t think that we will fully be able to appreciate the collaboration and camaraderie that has taken place over the past 9 months until the dust clears in October! This entire program has truly been a group effort, I really had no idea what I was in for, but the realization like Emily said becomes clearer with each passing month.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It can be difficult to be the one who isn't X in a given program.. But never underestimate how that difference in experience and point of view can change and help the experience of the group. The fact that you come from such a sincere centered "self" makes the differences all the more appreciated.

    ReplyDelete