Yearning

The words of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ring in my ears.

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”

So often my days are consumed with navigating HR policies, employee engagement and checking in on progress to hold others accountable. These things are not bad, but I wonder if I did a better job of instilling a deep, passionate longing for the vast and endless seas if the results would simply look after themselves?

My sense is that when vision consumes a group of people, conversation focuses not on the division of labour but rather on the joy and privilege of sailing the open seas.

In what ways do you instill a yearning for the vast and endless sea in your organization?