Two weeks in a row writing about the lessons we can learn from cars. John Elway should be sending me a check for driving (pun intended) business to his dealerships.

There I sat one noontime this week, in a client’s parking lot, frantically turning the key in my car’s ignition. “Vrumm, Vrumm, Vrumm” it sang, with a gleeful hint of irony as the engine sounded fine, but wouldn’t engage. I was stranded, waiting for a tow and knowing that an afternoon’s carefully planned appointments would now be lost.

A colleague ventured that it might be the starter, the fuel pump, or the battery. Since I’m barely capable of pumping my own gas, her advice fell on deaf ears. All I knew was that the car wouldn’t go, and that to top it off the ignition key had broken that morning leaving me with pieces of plastic, metal and micro-chips.

Micro-chips! I held the battered plastic casing that held the micro-chips next to the ignition while turning what remained of the metal key. The car started, no irony in sight, and I puttered merrily away. I couldn’t start the car without all the pieces of the key mechanism in place. The parts were valuable, but putting the parts together got the job done.

Organizations function better when everyone understands their unique value. Like the auto key, sometimes getting your top priorities moving in the right direction takes creativity and inspiration. Who do you know who is being under-utilized? Who could stretch their skills and knowledge to become even more integral to the mission or project at hand? What can you do or say to be the catalyst?    

Check out our blog for the latest ideas and tips on leadership and creativity at http://www.mikefaber.com/blog/

Mike around the United States

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Mike Faber
Phone 720-851-5208 Toll Free (outside Colorado) 877-262-2402
On the Web www.mikefaber.com