As I was listening to our the bell choir in our church, I was reminded of my favorite story of team-building. I think a bell choir is the best example to illustrate how valuable every person is in a team. I ask questions such as:
- Who has been in a bell choir?
- If so, how does it work?
- Every person has a bell that is what?
- What happens if that person decides not to show up that day?
I came up with this example after I volunteered to be in our church bell choir many years ago. After the first practice, the director said, "Now you can't miss practice. If you miss practice your bell will not ring. You have to be here."
I went up to her afterwards and said, "I am not sure I can be at every practice. I have three small children, a full-time job, commute two hours a day, and I just don't know how this will work." To which she replied, "This is not for you." She was rather harsh and I thought her response was not very kind or nice.
But she was right. That was not the time in my life to make a commitment such as that because if I was not there, my bell would not ring. So now I ask people on a team, "How loud is your bell ringing? Is it ringing?"
For most athletic teams or even a chorus, there are other people on the "bench" who can cover for you. But if you are "middle C," or any other note, you have to be there to perform or your bell will not ring.
So if you are on any kind of team right now:
Is your bell ringing?
How loud is it ringing?
If someone on your team is not showing up, use this example as a way to say they need to be there because their bell is not ringing.
Wow! Very simple but very powerful story to illustrate the importance of each member’s contribution. As leaders and as members of teams, everyone should act as if they were in a bell choir.
I will try to remember this in my activities and in my training work.
Thanks, Jann.