Turning a Corner

This past weekend I was at a retreat, and in case you have never been the hallmarks are time away, good food and strange team building activities.  This retreat did not disappoint with lovely lakeside views all over.  The activity was simple as a group we were blind folded and placed all around a rope that was tied in a circle, we had to pick it up and then form a perfect square.  Sounds easy enough, but it wasn’t.  For my role I followed the leaders voice, I was told I was a corner in the structure, and I took it very seriously feeling with my two hands for the angle and directing people on each side of me to shuffle one way or the other by calling out what I felt my hands were an angle.  I was a serious corner maker. Then suddenly the group realized that we had only assigned three corners and that in fact with the number of people around the rope, I was no longer the right person for the corner job. Now I was just along the side, no real purpose but to ensure the rope was tight and straight. I felt the loss of my little activity role acutely.  And of course, got teased mercilessly for my disappointment.  I just got caught up in the experience and in making my corner 90 degrees and as perfect as a I could and then suddenly it was not my job, I had no input, I could not help, all I could do was hold my rope. Like lots of retreat team builders it seemed like a simple activity, but it offers deep insights.  I wanted to be making a difference in a corner.  I wanted to have a clear task.  I wanted to co-design and be counted on.  What a great reflection about the roles we have in our work, play and life.  There are some things that I like to just be part of, just hold the rope, just sit back and absorb.  Other roles I have I like to make a difference and have a voice and be a true participant.  Think about your roles and the roles of people around you, are they meeting your needs, are they filling your tank, are you engaged.  In all kinds of ways we need to seek out the opportunities that we find engaging, pick where your corner is and hold on.