WHAT CAN YOU ANDYOUR TEAM LEARN FROM A BEE?

At the end of the last school year, my daughter came home with a summer reading list for young adults.  It has valuable information for all of us.  It is especially helpful for me since once of my goals this year is to read at least one fiction book per month – yes, fiction, not only non-fiction business books. 

 

What a fun journey this has become – reading The DaVinci Code, Chocolat, Secret Life of Bees, and many more.  And, it has been a way to connect with my 13-year-old on a different level and learn valuable lessons about life.  Each of us reads the book and then when available we watch the movie. Then I like to analyze and talk about the message and experience, although Annie, unfortunately, is less interested in that part.

 

Last night we watched Secret Life of Bees.  Bees hold valuable wisdom useful in work and life.  No, it is not only that they are headed by a Queen.  They work as a team toward a common goal each innately knowing his/her part in pursuing the passionate purpose—the end result from their superb performance is sweet.  August, the matriarch beekeeper, shares with 14-year-old Lily, who is on a quest to get to know herself and her mother, “Send the bees love.” 

 

What would the impact on our business and family be if we send each other love while we look out for a greater good?  It would produce real rewards.  Too often, rather than pursue a noble purpose, we individually get lost in doing, achieving, or protecting our own turf while putting others down.  Instead, as August recommends, let’s try to “Lift each other to a higher level with love.”  Consider all the energy, currently wasted in friction and conflict, which could be redirected toward real results. 

 

In life, there is a symbiotic relationship between the bees and the flowers.  Again, we can learn a lot from Mother Nature.  Passionate Pursuers, those people who successfully find and pursue meaningful intentions, are like sunflowers who possess the SUNFLOWER traits (see Ch. 3 of Pursuit of Passionate Purpose).    

 

Practical Pointers:

• Act like a bee.  Work as a team toward a common goal with love.  Find better performance.
• Get clear on what real purpose you are pursuing.
• Lift each other to a higher level.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)