Hidden Treasures
March 10, 2009
A wrong turn on a day off shows how a little bit of balance can lead to a hidden treasure.
Balance is an essential ingredient for success in today’s business environment. The ability to balance a focused, detailed approach to work with a more creative “play as you go” approach can yield unexpected rewards. This can be as true in business as it is in your personal life.
The weather was remarkably warm in North Carolina this December. My wife and I decided to take a Friday off from our hectic work schedule and enjoy the beautiful day. We had bagels and coffee for breakfast, then decided to do a little shopping. Instead of taking the direct route to our next stop, I decided to drive around and see where the road would take us.
In all honesty, I thought we were heading south, the general direction we needed to go. Imagine my surprise when we turned onto Main Street in Creedmoor, North Carolina, in exactly the opposite direction. Since we were there, we decided to get out and look around. We visited several shops and were about to head back to the car when my wife suggested we go into one more store called Hidden Treasures.
As we entered, the woman behind the counter and I looked curiously at each other for a few seconds. There was a sudden flash of recognition, at which time she ran towards me, grinning from ear to ear and said to my wife, “Excuse me, but I’m going to give your husband a great big hug.”
Needless to say, my wife was a bit surprised. Of course, there was a perfectly good explanation…which I quickly blurted out. This woman had been the Human Resource manager who supported my group nearly ten years ago, and we had worked together fairly closely on several projects during some challenging times for the organization. I hadn’t seen her for over eight years and hadn’t realized that she too had left the company to pursue other interests.
We spent some time getting caught up and exchanged old stories. Like me, she had left the corporate world, in her case, to open a store and slow down the pace a bit. I left the shop feeling enriched. I was fortunate to have spent some time reminiscing with an old friend and had also learned what she had done to bring some balance to her life.
If my wife and I had followed our original plan for the day and stuck to it, we never would have ended up in Creedmoor, gone into that store, and had a nice reunion. As you work with your group, it is equally important to take a break from the rigorous schedule, even if for a short time, and let the creative juices flow. You may be surprised where you end up. You may even find your own “hidden treasures.”
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