Learn About Steven
Steven's Philosophy
Develop Yourself
Hire Steven
Teams are Like a Swiss Watch
by Steven Fulmer | Dec 14, 2022 | Articles
Lately, I've been ruminating quite a bit on the idea of a team or an organization as a Swiss watch. This analogy is especially helpful in understanding, appreciating, and reconciling the differences and complexities of a given team, particularly when there is disagreement and conflict.
Consider the mechanical watch. The simplest model contains roughly 130 components. One of the most complex mechanical watches in the world, the Calibre 89 from Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe, contains an astonishing 1,728 components. Both types of watches have one critical thing in common: gears.
As humans, we function a lot like a Swiss watch. Society — whether an entire nation or just our little office — is like a watch in that it requires a multitude of people — and their differences — to mesh together like gears in a watch. All these tiny little pieces have to fit together and flow in a certain way to create total precision. If you take any one of these gears out of the equation, that watch won't work. If you say, "that gear has to spin the same way that I spin," the watch will no longer work. Some of the gears have to spin in opposite directions in order to function. There's a certain element of friction and contrary motion that's required for the watch to tick.
Organizationally speaking, how do we recognize that we need one another and that we can't all spin the same direction? That in order for everything to work together, we must have a variety of personalities, communication styles, conflict strategies, leadership styles, and even senses of humor? How, as an organization, can we create a culture that acknowledges those differences and gives individuals permission to bring their unique selves to the group?
I think it starts with effective communication, insatiable curiosity for understanding, genuine empathy, and respect for one another's humanity. It starts with acknowledging one another's differences and making space for each of us to come to the table with different contributions. We may not agree on everything or even find the same joke funny (my wife still doesn't get the humor of Tim Minchin, and that guy is brilliant — in my mind). And some of us will naturally get along well with some folks more than others. And sometimes, we'll run up against ideas and communication styles that we just plain don't like. But if the basis of our organizational culture is a compassionate one, the differences are much more likely to gel and complement one another in the long run.
Like a Swiss watch, the individual parts (or people) will be doing very different, seemingly contradictory things in order for the whole to work. We may feel like we're going in opposite directions, but we're actually moving and functioning in service to one another and a mutual objective.
So next time you think the solution to conflict or friction in your organization is to get everyone to agree and be in perfect alignment with one another, consider the Swiss watch. The fact that some folks are spinning in the opposite direction might be just what is needed for precision and accuracy.
Photo by Danil Shostak on Unsplash
Archives Select Month February 2023 (1) January 2023 (4) December 2022 (2) November 2022 (5) October 2022 (4) September 2022 (3) August 2022 (4) July 2022 (3) June 2022 (4) May 2022 (3) April 2022 (4) March 2022 (4) February 2022 (4) January 2022 (3) December 2021 (5) November 2021 (3) October 2021 (2) September 2021 (5) August 2021 (4) July 2021 (4) June 2021 (4) May 2021 (4) April 2021 (4) March 2021 (5) February 2021 (2) January 2021 (4) December 2020 (5) November 2020 (3) October 2020 (5) September 2020 (4) August 2020 (4) July 2020 (4) June 2020 (9) April 2020 (4) March 2020 (4) February 2020 (2) January 2020 (2) December 2019 (4) November 2019 (4) October 2019 (2) September 2019 (3) August 2019 (4) July 2019 (3) June 2019 (11) May 2019 (8) February 2019 (3) January 2019 (4) December 2018 (2) November 2018 (4) October 2018 (6) September 2018 (7) August 2018 (2) July 2018 (4) June 2018 (4) February 2018 (4) January 2018 (3) December 2017 (4) November 2017 (4) October 2017 (3) September 2017 (4) August 2017 (5) July 2017 (6) June 2017 (4) May 2017 (2) April 2017 (2) March 2017 (3) February 2017 (6) January 2017 (2) December 2016 (4) November 2016 (5) October 2016 (3) September 2016 (4) August 2016 (5) July 2016 (5) June 2016 (5) May 2016 (3) April 2016 (4) March 2016 (6) February 2016 (4) January 2016 (4) December 2015 (4) November 2015 (4) October 2015 (4) September 2015 (4) August 2015 (7) July 2015 (1) June 2015 (3) May 2015 (4) April 2015 (4) March 2015 (4) February 2015 (4) January 2015 (4) December 2014 (6) November 2014 (3) October 2014 (4) September 2014 (5) August 2014 (4) July 2014 (4) June 2014 (1) May 2014 (2) April 2014 (2) March 2014 (2) February 2014 (2) January 2014 (3) December 2013 (4) November 2013 (4) October 2013 (3) September 2013 (4) August 2013 (5) July 2013 (4) June 2013 (4) May 2013 (4) April 2013 (4) March 2013 (4) February 2013 (1) June 2012 (1) September 2011 (1) August 2011 (1) May 2011 (1) March 2011 (2) January 2011 (1) September 2010 (2) August 2010 (2) July 2010 (1) March 2010 (1) February 2010 (1) December 2009 (1) August 2009 (1) July 2009 (1) June 2009 (1) May 2009 (1) April 2009 (2) February 2009 (1) January 2009 (2) December 2008 (1) August 2008 (1) July 2008 (2) June 2008 (2) September 2007 (1) July 2007 (1) June 2007 (1) May 2007 (1) March 2007 (7) December 2006 (1) October 2006 (1) September 2006 (2) May 2006 (1) April 2006 (2) March 2006 (1)
Unwrapping the Gift: The Wisdom & Example of Damar Hamlin February 1, 2023
Why Empathy and Understanding are Dysfunction's Kryptonite January 24, 2023
Grit & Resilience in the Time of Dysfunction January 19, 2023
Clarify & Verify to Satisfy January 11, 2023
NEW Book: Leadership Just Got Personal
Steven's latest book Leadership Just Got Personal is on sale now!
About Steven Fulmer
I have achieved almost every dream I set my mind to, including being the first in my family to graduate from college, becoming a VP by 35, driving across the country, learning to fly an airplane, skiing in the Alps, learning to sail, owning a sailboat, traveling to Russia, falling deeply in love, creating a beautiful family, and identifying my life purpose, to name but a few.
Develop Yourself (Coaching)
Here's Why Assessment is Critical to Your Success as a Leader January 4, 2023
Get Leadership Lessons for Life!
Subscribe to Steven's newsletter to receive free regular lessons on leadership! We will never spam you or sell your email.