It makes me proud of our profession

April 3, 2006.

Garry Shirts

Last Thursday and Friday we conducted a train the trainer workshop for Pumping the Colors. All of the people who attended were trainer types who taught and valued the process of working together as a team.

I'm always impressed with the difference between the way a group like this works on the problem and a group of people who have not been trained in group processes. In this particular train the trainer group there was only one person who had any experience building with the pipes, connectors and equipment that we use in Pumping the Colors. Yet, because they knew how to listen, to work together, to give feedback, and use all of the other skills required by the 7 practices, they were able to accomplish the task faster and better than any team of people who have extensive experience in using the equipment and materials that are used in Pumping The Colors but do not know how to work as a team. For example, this group out performed by a country mile a group of machinists who recently went through PTC. These were men who had spent their lives building complicated machines but had very few of the team building skills. But what is even more important, if this group were an intact team they would continue to improve as a team and want to work together.

It makes me proud of all us who have chosen to help other people learn how to work together as our life's work.