Shu(1): I need your help.
Ri: About what?
Shu: Help me with a metaphor. I see teams formed just by simple association of people, at least this is my feeling. I want to tell my boss, or anyone who does this, that is not quite like this. Sometimes is hard for me to explain a certain subject without being to verbose. But now I need something simple, but powerful to explain what I feel.
Ri: Hmm….[smiling]
Shu: Is hard to start a new battle and a lot of problems will appear because of this …. help me please.
[A moment of silence appears. Shu is looking at Ri puzzled. Suddenly the Ri’s face became serious and his right palm suddenly and firmly is put on the table.]
Ri: Look at the fingers. All have their place.
[Shu looked for several seconds, and put his right hand near Ri’s hand]
Shu: And my fingers are not on your hand and your fingers are not on my hand. Each have its place.
[Ri smiled]
Ri: You see, with this hand you can do a lot of things. It depends on you. The cohesion of the fingers helps in doing different things. They work for a purpose/goal. The same is with people, they are different and they have to work for a common goal/purpose/direction.
[Shu interrupts Ri, like continuing what Ri says]
Shu: And you cannot do that if you are not careful on how you choose those people. If you have a broken/abnormal finger it affects the things you can do with the hand.
[Ri smiled]
From a discussion had with clinical psychologist Dr. Ion Zamfir regarding management.
(1) Alistair Cockburn, “Shu Ha Ri”: http://alistair.cockburn.us/Shu+Ha+Ri