I happened to catch part of one of the speeches during the recent memorial held at the World Trade Center site commemorating the attacks of 9/11. One of the speakers was a young man whose brother had been killed trying to rescue others. His brother was a lawyer and a volunteer firefighter whose office was located close to the World Trade Center. He rushed to help and was subsequently killed when the building fell. What was so impressive was how he talked about his deceased brother and all the great threads his brother had sewn during his personal and business life.
 
It got me to really think about the threads we all sew.  The older we get the more we tend to put value on things that at one time were not all that important. The “threads you sew” are one of those things. The threads you sew are far more important than the money, the homes, the toys, or the dealerships you own. When you leave this earth none of those things matter. What does matter is the quality of the threads you sew and how many garments your threads become a part of.

How conscious are you of your “daily threads?” Do you take the time to realize the impact you are having on others both good and bad? People want to emulate those they perceive to be successful. Others are watching you sew every little stitch.

If you are not a believer in this concept, how else can you explain organizations that develop a culture of bad behavior?  Someone sewed the bad threads and others followed suit. It just happens. It’s easy to spot. Some people don’t know any differently. It’s either the way they were taught or it’s what they observed and it transfers from one bad management team to another. That’s why in some organization you have a management style that’s rotten to the core. It’s the outdated style of talking down to customers and fellow team members and treating them like crap.

Don’t think for a moment that the bad thread sewing cycle can’t be broken. It can and it starts with you, regardless of your position in the organization. You can choose to take a stand by taking control of yourself and being the best thread sewer you can be. The threads you sew are going to be worn by someone, someplace, sometime and someday soon.

The odds are that you have some good fundamental disciplines and processes you believe in, but you need to pull out some of those ugly threads you’ve sewn and do some re-stitching. These are great times we are going through. Great times for change. Great times to re-make yourself. Great times to get the needle and thread out. Let the sewing begin.

Thanks all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs