One Shoe - Its significance
Smitha Hemmigae
Head Of Marketing and Employer Brand @ANSR, Talent500 I Co-Founder @Belakoo Trust
Dear LinkedIn connections,
Like my new year and fitness goals, my content writing goals are also slipping over the last year or so. From a frequent author of articles, I am now only with intent but nothing on paper.. While I was mulling over what to write the last 2 weeks when I was away from work, I saw an interesting scenario, that too on a kids playground.
Every evening I used to go for a really long walk. On the walk I saw 2 teams playing football. What made me stand and take a second look was, on one of the teams - 2 players were playing with one shoe each. I was pleasantly curious. I thought it was some form of sharing or the rains the previous day had ensured that these two players did not have their pair dry. I was curious, but I did not stop to check with the players.
Two days later, I observed the same scenario. The same 2 players were sporting a shoe each. On seeing this I could not contain my curiosity anymore. I walked up to both these boys and asked them why were they wearing only one shoe? One of them looked at me sheepishly and answered:
Boy1: Aunty, between us we only possess one pair of shoes. He cannot afford to buy a pair.
Me: But why are one of you sporting a shoe each?
Boy1: I use my right leg to play and he favours is left and our shoe size is the same. I decided to share my left shoe with him so that he can play better
This answer from the boy stunned me. I watched the boys and their team till they finished playing, saw that the team which had this pair on their team win the match.
I completed my evening walk, but the image of the boys and what they symbolised - collaboration, trust, transparency and team work stayed with me.
In my mind, I was thinking about how human + trust goes hand in hand. Tools, platform or any aid cannot fulfil this combination completely because they don't have the empathy, or intuition nor the human elements to innovatively solve a situation/challenge. It's only when the tools are in the hands of the human that they can accomplish the impossible.
As E.R says, to do things that you think you can't do. what do you think one needs? what plays the role?
VP of PR & Corporate Communications. Global PR, Change Management, Crisis Communications, Internal & External Communications, Mentor, Transformation Coach (ACC trained)
5 年Beautifully put
Customer First II Processes II Operations II Engagement II Organization Dev II Solution II Smart Manufacturing ll (Personal account , does not reflect my employer.)
5 年Effective and uncomplicated articulation ! Thanx for sharing!!!
Senior Marketing Manager, Branding & Thought Leadership, Corporate Marketing, Infosys
5 年Nice one!
Delivery leader at Thoughtworks
5 年A nice message,Smitha ! Thanks. Learning Opportunities are in our vicinity , we just need to pause and give that moment to ourselves to absorb it.