Unity is Strength: A Collaboration Lesson from Redwood Trees

I love Redwood trees. They seem to have a mystical power. I have hiked most of the trails along the Pacific coast offering views of magnificent redwoods. Over the weekend, I got to hike around Redwood National and State Parks for the first time. It is home to the tallest trees on earth and was designated a World Heritage Site in 1980. It was an awe-inspiring experience. You cannot remain unmoved by the sheer size of a redwood and cannot really appreciate their power until they tower over you. But what left a deep impression on me was learning that Redwoods create the strength to stand up tall and strong in the face of harsh winds and powerful floods by forming “tribes.” Although the Redwood trees are the tallest of the trees, their roots aren’t very deep. A Redwood tree alone would fall over. Together, they merge roots, stay connected, and hold on to one another, roots intertwined.

It occurred to me that this strategy of growing roots outwards for strength instead of digging deeper into the earth could serve as a life and a career success model: unity is strength. Inter-reliance and collaboration are needed for each of us to survive and thrive as individuals and as a community. Like the interlocking root system of Redwoods, our human system relies on our connections. Everyone has their own talents and belief system (roots.) We build strength and stability through connection and collaboration. Our challenge is to not dig in our heels and get stuck in a limited mindset. Different mindsets offer unique solutions and contributions. Collaboration allows us to take full advantage of others’ strengths and to learn by sharing ideas and knowledge. This makes for a more enriching environment in which we can become the best version of ourselves. We each can do different things; wisdom is embracing our own potential as well as the creative collective. Together we can do extraordinary things.

Fragmented systems don’t work. Collaboration is rooted in trust and genuine concern for the well-being of others in our ecosystem. It requires an understanding on the deepest level possible that working together is crucial to growth, to rising higher and higher. Modern work life consists of inter-dependencies. Most jobs require teamwork and collaboration. Individual roles and responsibilities unfold within a team context. Collaboration requires a big picture understanding of how each person is an important piece of the overall teamwork puzzle. Collaboration is about possessing a strong work ethic and making a consistent effort to produce high quality work. It’s about looking for ways to contribute to the success of the team. Our decisions and actions have a ripple effect on other people.

Five ways to collaborate like a redwood tree:

1. Think community: align your personal goals and contributions to the team’s objectives and overall business strategy. Understand that people come with a wide range experience and diverse skill-sets. Learn to graciously give and receive help and support.
2. Communicate effectively: express ideas clearly, directly, and honestly. Share the right information and resources with the right people at the right time.
3. Maintain integrity: mean what you say and deliver on your commitments. Keep your promises and find ways to pitch in and make things work better.
4. Be resourceful: meet challenges and create new opportunities within them. Different situations require different strategies. Look at what's in front of you and optimize what you have to work with.
5. Show appreciation: put yourself in others’ shoes and appreciate different work styles, approaches and perspectives. Recognize the things that others do best and thank them for their contributions.

Be open to the possibilities that come with each new day to connect with others and to do your part.