Imagine showing up to a project where the whole team was filled with joy, like a well-choreographed Broadway musical, where everyone dances and sings even under the direst of circumstances. It would be like releasing a barrel of monkeys — as the saying goes. Probably not the ideal environment for design and construction of complex spaces. Or is it? What is wrong with enjoying what we do — working together and teaching others? I think we all have a lifetime of improvements to focus on in our given trades. I’m not about to learn how to do a bell kick or publicly display a bass vibrato while singing, “Saaaanitary; where the waste goes flowing down the drain,” but I can keep an open mind and look for ways to hone my trade.
One of the unique things about what we do is that we form “temporary social networks” in order to construct projects. These networks usually consist of designers, engineers, project managers, owners, architects and contractors. Sometimes, these projects are small renovations that may take only months to design and build. Other times, these projects go on for many years. Most of us would probably agree that the more quickly we can build trust with one another, the more we can work together and, dare I say, “enjoy” our work.