The focused and intense conversation gave way to laughter as the debate was broken by humour. After ninety minutes of brainstorming, deliberation and statements in defense of positions, the members of the Core Team small groups finally agreed on the draft mission statement they would present to the entire team. While the two submissions were quite different, they both reflected the effort invested in the process as team members came together, joined by a common goal. Today their task was to develop a draft mission statement for the Cayman Islands Civil Service.
As the two small groups presented their work, it was clear that their contribution today represented more than the act of doing their “job”. Today it wasn’t simply about filling roles as defined by job descriptions and formal responsibilities. Today was personal.
The lively debate, the energy, enthusiasm, commitment, interest wasn’t driven out of obligation. It emerged from the desire to contribute to something bigger than self. Watching the session unfold, listening in on the conversation, observing the interactions instilled hope. Today a group of people invested in the future of the civil service came together to lay some of the foundation that will shape our future. Today, as civil servants and external stakeholders worked together, it was personal.
“Individual commitment to a group effort–that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” –Vince Lombard