Getting Along

Organizations, agencies or businesses that want their projects to go well apparently now appoint one person on the project team to be a "blocker." This is someone whose job it is to raise questions, object to the majority plan and generally inject alternatives into the group discussions. The theory behind it says that having a designated blocker prevents mistakes and produces a better end result. As Marty Nemko says, it's comforting when people agree with you, but you grow when they disagree. Yet so often we feel that people don't respect us, like us or love us when they disagree with us.

The blocker idea is actually quite comforting to me. It's similar to the role of the artist in society: to look at things differently from the established view and to prompt people to think. To encourage us to see things from a new perspective. Often when you're working with a group, there's a pressure to be nice, to go along with the flow, be a good team player. And I like that, too. But we need the blockers, even though they annoy with their seeming negativity and endless questions. I hope I can remember this thought and listen when a student tells me my method of staging a scene should be changed or a colleague tells me things have changed from last year. I try to remember this thought when irritated over the lack of "accord" at the recent Climate Change conference. Perhaps sometimes the wrestling over differing ideas, the struggle to answer difficult questions, is where deep learning and creativity takes place.

At this time of year, when I long to return to an illusory golden, perfect Christmas time that didn't exist, the amount of quarreling and tension at work and at home is highly unsatisfactory. The police of course know about increased domestic altercations during holidays. Why can't we all float along in a serene jello of agreement? Say 'cheese' and smile for the family or office photo just after a big argument over the budget or who empties the trash.

I'm stepping out of the frame. Give me the blockers with their doubts and questions. I embrace the struggle (for a moment, anyway, before I return to holiday bliss).