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Conjunction Junction, What’s Your Function?
Conjunction Junction, what’s your function? Hooking up words and phrases and clauses… I got “and”, “but”, and “or”. They’ll get you pretty far.
Maybe you remember this Schoolhouse Rock classic that explained to all of us how important the words and, but, and or are to the English language.
Need a refresher? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPoBE-E8VOc (Just don’t blame me if the snappy tune sticks in your head!)
In the course of three minutes, it highlights several ways that each of these conjunctions is unique and important, along with the proper ways to use each.
It strikes me that sometimes as leaders we could learn from Conjunction Junction. One such situation is when we need to pull together a team to tackle a critical project.
I’m sure we can all agree that teams are often most effective when they are diverse in skill sets and balanced in perspectives. Here’s a framework that may help your train of thought with the ‘balanced in perspectives’ piece. What if you had representation among the Ands, Buts, and Ors?
Here’s how a balanced perspective would look:
- The Ands make sure that all ideas are heard and considered. They represent a mindset of abundance versus limitation. They recognize that there may be no silver bullet – instead, the best solution is a combination of actions.
- The Buts help with critical evaluation. They’re the ones who question the status quo and ensure that issues are examined from all perspectives.
- The Ors bring structure to the conversation and force critical decision making. They ensure that solutions can realistically be implemented and that the best ones are chosen.
So, just for fun, think about the people around you and how you would classify them. I’m sure you know some Ands, some Buts (note that there is only one ‘t’ there!), and some Ors.
Now, imagine a team with one of the conjunctions missing. What do you see? I’m picturing derailed cars, tracks that don’t connect, and trains that lead to nowhere.
The next time you need to pull together a team, put on your Conductor hat, listen to the three minute video, and make sure you have all the right conjunctions. Because as a leader, that’s your function… hooking up cars and making them function.