Trust, a key component of teamwork

As the early morning of a new day unfolded, the quiet procession of trucks, men, and equipment were nearly silent; you could barely make out their silhouettes in the low light of dawn. They were getting ready to take care of a large tree at my neighbor’s home that was beginning to lose its footing. The Nor’easter that just ripped through here cut a wide swath of damage. Besides the heavy rains, high winds were on the backside of the storm as it moved North.

Quietly in the dark they went about their prep work. A crane getting positioned by hand signals. A “Bobcat” being offloaded and positioning itself. A tree climber dressed in protective clothing laid his equipment out in a neat, orderly fashion like a surgeon readying for an operation. Others carefully staged the clean-up tools that would be needed after the tree was taken down. Words were exchanged quietly with many actions being taken without speaking to each other.

I was struck by the professionalism of this team. Although it wasn’t clear to me, they seemed to understand what each other needed and how they worked together. It didn’t take long to see that each member had a specific role and duty to carry out. The men of Everett Tree Service appeared to take great pleasure in working together.

Once they were ready to go, the operation soon looked like the flight-deck of an aircraft carrier. This is dangerous work and you could see the trust each man placed in the other. I admired the agility of many of the men and their deft handling of their tools.

With precision cutting by the tree cutter, to let the top (canopy) loose, the crane operator moved the tree like a needle standing vertical. Smoothly navigating his cargo to an open area below, he set the rest of the team in motion as soon as it touched ground. No sooner did they surround the tree then it looked like the first cut was over. Shortly afterward came the bulk of the tree with a clean, ground-level stump as the only lasting marker to the event.

Other than the short time of hearing chain saws and a chipper, they departed as quietly as they entered. I found myself left thinking how they represented people with a professional attitude who work well together. Could it be that the simple cornerstone of trust can bind us together for the common good?

I couldn’t let go of the thought surrounding trust and how important that is to teamwork. Thanks for the reminder this morning, gents. Stay safe and I look forward to the next opportunity I can see you all in action.