The other day I volunteered to help winterize one of the buildings at a Christian camp. I was concerned that I would get there, and like so many times in the past, there would be no single person designated to assign tasks. When this happens, I usually find "busy work" to do so that I feel that I am contributing, but I would rather be utilized in a much more productive capacity.
When I first arrived, I stood around for 10 minutes watching the crew of people who were "regulars" work like a well oiled machine. I noticed two guys break free to carry some OSB into the building, and so I put my gloves on and gave them a hand. I was concerned that today was going to be "another one of those days." But I was never so wrong.
As a few more of us newbies showed up to lend a hand, the camp director, Dan, showed up to provide our task assignment options. Two tasks needed to be completed: hang insulation around the entire building, or remove the vinyl siding from the exterior. (The building was just stud framed inside with wood and vinyl on the exterior.) I chose to help install the insulation along with other volunteers. There were three men and one woman on this team.
What happened next was nothing short of textbook management and leadership. The process involved unrolling insulation, cutting it to a measured length, installing it between the studs, and then stapling it to the studs. At first, we were each trying measure the opening, cut the insulation, and install it individually. Two of us were engineers, and it was almost simultaneously that we realized that we had a manufacturing process here.
We created a division of labor. One person measured, one person cut, one person hung, and one person stapled. The process worked like a Swiss watch. Within a short amount of time we completely enclosed the building with the insulation. Eventually we inherited to more men, and we provided them with similar jobs. We even created a make shift jig for the most uniform cut length.
I quickly came to realize that division of labor is not meant to be a bad thing. A hierarchy is not supposed to create levels of workers based upon their importance to the organization. In contrast, the importance in this pyramid is usually upside down. Just try getting any production with out the production workers. The division of labor is utilizing people in skills where their God given talent is most productive. In some cases, this talent is management or leadership.
It would sure be nice if all community service projects were this well organized. A lot more could be accomplished for the good of mankind. As for this camp, the fruit of our labor will be harvested when the kids show up for camp this summer and get to stay in a renovated dormitory.
