There are crafts worth doing for the process alone, never mind the product. Weaving together the different strands of our lives is one such process which is rewarding in and of itself – and, let’s face it, once that product is shipped the lights in the factory get turned off.
Weaving is how we create rich art. A blind focus on one thread can make for a bigger splash of color but not necessarily a bold one.
Choreography, weaving, uniting and synthesizing: these are the master crafts. The ones that bring together disparate threads, movements, thoughts. This is not just a concern for personal growth but for organizational growth and competitive success.
Ultimately any company that is not in pursuit of the truth is not in pursuit of excellence in their craft. Consider the world’s most profitable businesses. I can think of no exception to the claim that they are the most focused on capturing and incorporating the best insights of their diverse workforce as well as the needs of their clients and suppliers.
Case in point, most of us are familiar with the monolithic plastic exterior of Apple products. But underneath that candy coated shell is a teeming ecosystem of companies that produce very distinct and carefully crafted components. Each its own complex ecosystem of workers, suppliers, aspirations, conflicts, etc.
These seemingly fractal organizations made up of organizations made up of organizations are the cutting edge of our civilization. A form of weaving and collective wisdom unprecedented for its richness.