Seek Steady Improvements
Starting Work Together
In the past couple of weeks, I’ve started to do a weekly run of the perimeter of Central Park. It’s a healthy 6.2-mile run filled with great scenery, more than enough hills—I hate the Harlem Hills . . . until I’ve conquered them—and an amazing amount of camaraderie.
On Sunday, quite by mistake, I ended up running along side the Portugal Day Race. Hundreds of runners set out on a five mile run through the park. As I arrived at their starting point, the last third of the group began to take off. For about two miles, I ran side-by-side with the registered runners. Shortly after we passed 100th Street West, they turned right, thereby skipping the Harlem Hills. By the time I rejoined them on the Upper East Side, I ran amidst the last 20% or so of Sunday’s racers.
For someone like me, a confirmed loner, it turned out to be a fascinating experience. I have long assumed the reason I like my long runs relates to the fact that it gives me a chance to go off on my own and think. However, on Sunday, I realized I enjoyed being part of the group. I had one of my best runs ever, made so, I believe, because I was spurred to run faster by the other people who opted to pound pavement that day.
Afterward, it occurred to me that Sunday’s run offered its own lessons for interns, summer associates and new hires and anyone else starting work. I’m all for aloneness. I understand the lure of tackling a project on one’s own, seeing the fruits of one’s labor and being able to take credit for all of it. However, I was reminded that a little interaction offers its own benefits, which sometimes including improved performance.
What Do You Need to Know?
Some of us are loners, but working on group projects can propel you to new heights.
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