How hard are you willing to work?

Harmony is a feel-good word. It comes with associations of smiling cherubs and soft sounds. Harmony tells us that we can connect in ways that make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

What harmony also tells us is that the right kind of integration takes both intention and discipline. The first requirement for singing in harmony is that you listen; the second is that you be willing to change what you sing in order to blend with what you hear.

The same thing is true when we create harmony at home or at work. We listen and then we alter what we do so that the whole can be greater than what we could do on our own. It's not an easy gig.

It's not even a matter of giving up leadership. Imagine a harmony where the second part consistently came in one beat after the melody. In true harmony, you are always listening, always responding, always moving together according to some shared principles and what you hear.

Are you capable of harmony? How long can you discipline yourself to sing along instead of singing alone?

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