Literally 'Burying the Hatchet'
Relations
between two departments had deteriorated badly over
the years.
One was a state government agency, the other from the
private sector. The culture of these two ‘partners’
could not have been more different.
At a team-building workshop, top managers from both
sides decided to ‘bury the hatchet’.
They bought a large, new hatchet at the hardware store
in town. On one side, the government agency wrote their
festering complaints. On the other, the private sector
group wrote their protests, moans and grumbles.
After agreeing to work more positively in the future,
both sides held a ceremony on the lawn. With photographers
present, they dug a deep hole and literally ‘buried
the hatchet’. This symbolic ritual sent a strong,
positive signal that the past was past. Both sides took
responsibility for the future.
Can you see these two teams standing next to a pile
of fresh dirt? Can you hear their pledge to
start again anew? Can you feel the commitment
as they walked away from a ceremonial hole in the ground?
Key Learning Point
To overcome old wounds
you may need to work on a symbolic level.
Action Steps
Think about where
your partnerships could be improved. Find a common phrase
that captures the solution: `bury the hatchet', `patch
things up', `water under the bridge'. Perform a ceremonial
rite or ritual that engages everyone in a gesture of new
work and healing.
Next Article in Customer Service Culture >>
Who Loves the Taxman?
First Article in Customer Service Education >>
Education is the Star at Starbucks
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