The key to longevity

I recently visited Boone Hall Plantation near Charleston, South Carolina. This plantation was used in the 2004 movie, The Notebook, starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. The driveway leading to the mansion is lined with live oaks leading to a rock and iron entry gate. Although not part of the original script, this is the gate that Gosling accidentally ran into and became a part of the movie after the fact because the director liked it so much.

Well, enough about the gate. What captivated me were the live oaks. Live oaks are found throughout the deep Southeastern United States. In the days of wooden ships, live oaks were commonly used for the frames of ships. The USS Constitution was framed with live oak and earned the nickname “Old Ironsides” because of its ability to withstand cannon balls. Live oaks commonly live over 500 years. Many of the trees lining the drive at Boone Hall Plantation are estimated to be 500 years old or older. 

What is the key to their longevity? They are connected.

The roots of the trees reach out and connect with the other live oaks. If one tree gets sick or maimed, the other trees provide it with vital nutrients. They literally take care of each other. What a powerful metaphor for human and organizational flourishing.

Real strength is rooted in connection and trust.

We call this Shared Purpose. Most organizations operate around a common purpose. For example, when a company needs a worker, and a worker needs a paycheck – you get work done, and the employee gets a paycheck. Both parties win independently, but focusing on a common purpose like this keeps us from seizing a bigger opportunity. 

A Shared Purpose is when you both achieve the same thing. This can only be accomplished when you work together towards a goal that matters deeply to both of you—that kind of winning changes everything.

We have helped many organizations like yours motivate and align their teams by creating a Shared Purpose and we’d love to help yours. Click below to schedule a discovery call!