Conscious Cooperation is a passion for me.  It is a vehicle for me to live and give from my heart, to share some of what is deeply important to me.

And, I still do a lot of work as a builder.  I am trying to finish a pretty extensive renovation and repair job in which we have been working all over the house. Things started with a new, involved septic system last winter.  Added in was the free removal of the owners’ old underground oil tank, which turned into quite the nightmare when a leak was discovered at the bottom of the old tank, from poor initial installation years before.

We have gutted out the owners’ kitchen and are  close to giving them their new kitchen with many nice features and  and real good looks.  We gutted out and rebuilt the main floor bathroom and fixed up the lower floor one.  We have just replaced most of the doors inside the house.  We have built new areas in the cellar.  We are upgrading insulation and sealing of the exterior of the house, etc. etc.

All this while my customers have been living in the house.  Hard for both of us! Great tests of  Conscious Cooperation!  They are great people, though.  Lately I have been working hard toward completing the work.  My customers have added various aspects of work to the job.  I am trying to make up for some more leisurely progress a few months ago , with me doing much of the work, but now bringing in more help.  This is also of necessity as I am injured, and my labor capacity is limited.

I got thinking how pleased I am when there is a collection of good, conscientious guys (and/or women) working, all of us producing good work and cooperating together.  Am I grateful for this kind of active dance together, and grateful for the talented, motivated craftsmen?  You bet!  I give a lot of praise and thanks and listen to their thoughts and suggestions.  I try to be sensitive to them.  I ask if they are fine, do they need anything.  And I enjoy playing my part to orchestrate this dance.  I kind of feel like we are one big being producing all this work.

We get good work done and have a good time together while doing it.  I appreciate them a lot and want them to know it.  There is a good spirit together, and my customers appreciate it, too.  For me this is how to work. I don’t believe in lording over anyone.  My customers are happy, they see a lot getting done lately, and I couldn’t do it without everyone’s focused work.  Today was carpenters, painters and my beloved electrician.  We help one another, joke together, have good talks together, all the while behaving like a big happy family with things to get done.

I enjoy praising craftsmen in front of one another and in front of my customers.  People like to be appreciated.  I do.  It is nice not to be taken for granted.  I know that showing appreciation and respect and giving thanks and praise go a long way toward having a happy, productive team who knows they are valued.

Any thoughts?