David Tanguay

“We” vs. “I”



Posted: Wednesday, March 12, 2008

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"The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say "I." And that's not because they have trained themselves not to say "I." They don't think "I." They think "we"; they think "team." They understand their job to be to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but "we" gets the credit. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done." Peter Drucker

When I was released from the military in 1969, I went to work for a cleaning service. The work was new to me however, I learned fast and soon I was doing my job quite well. We went into many private homes where we would sometimes clean a portion of the house and sometimes the whole house.

After working for the company for approximately a year, I was made supervisor and we would go out on jobs all over the southern part of the state.

One thing I learned in the military was teamwork I remember my first day in boot camp our drill instructors would tell us "I" is something in your head you use to see with (eye balls) they taught us to work as a team and use the word "WE".

We trained together and chanted together and when one of us would screw up the whole co. would have to pay for that one individual's mistake.

When I got out of the service, I used what I learned in my military training on the job. When we went into a private home if one of my men would have an accident and break a piece of furniture when we got back to the shop I would report to my boss, "WE" broke the piece of furniture I would never single out any one person.



I wasn't brain washed into believing in this philosophy it came natural to me. I believe our politicians could benefit from this way of thinking. They always use the words "I" instead of "We" after all the preamble of our constitution begins with the words "WE the People"

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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)
» left by Michael Kocis
 3 years 304 days ago.
24 fans.
Wonderful artical David, I'm witnessing this with my son whose in the Army. Where it was "I" before, now he tells me how "we" did this and "we" did that. I'd also like to take this moment and say,"Thank You Sir" for serving in the military. Michael
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» left by 3 years 304 days ago.
Thank you for commenting Mike. No need in thanking me for serving in the millitary I only done my job. And as I told you before when I got out of the service I did believe in the young hippies, yippies and all the radical groups of that day.
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» left by susan thom
from nj 3 years 302 days ago.
hi david, wonderful piece. very well thought out and written, and interesting. hey-what's with the i DID believe in the hippies-i still consider myself one, if only in my own head! thanks for sharing, best regards, sue
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» left by 3 years 302 days ago.
Thank you for commenting Susan. Yeah I use to respect those hippies with their idealistic views.
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» left by Teresa Ortiz
 3 years 291 days ago.
187 fans.
Hi David, what a great article! Teamwork really is the way to go! God bless! Teresa
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» left by 3 years 291 days ago.
Thank you for commenting Teresa
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