Nature seems to get this pairs thing. Everywhere you look, things are in pairs. That natural symbiotic relationship between genders but also jus the idea that things work together. Rarely do you find a species, although there are some, where there is not a natural pairing that goes on. This sort of makes you wonder why this is the case? I am sure there are some great theories, but I being of a more practical mind really do not care all that much. The point is that things just work better in pairs, when two people are gathered together in common purpose, the result is always better. This is primarily because one can pick the other up, or help out when the other is struggling. Two minds are definitely better than one, as they temper each other and help to cause motivation and help encourage each other. I daresay, that most of the great ideas, great companies in our history have started with a tandem. I could go through them all with you, but you know the names, Carnegie/Schwab, Hewlett/Packard, Jobs/Woz and Gates/Allen. Probably hundreds more.
Since working with someone seems to be a natural law, then maybe this is a key ingredient to success? I have seen so many great relationship and great success with people that have chosen to partner together in a common cause. My life experience has proven this to be the case as well, so perhaps we should just default to this motion? A party of one is just that, but a party of two starts the tribe, so if this works then why not? So as I consider all of my self improvement objectives, perhaps I need to consider who my “buddy” is on each one of them?
Also, as we think about human behavior and how to help others, like perhaps with a team at work, or students in a classroom. If the natural law is that people work better in pairs, then why do we focus so much on individual effort. Perhaps we should really consider making assignments out to two people together rather than one.
Guy Reams
