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“When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” – Jacob A. Riis
Coaching, education, and training in support of workforce development requires sustained effort, collaboration, and a constant desire to challenge ideas. It takes energy to be creative and engage stakeholders to think differently. It requires relentlessly asking questions, learning, and pushing against what seems like structural rocks in our regional employment landscape. Keen listening is essential as we uncover the issues our partners face in building and retaining talent. There is a current and future need to develop skills to meet the demands for our regional economy.
At ERIE21, and in my work as an independent business owner, we are personally invested in the students and working learners. We want to help them break through and break in. We want them to be welcomed and supported when they do. Everyone deserves a place at the table and to benefit from our growing regional economy.
There are days when it is not obvious that we are making a difference or doing enough. Is the progress in the right direction? Making any systemic change can feel as if an immovable force is in the way, and nothing seems to help.
Recently, our ERIE21 leader at Le Moyne, Bill Brower, shared an article with me for inspiration. It resonated with me and formed a hopeful mantra for our work in ERIE21 and in this community. The article had an introduction that said, “Remember the stonecutter.” The quote by Jacob A. Riis that introduces this article, can be found in multiple locations and in every language of the San Antonio Spurs NBA basketball team facilities. Their coach, Gregg Popovich, had adopted it as their team’s core mission and philosophy.
In remembering the stone cutter, we acknowledge the effort required to remain faithful through as many as a hundred tries. We trust that it might just be on the last attempt that we see results.
It is human to desire results, success, scorecards, outcomes, and visible proof that our efforts are working. We need inspiration that our cause is noble, and, in the end, good things will come.
More likely, we will need to keep moving forward, and persisting with the trust that our goal is still inherent, and we will meet it. What we do matters. More importantly, how we do it matters more. This is for our ERIE21 team, our persistent students, their families and friends, our partners, faculty, future employers of our program graduates, and all those who are cheering and inspiring….BE PATIENT. KEEP POUNDING!