From time to time I get to talk with people about working together effectively.

One of the key principles of effective partnering (& life) is realizing that working together is messy.

This is obvious, of course. People & organizations are different & have different histories, values, languages, beliefs & cultures.

One simple example of these differences is that the word “Messy” does not really translate that well outside of the USA. When I say working together (& living together) is “Messy”, I am trying to communicate that working (& living together) together is potentially complicated, frustrating, baffling & confusing & constantly changing.

So, in an attempt to communicate effectively & be a good partner, I have taken to substituting “Dynamic” for “Messy”.

Life is like that too. If life is anything it is dynamic…. unpredictable, changing, maybe even an adventure.

This past week has been a non-stop exercise in watching life be dynamic (with the occasional mess).

I have been trying to prepare for a 2 week trip to visit Ball Project partners in Asia. I have been getting many things done, some urgent & some important, but I don’t feel like I have been getting prepared for a 2 week trip that is rapidly approaching.

But that is life. Life & working together is dynamic & too often messy & most certainly an adventure. & somebody said, “Life is what happens while you are busy making plans.”