"The Brick Layers"

A man came upon three brick layers at work. He asked the first what he was doing, he replied “laying bricks”. The man asked the second worker what he was doing, to which the man replied, “building a wall.” He then went to the third worker and asked what he was doing. The man looked at him and said, “I am building a magnificent cathedral for all of the people of the city to use.” The action of each man was identical, but their vision of the task varied greatly. Which man would you want building a structure for you?

The RISE staff face a very similar situation. Staff who are laying bricks see each day as a day to get through; to pass the time. The staff who are building a wall think their job is to reduce aggression or get a client to brush his teeth on his own. The staff, who see that they are building a cathedral each day, are able to understand that they are building a life. Which staff do you want working for you?

Adapted from Dennis Bakke.