I was reading The Engineer’s Wife, by Tracey Enerson Wood, the other day and the characters discussed the Cutty Sark—which, surprisingly, was not originally a blended Scotch whisky, but a boat. Built in 1869, she was a British clipper ship that transported tea to and from China, and she still exists today as a museum ship and a popular tourist attraction in London.

Although The Cutty Sark was one of the last tea clippers to be built and one of the fastest, she was known for her copper hull. Cutty Sark’s hull is covered in copper alloy sheathing of 70% copper and 30% zinc. At that time, the hull was incredibly innovative for its composite design. But once the boat was put in the water, the thing that made the Cutty Sark so famous was completely out of sight. 

Today, I’m asking us all to “see” what can’t be seen, just like the Cutty Sark’s hull. Look at your colleagues—what is their most amazing character trait that perhaps, just like the ship, isn’t readily “visible,” yet so important. Is it integrity, honesty, compassion, authenticity, kindness, generosity, encouraging, courageous, perseverance, or something else? What do you admire about them? Have you considered telling them? Maybe today is the day. Maybe.

Let’s GO! WE GOT THIS!
Beth