Working In Harmony
Written by Jill Osur
Image Copyright Netflix
As many of us have turned to binge watching series and movies during the pandemic, I found the new series Selena on Netflix this past weekend. There was a scene in the first episode where young Selena and her siblings are practicing their music in the garage and were so out of sync it was a bit painful to listen to. Their father stopped them mid-song and told them to follow him into the house. After having them sit on the couch, he put a record on and directed them to listen carefully. He then stopped the record player and asked the kids if they heard the guitar.
Image Copyright Netflix
Selena and her brother said yes, but her older sister admitted she couldn’t hear it. He played it again and asked again. Being embarrassed and put on the spot, she said yes, but soon admitted she still couldn’t hear it. He went on to explain how important it is to hear and feel all of the instruments, as when that happens, the parts aren’t competing or operating solo, they come together in a harmonious magical way.
Further, Selena’s father went on to tell her sister that as drummer, she’s the heart of the group, and that she holds them all together by keeping the beat. It was a turning point for all of them as from that moment on they all recognized how important each person was to the whole. While they had different instruments, and different talents, it was the respect for each part and the value that each person brought to the whole that mattered most.
This scene was so poignant for me in the moment and it made me think about what we are creating at Teneral Cellars. Our business, and the mission of bringing a diversity of experiences and voices together is no different than a band with different instruments. We know that the diversity of voices and experiences will make us a better company.
No one on our team questions that and everyone is fully on board with that belief. The work is around the need for everyone to recognize that while one voice could be louder, another may have a different tone or energy. While one may push us out of our comfort zone and one may be fun and energetic, they are all equally important in the eco-system. Only when each person recognizes that the power and impact come from the whole of the parts working together can you succeed.
When a group of people come together for the greater good and work harmoniously by recognizing the power of the whole, the real magic happens, and systemic change and impact can soon follow.
There’s always been a beautiful connection between music and wine but watching this scene has given me a whole new appreciation of this connection in a much broader and global view, and certainly not one I anticipated thinking about while binge watching Netflix.