If you could get all the people in the organization rowing in

Patrick Lencioni, a voice of clarity in the realm of leadership, once declared: “If you could get all the people in the organization rowing in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition, at any time.” In this teaching, he paints for us a vision of unity so powerful that it transcends talent, resources, or even fortune. For when men and women align their wills and energies toward a single course, their combined strength becomes unstoppable, like a great river cutting through stone.

The meaning of this saying lies in the image of rowing. Imagine a boat upon turbulent waters: if each rower strikes at his own rhythm, the boat spins, stalls, or drifts. But if all row together, in perfect rhythm, the vessel cuts swiftly and powerfully through even the roughest waves. So it is with an organization, a family, or a nation. Division scatters energy and wastes strength, but unity multiplies it, transforming many weak strokes into one mighty thrust. Thus, the secret of dominance is not merely individual brilliance, but collective alignment.

History gives us luminous examples. Consider the rise of Alexander the Great. His Macedonian army was not the largest in the world, but it was united in discipline and vision. Each soldier, each commander, each unit rowed in the same direction under his leadership. Together they cut through the Persian Empire, shattering foes many times their size. Their victories were not due only to weapons or numbers, but to a unity of will that magnified their power beyond measure.

In contrast, recall the fate of the once-mighty Roman Empire. In its early years, Rome’s legions marched in unison, its leaders disciplined, its citizens loyal. But as time passed, factions grew, leaders pursued their own ambitions, and the organization ceased to row together. Division spread like rot, and though Rome’s armies remained vast, their strength was squandered in civil wars. Thus, disunity proved more fatal than any foreign foe.

The lesson is clear: whether in a company, a community, or a cause, the greatest advantage lies in unity of purpose. You may have brilliant individuals, but if they pull against one another, their brilliance becomes noise. Yet even ordinary men, if aligned in a single direction, can overcome extraordinary challenges. Unity turns weakness into strength, chaos into order, and effort into destiny.

In practice, this means leaders must work tirelessly to align vision, values, and goals. It is not enough to set strategy; the hearts and minds of the people must be bound to it. Communication, trust, and clarity are the oars that bring rhythm to the boat. Without them, division will tear the vessel apart. Each member must see not only their own task but the shared horizon, and must commit their strength to reaching it together.

Therefore, children of tomorrow, take to heart Lencioni’s wisdom: when people row together, nothing can stand against them. Seek unity in your endeavors. Build trust, clarify vision, remove division, and inspire all to row in harmony. For the world’s strongest empires and greatest companies were not built by solitary hands, but by many rowing as one. And when you achieve this unity, you will find that no sea is too wide, no storm too great, and no rival too strong—for the rhythm of unity conquers all.