How do we stack up? It’s a question we seem to constantly ask ourselves. Our brains, hands and hearts want to know how we are measuring up compared to every other piper, drummer and band.
Do we “matter more” than other players and bands? Are our tunes more enjoyable than another band repertoires? Is our band “bigger” than your band? Is our tuning and tone better than theirs? Do our tenors have more sass?
Pipers, Drummers and bands can spend their entire pipe band lives trying to determine where they stack on the proverbial pipe band totem pole, however, those who do will one day be sorely disappointed to find out there was no ranking measurement against anyone else at all.
When we compare ourselves (our bands) to someone else (another band) we will always have to rank ourselves as either superior or inferior to that other person or the band they play with — and neither of those assessments will ever be factually accurate. Admittedly, some organizations can be better than others else at one particular task, but that doesn’t qualify them as superior. Attempting to gauge how we are doing in comparison to someone else will never lead to an accurate evaluation because no two people are ever exactly alike. We come from different backgrounds. We possess different talents. We have different strengths and weaknesses. So how then would it ever be a fair assessment to hold ourselves and any other person to the exact same measuring stick?
Daniel Burnham is famously quoted as saying, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably will not themselves be realized.”
With a solid foundation and a plan in place – Wake and District is better today then we we’re yesterday — and look forward to tomorrow.
Becoming the best takes people. Like minded people coming together and sharing the passion and pride of the pipes and drums.
And yes — our tenors have more sass.