The Caryatids Lesson: Shared Strength in Design
Standing next to the Caryatids in Athens, I felt immense awe.
These sculpted female figures aren’t just sitting there looking pretty in a gallery. They were built as structural, load-bearing pillars, literally designed to hold up the roof of an ancient temple.
Looking at them made me think about how these ancient sculptures embody utility and beauty coexisting seamlessly.
Then, it made me think of the fact that one of the load-bearing Caryatids was taken by Lord Elgin to reside in England, but the structure still stood (later, the Greeks added a support column and eventually moved the remaining 5 Caryatids indoors for preservation).
Building something to last requires many strong individuals working together and proper weight distribution. It's okay to step out from under the crushing weight and rely on others to carry the responsibility for a while.
Our organizations should still be able to stand if one core team member were missing - if not, it's not a compliment to the person missing, it's a design flaw.
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