When I was a child, my dad used to say, “A single stick can be broken easily, but bundle a few together and it’s nearly impossible.” It was his way of teaching us the value of unity—especially important in a house full of brothers who didn’t always get along. That lesson stuck with me, and over the years, I’ve come to understand that it applies just as much to families as it does to teams—on job sites, sports fields, or anywhere people come together to get something done.

Job site lesson

One July afternoon last year, standing by a serene lake with a breeze drifting in, I found myself shoulder-to-shoulder with Clint—one of the most experienced members of the Haliburton Crew—trying to bring together two massive pine beams to stabilize an elevated gazebo. Let me set the scene. We needed to brace the structure with two 12-foot beams joined at the centre using a half-lap joint—an elegant, puzzle-like technique common in woodworking where two pieces intersect to form a solid x-brace. With the joint cut and ready, all we had to do was fit them together and secure the beams at both ends. Easy, right? Not quite. Clint and I took turns, each on one side of the “X”, using a wooden-handled C-clamp to squeeze the beams together—millimetre by painful millimetre. Midway through the effort, I suggested creating more space to make the fit easier, but Clint—drawing on two decades of experience—shook his head. The tight fit was essential. So we pressed on. Literally. With sweat, sore arms, and a few layers of skin lost (mostly mine), we finally locked the beams into place. I was tired and aching, but I was proud. I had contributed to something real, something that would stand the test of time. And I hadn’t done it alone.

A few weeks earlier, I was on another job site when a downpour was forecasted. A couple of colleagues and I decided to get as much done as possible before the skies opened up. When the rain finally hit, we stayed out there—soaked but focused. No one complained. That silent commitment reminded me: sometimes, the work is hard, the conditions are miserable, but when you’re not alone in it, it becomes bearable—even meaningful. These moments—big or small—have shaped how I see my work and my role within a team. For me, having a purpose gives meaning to every task.

Final thoughts

There’s pride in pushing through, in collaborating, in realizing a vision. That’s what construction is all about—helping people build their dreams so they can focus on the joys of life, not just the challenges. You can’t always control what happens—or who you’re working with—but you can control how you respond, how you contribute, and how you choose to support those around you. Because a single stick breaks easily, but bound together, we’re strong.