It seems that every day of the year is dedicated to a fun, if not slightly arbitrary, celebration of some sort. For example, did you know January 31st is National Scotch Tape Day?
Many of these more out-there holidays pass unnoticed as normal days of the year. But some of us also keep track of a few select favorites — and we know exactly what day of the year they fall on.
April 13th is one of my personal favorites: National Scrabble Day. I’ve loved Scrabble since I was a little girl when my grandmother in Wayland, Massachusetts first taught me how to play. And because I learned from such a young age, I like to think you should hesitate before challenging me to a game. Years of playing, after all, have endowed me with a secret cache of two- and three-letter words that I’m sure would drive an English major crazy.
Scrabble is a special game for many reasons. It teaches us strategy, how to plan ahead and how to instantly adjust when another player takes your coveted spot on the board. You learn that being judicious with your letters can sometimes earn you more points if placed on the higher-scoring tiles. Yet, more often than not, the winner is the creative mind that can connect multiple words horizontally and vertically.
And, of course, every Scrabble player knows you’re at the mercy of whichever tiles you draw from the pile.
In many ways, playing Scrabble is like navigating the world of logistics. Each time you endeavor to build out a new process, outside factors force you to constantly amend your plan. You learn to make the best of the resources you have at your disposal while concocting creative ways to circumvent bottlenecks. And while you need to be fast-acting, it’s the patient, calm brain that usually arrives at the most innovative solutions.
Like lean and supply chain, Scrabble is gratifying because the end product shows us how all our hard work connects to a bigger picture. Whether you’re on the factory floor, managing a team, or in charge of an entire organization, your work contributes to the success of our world’s supply chains, ensuring that both critical resources and people-centered leadership reach your team when they need it most. And that is something to be proud of.
I hope everyone had a happy National Scrabble Day. And know that if you ever challenge me to a game, I definitely won’t hold back.
As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.
