Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the Puye Cliff Dwellings, located about 35 miles north of Sante Fe, New Mexico. The experience provided me with a memorable “good teammate” encounter.
Home to a thriving Pueblo community from the 900s to late 1400s, the Puye Cliffs were comprised of two levels of cliff and cave dwellings.
The first level was over one mile long and ran the length of the mesa’s base. Carved paths, stairways, and ladders connected the two levels and allowed inhabitants to climb to the top of the mesa, where an impressive multi-storied housing complex was built around a central plaza.
A portion of that mesa top complex has been reconstructed in recent years, offering breathtaking 360-degree views of the surrounding valleys and mountain ranges.
The Puye Cliff Dwellings were the first of the ancient pueblos of the Rio Grande Valley to be excavated. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1966.
I remember seeing photos of the Pueblo Cliff Dwellings in my social studies books when I was in elementary school. I was fascinated by them. Seeing the cliffs with my own eyes was surreal.
My family accompanied me on this trip. We did the “mesa top tour,” a one-hour guided excursion where guests are driven in a white van (jokingly referred to by staff as “The White Buffalo”) to the top of the mesa.
There, we met our amazing tour guide, Emeric Padilla—a proud Native American member of the Santa Clara Pueblo.
Emeric told us as a child he used to play in the cliff dwellings with his friends, before the area was turned into a tourist attraction. He shared stories from his youth, intermixed with stories about his tribal ancestry.
He pointed out plants and rocks unique to the area. He showed us pottery shards and other artifacts unearthed during the excavation. He explained the tactical purpose of the cliff dwellings and how the mesa provided his ancestors with protection from raiding Apache and Navajos, their traditional enemies.
The more Emeric talked, the more evident two things became to me: 1. The entire Puye Cliffs settlement was an exercise in teamwork and the art of being a good teammate. 2. Emeric was highly knowledgeable.
Knowledge is power, but sharing knowledge is empowerment.
By sharing his knowledge, Emeric empowered us with a sense of appreciation and respect for the land and the Pueblo people. But his empowerment didn’t stop there.
To return to the visitor center, Emeric invited us to descend the cliff by using the tall ladders that connected the mesa top to the lower levels. Several members of our group, including my wife and youngest daughter, were hesitant to accept the invitation.
Sensing their apprehension, Emeric reminded our group that his people had been descending that way for centuries; and “if they could do it, so can you.”
Emeric’s reminder empowered the apprehensive with courage and confidence—a good teammate move on his part.
Before we boarded the van to start our tour, someone returning from the previous tour saw me leaving my coat in my car. They told me that it was “considerably cooler up top” and recommended that I bring my coat with me.
It was indeed considerably cooler on the mesa top, and I was grateful for them sharing that information (their knowledge) with me. When I got back down to the visitor center, I noticed several people without their coats waiting to go on their tour. So I shared my newly acquired knowledge with them.
I didn’t remain long enough to see them return from their tour, but I bet they were also grateful.
The longer you’re on a team, the more knowledge you are likely to acquire through your experience. Sharing your knowledge with others empowers them, links you to them, creates legacy, and improves your team’s chances of experiencing and sustaining success.
If you’re ever in the Sante Fe area, I recommend venturing out to the Puye Cliff Dwellings. Take a tour and be sure to request Emeric as your tour guide. He will empower you too.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
