What is orange, has four wheels, and sleeps three? Answer: a department of transportation vehicle. Well, it appears that someone fell asleep at the wheel when a misspelled sign was posted on the eastbound side of I-74 at exit fourteen outside of Cincinnati. The letters            C-H-E-V-O-I-T were printed rather than the correct city name of  C-H-E-V-I-O-T.

     Apparently, the culpable individual is not familiar with Evelyn Wood. Famous for its speed reading courses, the folks at Evelyn Wood strongly advise two proofreaders when examining the accuracy of any written document. The rationale behind the suggestion is that the author of the text will read what she intended to write, while the other proofreader actually reads what is printed.

     King Solomon, the person credited for writing many of the Jewish proverbs offered similar instruction. “Get all the advice you can, and you will succeed; without it you will fail” (Proverbs 15:22, GNT). Making oneself accountable to others is a sound formula for avoiding painful pitfalls.

     Personally, I like surrounding myself with smart people. No one person can know everything. Yet the expertise I may lack in critical areas can be addressed by someone more knowledgeable.

     Unfortunately, pride often becomes the greatest barrier to success. Admitting our limitations requires a healthy dose of humility. What’s more is that whatever achievements are realized must be shared. No single member of the team is celebrated above another.

     Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Teamwork really does make the dream work. Teamwork is also the key to avoiding nightmares. But don’t take my word for it. Just ask the guy or gal who painted the road sign.