Once, a middle-aged jobless man was invited to a networking dinner. He put on his trousers and t-shirt, then opened the closet to discover that he had only three pieces of formal wear left—a shirt, a tie, and a jacket. “Great”, he said, “I get to use my full wardrobe today”. So, he put on his shirt, tie, and jacket and had a great evening.(..)
Two travelling monks reached the bank of a river, where they met a young lady of the night. Wary of the current, she asked whether they could carry her across. The first monk just stood there hesitantly, but the second one quickly lifted her up onto his shoulders. Together, the monks waded through the river until they reached the other side, where the(..)
There was once a group of tiny frogs who arranged a competition. Their goal was to climb the ladder that was resting against the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race. The race began. No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as:(..)
One day, two travellers arrive at a tribal village and are welcomed by the chief. After a warm welcome, the chief tells them “I have a wager for both of you. The winner gets my beautiful daughter’s hand and my inheritance. The loser gets a pot of gold”. It was a no-lose proposition. The generous offer reflected the chief’s good heart and wealth.(..)
The subject of leadership is complex. Fortunately, the insights reside in simple stories. There was once a man who decided to counsel his lazy son through an illustration. One fine morning, he declared that he was going to bring food to the table only if his son earns Rs 200/-. The mother felt bad for her son and silently sneaked him the money and said:(..)
A little boy went into a grocery store and reached for a soda carton. He, then, pulled it towards a payphone. Back in the day cell phones had not invaded our lives as much as it has today—few places still had payphones. The boy climbed onto the carton to reach the phone buttons and punched in the digits. The store owner quietly observed and(..)
Once a young professional approached a successful man to seek guidance on the secret of excellence. The man asked, “But why do you wish to pursue excellence?” The youngster replied, “So that my seniors notice my work, and I am rewarded accordingly.” The man smiled and beckoned the young man to accompany him on a short road trip. They drove down(..)
A discontented man prays every night, “God, I am the unhappiest man on the Earth! No sooner do I sort one problem, another one pops up. I beg you to exchange my worries with someone else – anyone will do!” Then one night, God comes in his dream, “Gather all of your miseries into a bag and bring it to the temple hall.” When the man wakes(..)
Once a little boy, age 4, was told to pick up some toys strewn on the floor. He merrily obliged, believing that he was helping his parents keep the house in order. A moment later, the younger brother, age 2, came along and emptied the container of toys onto the floor. This time, the elder kid saw it and despite coaxing by the parents, refused to pick up the(..)
A traveler notices an aged man tending to the fields along the road, he stops there and asks him, "I am traveling from the village in the mountains to the village in the valley. And I was wondering if you know what it is like there?" "Tell me," said the aged man, "What was your experience of the village in the mountains?" "Dreadful!" replied the(..)
There was a business owner who was deep in debt and could see no way out. He sat on a park bench, head in hands. Suddenly an old man appeared before him. After listening to the man’s woes, the old man said, “I believe I can help you.” He asked the man his name and wrote out a check, “Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from(..)
Ducks are renowned for their waterproof feathers, and it’s amazing to watch them as they splash around. The water forms beads on their back and rolls off in a no-nonsense fashion back into the pond. Lesson? A leader shouldn’t let personal problems weigh and distract from the goals. Ducks appear to glide smoothly along the surface of the water(..)
A young girl once complains to her visiting grandfather that she feels helpless and dejected because her parents are always busy screaming at each other. The grandfather summons the couple and asks them: “Do you know why we scream?” “To drill our point in the opposite head,” is the curt reply. “No.” explains the grandfather, “It’s(..)
Many years ago, a man woke up and picked up his morning newspaper from the doorstep. As he opened the newspaper, much to his horror and distress, he read his name in the obituary column. The newspaper had reported his demise by mistake. His initial instinct was that of shock. But as he regained his equilibrium, he became curious as to how society viewed his(..)
Once a toothpaste factory faced a packaging problem. Many empty boxes were shipped without the tubes inside. Therefore, the company hired a consultancy firm to solve the issue. After spending a lot of time and money, the problem was solved. A high-tech precision scale was installed at the end of the production line. The scale would trigger a bell(..)
