A Leadership Fable

Ever feel you're talking and talking, but no one's listening? Here's a fable from Aesop that puts a little perspective on how to motivate people. Spoiler alert - the answer isn't talking louder or harsher.

🌥️T h e  w i n d  a n d  t h e  s u n  a r g u e d  o n e  d a y  o v e r  w h i c h  o n e 

w a s  t h e  s t r o n g e r .

Spotting a man traveling on the road, they

sported a challenge to see which one could remove

the coat from the man's back the quickest.

🌬️T h e  w i n d  b e g a n .  H e  b l e w  s t r o n g  g u s t s  o f  a i r , 

s o  s t r o n g  t h a t  t h e  m a n  c o u l d  b a r e l y  w a l k  a g a i n s t  t h e m .

The wind blew harder and longer, and the harder the

wind blew, the tighter the man held his coat against

him. The wind blew until he was exhausted, but he

could not remove the coat from the man's back.

☀️I t  w a s  n o w  t h e  s u n ' s  t u r n .  H e  g e n t l y  s e n t  h i s  b e a m s

u p o n  t h e  t r a v e l e r .

The sun did very little, but quietly shone upon his head

and back until the man became so warm that he took

off his coat and headed for the nearest shade tree.

🌤️W h a t  d o e s  t h i s  m e a n ?

Try as we might, we can't force anyone to do anything.

Gentleness and kindness win where force and cluster fail.

How to apply: 

🍃Treat people as people.

Smile. Ask people how they are. Show a genuine concern for people's lives (even

outside of work). Celebrate people's wins.

TRY : A one-on-one where only personal things are discussed.

🌱Set Expectations.

Maybe the nicest thing you could do for someone is explain what's expected of them. People want to feel good when they know they have met your expectations.

TRY : Co-Create a Culture Code with your staff.

🌿Be transparent.

Tell the story of how you made a decision then hold space for people to process it and come back with questions. It’s about showing clarity and transparency in decision making, rather than letting people’s imaginations run wild.

TRY : Hosting an all-hands meeting to discuss a recent decision.

📣: Being a kind leader isn't easy. How are you using kindness to lead?