Leadership Parables

Live Mosquitoes Cannot Be Flushed

2011-06-24T14:03:00.001+08:00

I tried to flush a half dead mosquito down the toilet bowl recently. I realised that I could not do that. The mosquito would float on the water for a few seconds and flew to drier grounds with its last bits of energy. I flushed again and witnessed how the mosquito "surfed" the rapids, skilfully negotiating its way through the raging water and after the water had settled, it was there on the surface of the water, still living.

Mosquitoes cannot be drowned in that way. How the mosquito survived, amazed me. The way it curved the turbulent current with arrogance and "danced" with it in rhythm , demonstrated its mastery over the water.Water is their playground and stronghold. Strong current can be a nightmare to most of us, but not to the tiny mosquitoes.

In the same way, we cannot overcome someone at a place where he has the most advantage or at his strongest area. Can this "theory" be applied in where you are now? For example, competition, sales, academic pursuit, etc. Remember :

"Live mosquitoes cannot be flushed."

The Right Proportion

2008-12-01T13:33:00.002+08:00

I was cycling one evening, against the flow of the traffic. I could see a car approaching me from far. I had noticed it from a distance of about 50 metres away. However, as it came near me, its front lights were too glaring and bright and for a moment, I was blinded. I could not see the car at all. I recovered when I looked away. Good thing that I was not cycling in its path.

"Isn't light suppose to help us see?"

Music is good - Louder music is better to some. How about music blasting at the highest volume until it deafen the ears?

but ... "Isn't sound suppose to help us hear?"

There it appears that things are good at a moderate volume, best at an optimum level but beyond that, it will be too much and opposite effects will happen. Intense lights will blind, loud sound will make someone deaf and too many programmes and activities within an organisation will .... ?

So we ask, what should be the right proportion of activities, programmes within each organisation? I do not think that I can tell. As much as it depends on the individual in regard to his threshold of pain to the intensity of light and sound, it also depends on each organisation, the resources it has, and the potential and calibre of its members.

However, we can somehow sense it - how much is not enough, how much is just nice, and how much is too much. It sits within us; the sense of balance and the right proportion of all things. Perhaps, the following link can help us discover that more :

Pareto Principle

Its link can also be found on another blog of mine :

Leadership Concepts

When the campfire circle gets too big ...

2008-11-16T12:34:00.003+08:00

I like the ancient past campfires.

The campfire circle was small - few of us, maybe 20 to 25 people. Yet we could feel the heat of the campfire, the singing and the campfire spirit was strong and blazing. Everyone knew the purpose of coming together, the meaning of camping and the Fire (Spirit) of the Camp.

These days, campfire has somewhat lost its original meaning in camps. The council (campfire) ring is big, everyone sits at a distance away from the fire. This distracts some of the campers who do not really participate actively in the singing, in the spirit. As the time drags, I would not be surprise if campers start to get involved in other activities during the process of campfire like dozing off, engage in chats with friends or putting on a "screen saving mode". To get the campers back to the original campfire is a difficult process, the leaders need to put in effort to coax them and get their attention.

Organisations are like that sometimes.

Small organisations or groups at the start is easy to manage and get focused. Everyone knows the intention of coming together, everyone is spirited to finish up what they have set to do.

But as the group gets bigger, new members come in - the original campfire or goals get dimmed. The heat could not be felt as intense as before. People will distance from the goals, get de-focused, distracted and form up their own agenda within the group. At this point of time - smaller groups from the original one may start to form. Different campfires or goals from the original one, dis-unite the big group and the members will start to feel disillusioned and lost.

And so, the original group starts to miss the "old times" - how they were once "united" and spirited.

The original campfire.

To get together to the original campfire is another thing - I would not mention it here. I will do it at Leadership Journal next time.

This parable is meant to help you to understand why big groups are harder to manage than small ones.

Leadership Bottles

2008-11-16T02:34:00.002+08:00

Leadership is often discussed more than Servanthood.

Some of us prefer to lead than to serve.

Others try to contain leadership in a bottle and unless they have everything in that bottle, they would not want to lead and do not feel confident to lead. They must have "this" and "that" to feel qualified as a leader. Often,

"I am no good.",

"People do not listen to me.",

"I do not seem to get people moving."

are obstacles to them. They would not feel good unless they collect those and put them in their Leadership Bottle. They will look high and low for those, neglecting their duties, trying to be someone they are not. Time passes, life goes on, they are found lagging behind.

Waste no more time.

What do you have in your hands? Which area are you heading, leading or serving now?

If it is organising a hike, do your best.

If it is conducting drill, simply do your best.

If it is leading games, just do your best.

So long as you maximise whatever you do, doing your best in what you are given ...

you have more or less comprehended and practised Leadership.

Movement and Wind

2008-11-16T02:23:00.002+08:00

I like to run in the past, until my knees said it was time to slow down. It "creaks" these days. I love running, I liked the homerun, the last lap when I sprinted with anticipation ...I felt the Wind brushing my face - there was Movement.Now I take on cycling. I love cycling down slopes. It is relaxing and cooling, it is fast. I wish those moments will never end.I felt the Wind brushing my face - there was Movement.

When things move - we can feel it. It creates excitment and is usually more positive than negative. When humans move, we should be able to feel it too. When people work together, makes things happen and results come in, we can feel, we can see.

Similarly, when an organisation moves or progresses - we would know that it is growing. Somehow, the "wind" will tell us.

The reverse is also true - we can almost sense a dead organisation when we near one.

About this Blog

2008-11-16T01:34:00.003+08:00

This blog contains stories and illustrations of leadership.

It is my way of simplifying concepts of leadership and making it relevant to readers of this blog.