Socrates was sitting outside of the gates of Athens when a man came up to him and said, ‘I am thinking about moving into Athens. Can you please tell me what it is like to live here?’
Socrates replied, ‘I would be happy to tell you, but first would you please tell me what it was like in your previous home city?’
The man quickly roared, ‘Oh, it was awful. The people stab you in the back and rob you blind. I am not leaving any friends, only enemies.’
Socrates frowned and sadly continued, ‘Well, you best be on your way because you will find the same thing here in Athens.’
A little while later another man stopped to speak to Socrates and inquired, ‘I was considering moving here to Athens. Can you tell me what it is like to live here?’ Socrates again replied, ‘I would be happy to tell you, but first would you please tell me what it was like in your previous home city?’
The man smiled and said, ‘Where I come from the people all work together and help each other. Kindness is everywhere and you are never treated with anything but the utmost respect.’ ‘Welcome to Athens,’ smiled Socrates,‘ You will find the same thing here.’
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Difference of Life and Death ....
Strolling along the beach, a woman catches sight of a young man who appears to be dancing at the water's edge. The young man bends down, straightens to his full height and then casts his arm out in an arc.
Drawing closer, she sees that the sand is littered with starfish and he is throwing them, one by one, back into the sea.She says, ‘There are stranded starfish as far as the eye can see. What difference can saving a few of them possibly make?’
Smiling, he stoops down and tosses another starfish out over the water, saying, ‘It made a difference to that one.’
How a Tech Lead works in a Team....
This is an old parable about the grasshopper who decided to consult the hoary consultant of the animal kingdom, the owl, about a personal problem.
The problem concerned the fact that the grasshopper suffered each winter from severe pains due to the savage temperature. After a number of these painful winters, in which all of the grasshopper’s known remedies were of no avail, he presented his case to the venerable and wise owl.
The owl, after patiently listening to the grasshopper’s misery, so the story goes, prescribed a simple solution: ‘Simply turn yourself into a cricket, and hibernate during the winter.’The grasshopper jumped joyously away, profusely thanking the owl for his wise advice.
Later, however, after discovering that this important knowledge could not be transformed into action, the grasshopper returned to the owl and asked him how he could perform this metamorphosis.
The owl replied rather curtly, ‘Look, I gave you the principle, it’s up to you to work out the details!’
The problem concerned the fact that the grasshopper suffered each winter from severe pains due to the savage temperature. After a number of these painful winters, in which all of the grasshopper’s known remedies were of no avail, he presented his case to the venerable and wise owl.
The owl, after patiently listening to the grasshopper’s misery, so the story goes, prescribed a simple solution: ‘Simply turn yourself into a cricket, and hibernate during the winter.’The grasshopper jumped joyously away, profusely thanking the owl for his wise advice.
Later, however, after discovering that this important knowledge could not be transformed into action, the grasshopper returned to the owl and asked him how he could perform this metamorphosis.
The owl replied rather curtly, ‘Look, I gave you the principle, it’s up to you to work out the details!’
Company Policy
There was an interesting experiment that started with five monkeys in a cage. A banana hung inside the cage with a set of steps placed underneath it. After a while, a monkey went to the steps and started to climb towards the banana, but when he touched the steps, he set off a spray that soaked all the other monkeys with cold water. Another monkey tried to reach the banana with the same result. It didn't take long for the monkeys to learn that the best way to stay dry was to prevent any monkey from attempting to reach the banana.
The next stage of the experiment was to remove the spray from the cage and to replace one of the monkeys with a new one. Of course, the new monkey saw the banana and went over to climb the steps. To his horror, the other monkeys attacked him. After another attempt, he learnt that if he touched the steps, he would be assaulted.
Next, another of the original five was replaced with a new monkey. The newcomer went to the steps and was attacked. The previous newcomer joined in the attack with enthusiasm!Then, a third monkey was replaced with a new one and then a fourth. Every time a newcomer approached the steps, he was attacked.
Most of the monkeys beating him had no idea why they were not allowed to climb the steps or why they were joining in the beating of the newest monkey.After replacing the fifth monkey, none of the monkeys had ever been sprayed with water. Still, no monkey ever approached the steps. Why not? Because as far as they knew it was the way it had always been done around here... and that is how company policy begins.
The next stage of the experiment was to remove the spray from the cage and to replace one of the monkeys with a new one. Of course, the new monkey saw the banana and went over to climb the steps. To his horror, the other monkeys attacked him. After another attempt, he learnt that if he touched the steps, he would be assaulted.
Next, another of the original five was replaced with a new monkey. The newcomer went to the steps and was attacked. The previous newcomer joined in the attack with enthusiasm!Then, a third monkey was replaced with a new one and then a fourth. Every time a newcomer approached the steps, he was attacked.
Most of the monkeys beating him had no idea why they were not allowed to climb the steps or why they were joining in the beating of the newest monkey.After replacing the fifth monkey, none of the monkeys had ever been sprayed with water. Still, no monkey ever approached the steps. Why not? Because as far as they knew it was the way it had always been done around here... and that is how company policy begins.
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