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Aesop's Classic Fable
There once was a great bear rummaging through the forest. He came upon a fallen tree that had been filled with combs of delicious honey, crafted by a resident swarm of bees. As the bear began to nose around, a bees from the swarm came home from the nearby field of wildflowers. Recognizing the situation as an intrusion, the bee aimed his stinger directly at the bear's nose and delivered a painful sting, before darting into the hollow log with a buzz. The bear flew into a furious rage and attacked the log with his claws, hoping he might destroy the nest. Much to his chagrin, this brought out the whole swarm, and the bear had no choice but to turn and run. He only managed to escape by diving into a nearby pool of water.
Moral of the Story: An angry response tends to make an already bad situation worse.
Modern Life: The Bear and the Bees
Several years ago a Bear, who was a contract consultant tasked with guiding some teams found himself facilitating a long a grueling planning session. Several times throughout the session, a manager would sting him with questions like "how long is this going to take?" and "when will this be over?" Bear fielded the questions calmly the first few times, but the constant interruptions and condescending tone began to grate on his nerves. As the session neared its end, the manager disrupted the call once again, insisting on an immediate meeting with the team, impatiently asking if planning could be concluded. In a moment of frustration, Bear lashed out angrily, losing his composure and professionalism.
Awkward silence. You could see the look on everyone's faces that this was really uncomfortable. The call was ended. Bear retreated to his desk, tempers still hot and adrenaline still rushing. A few moments later, he saw the manager step into his supervisor's office and shut the door. The door remained closed for what seemed an eternity. By lunchtime, he received a call from the company who held his contract. He was informed this would be the last day of his contract.
A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
Proverbs 29:11
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