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Original Fable: The Wolf & The Crane
There was once a Wolf, powerful and vicious. One day, he devoured his prey so ravenously that a bone ended up getting stuck in his throat. It was causing him a great deal of discomfort, and so he began howling his way through the woods, offering a handsome reward for anyone who could pull it out.
A crane heard the cries and decided he would help complete this dangerous task; moved by empathy as well as the prospect of reward. Carefully he lowered his head in between the open jaws of the wolf and with great precision he snatched the bone from the throat of the wolf. Having removed the bone, he said to the wolf “now that we’ve finished this, I’d like my reward.”
“Reward?” scoffed the wolf, “You greedy bird... what reward could I possibly give you that you haven’t already received from me? You still have your head attached to your neck after having put it in my mouth. Instead of biting it off, I let you live. There is no greater reward than that! Consider yourself lucky, for few ever come so close to me and walk away to speak of it. Now go and never let our paths cross again, lest you desire to be my next meal.” Moral of the Story: Don’t expect gratitude when you show mercy on your enemies.
Aesop’s Modern Life: The Wolf & The Crane
In a dynamic corporate environment, a director was brought in to lead a large-scale initiative, promising there would be recognition for great achievements when it all began. The initiative introduced significant changes, causing challenges throughout the organization. There were many skilled workers, akin to the crane, who found themselves burdened with the responsibility of fixing many issues that were a direct result of the director's decisions.
As the workers slowly but tirelessly fixed problem after resultant problem, ensuring the business was able to continue serving its customers even while the ill-directed initiative spanned on and on. The workers remained hopeful they would be rewarded with recognition. However, to their dismay, it was the director himself who took all the credit for the great achievements of the transformation during a high-profile presentation.
When the workers approached the director inquiring when they would be recognized, they were met with dismissiveness. The director, with an air of superiority, reminded them of the challenging economic times and insinuated that they should be grateful to even have jobs. Further, he pointed out that the project timelines had slipped, subtly shifting blame onto the workers for the perceived failure.
Modern Morality: In this corporate adaptation, the story emphasizes the director's lack of integrity, taking credit for the hard work of the skilled workers and using economic conditions as a tool to undermine their rightful expectations.
The moral could revolve around the importance of leadership recognizing and appreciating the contributions of the team, especially when promises of recognition are made at the outset of a project.
There are powerful wolves in corporate settings who would dispose of you as soon as they no longer need you. Remember, as a crane, your power is your ability to fly...
Hit Close to Home?
Have you ever been caught in the Crane's situation or are currently experiencing it? Think you might be perceived as a Wolf and want to change your image?
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