Leading from the Middle

Caption. I like this picture and its healing and leading story.
THE story is told of Abdul Aziz that he had a pearl of great beauty and value, set in a ring.
Shortly afterwards there came a dry season, the crops failed, and there was great suffering among his people.
Moved by compassion the King ordered that the pearl should be sold, and the money received for it given to the poor.
One of his friends reproached him for doing this, saying:
“Never again will such a beautiful jewel come into your hands."
Sighing regretfully, the King answered:
"Ugly is any ornament upon the person of a King when the hearts of his people are wrung with want and hunger. Better for me is a stoneless ring than a suffering people."
Moral. Happy is he who sets the welfare of others above his own.
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Eschewing self-interest, Abdul Aziz puts his subordinates, his subjects, first.
He’s a servant leader in his willingness to “serve first” unlike a “leader first” personality seeking to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions.”
Let’s get personal.
Would you replicate this King’s munificence? Or do you view this as foolishness, a squandering of resources?
In a time of famine, were you king, what would you do? Cling to the pearl? Or, would you make the sacrifice?
Away from management textbooks, case studies and leadership lectures, what does this simple story say to you about your leadership?
In the modern office, far removed from famine and scarcity, what do you do when a worker is not living up to expectations?
Reach out to that person or push the panic button for an HR intervention?
Fables, simple and short, prompt questions about ourselves – if we’re open to it.

*Source: Cooper, Frederic Taber, editor (1864-1937), “An argosy of fables; a representative selection from the fable literature of every age and land”. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company. 1921.

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© Copyright John Lubans 2019