Managerial Lessons – Indian Tales

I have always been fascinated by Indian folk tales as well as children’s stories. These stories have a lot of meaning and when analyzed, these stories open the eyes of the reader.

The stories I am referring to are Jatak Kathayee (Tales), Beetal Pachisi, Stories from Panchatantra folk stories of different states of India, and stuff like these.

Apart from ethics, one can actually learn the art of managing at the workplace, hence a must for managers, who can learn the art of managing.

The blog will explore such stories which will help managers to manage not only themselves but the teams effectively for achieving their own and the organization’s objectives.

Some People are very fond of talking in any or every situation, they would like to utter something whether it is important or not, whether the situation warrants this or not, thus putting themselves in trouble.

Today's story is about communication

Here is a story from Jataka Tales.

Once upon a time, there was a king in one of the Himalayan countries, who was very fond of talking and would not allow anyone to talk. No one dared to tell the king that let others have their opinion, which will be in the best interest of the kingdom. He had a very wise advisor who was also not comfortable with the situation. He thought that the king by not allowing anyone to speak is doing harm to his kingdom. He decided to teach the king a lesson. He was looking for an opportunity and soon got the opportunity

There lived a tortoise in a Himalayan mountain. The tortoise was very talkative and did not allow any other person to talk or the opportunity to talk. Two young wild ducks called also called Hanjas used to visit the pond to feed themselves and quite often they used to meet the tortoise. The tortoise and the ducks became close friends. One day, these ducks invited their tortoise friend to visit Golden Cave on Mount in the Himalayan country where they lived. The ducks told the tortoise that friend, where we will at the Golden Cave on the mount in the beautiful Himalayan country, is a very beautiful spot. Friend, will you come there with us?

The tortoise was delighted, but said, “But How Can I get there?”

The ducks replied, we will take you there, you don’t have to worry. What you need to do is to hold your tongue, and catch a stick with your teeth. But you will not open your mouth and say anything to anyone. He replied I can do that. Take me with you.

The ducks said, then let us go. They bought a stick and made the tortoise bite and hold the stick in the center with his teeth and they themselves took the two ends of the stick in their teeth and flew up in the air. Some villagers seeing the tortoise being carried by ducks, called out, “Two hanjas are carrying a tortoise along on a stick”. The tortoise wanted to say something as was his habit immediately opened his mouth to say, ducks are my friends and they choose to carry me, who are you wrenched, slaves.

While the ducks were flying, they were over the king’s palace. The moment the tortoise opened his mouth, he fell into the open courtyard and there was a thud and a cry that the tortoise has fallen into the courtyard dead and split into two.

The king and his minister on hearing the cry came out with his courtiers and the advisor and saw the tortoise dead, split into two.

Kindly asked the minister, what would have happened that caused the death of the poor tortoise.

The advisor thought for a couple of minutes, and smiled as got an opportunity to admonish the kind, told the king:

This tortoise must have made friends with some wild ducks who would have told him to hold the stick and hold his tongue even if he hears anyone else talking. He would have heard something, wanting to say something, and let the stick go and must have fallen down from the sky and thus lost his life.

These people are called chatterboxes –people whose words have no end –who come to grief like this.

The tortoise killed himself while uttering his voice, though he was holding the tight stick as per the promise made by him to Hanjas.

The story which has been referred to is from Kacchapa Jataka titled” The talkative tortoise” and has a message for those managers/people who do not stop talking and don’t adhere to others' advice despite promising to do so when given ( In this case, tortoise, when advised not to utter any word while he was being carried by Hanjas, said “ I can do”) always get into trouble.

When you don't listen to others, you miss out on gaining something. There is always something one can learn from everyone you interact with but only when you're listening. We never know, people might have insights to offer that one can't see and know unless one listens

Managers need to be very careful while communicating. Allow people/group members to express their opinions. Once the opinion is given by some team members, see the merits of the opinion, and if found it has merit, implement it.

Though the story is old, it delivers a powerful message.