leadership

Nice Story.....

A water bearer had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole that he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For two years this went on daily.

The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day. "I am ashamed of myself because this crack causes water to leak all the way back to your house."

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

As leaders, we need to capture the value that can’t be seen, to adjust our point of view and see beyond the obvious.