Proving Right or Winning – a lesson on Leadership
A lesson on Leadership
Proving Right or Winning: A Journey of Perspective Over Ego
The world often lures us into confrontations where proving ourselves becomes more important than progressing and moving on.
A timeless story by Aesop often told to children illustrates this beautifully. Two goats meet on a narrow bridge, both unwilling to yield, resulting in a fight that leads to their mutual downfall.
In contrast, a later pair of goats approach the same situation with wisdom—one lies down, allowing the other to walk over. Both cross safely. The lesson is profound: anger and ego lead to destruction, while humility and cooperation lead to fulfillment.
Translating this wisdom into the workplace, consider the story of Akhilesh, a VP-Sales. During a tough quarter influenced by a global recession, Akhilesh found himself under scrutiny for not meeting targets. Despite having data, preparation, and confidence in the future, he reacted poorly when the CFO casually questioned his performance in the manufacturing sector.
Akhilesh had done well on all other sectors. Instead of choosing diplomacy, Akhilesh lashed out, driven by a need to defend and prove himself right.
Akhlesh's reaction, unfortunately, derailed the meeting’s tone. What began as a collaborative session turned into a tense standoff. The CFO, initially making a general comment, was provoked into an argument. Akhilesh's outburst not only offended the CFO but also shifted the team's support away from him.
His emotional reaction led to a cut in the marketing budget, loss of goodwill, and even whispers of a potential transfer. The irony? The opportunity to explain his viewpoint was lost in the heat of ego.
Akhilesh had multiple options. He could have acknowledged the challenge and sought support, disagreed with grace, or simply moved to the next point. Each alternative would have helped maintain the decorum and support of the room. But he chose to be right, and in doing so, lost sight of the larger objective—securing resources for future success.
This brings us back to the lesson of the goats. When faced with confrontation, sometimes the wiser path is to yield—not as a sign of weakness, but as a display of strength and foresight. Agreeing with an opponent or letting them go first doesn’t diminish us. On the contrary, it demonstrates our maturity and long-term vision.
We must remind ourselves constantly: crossing the bridge matters more than crossing it first. Life isn’t a race of egos, but a journey of perspectives. Being right internally—knowing we are doing the right thing—is more empowering than proving someone else wrong. When we focus on our goals, stay committed to our values, and rise above provocations, we win not just the battle, but the war.
In conclusion, wisdom lies in choosing peace over provocation, progress over pride, and perspective over ego. Let’s strive to be the second goat—humble, wise, and fulfilled.
#Leadership #Prioritizing #Maturity #Innerpeace #Humility