The Lion and the Hare
There was once a huge jungle with a very harsh ruler. The ruler of this jungle was a fierce lion. Every animal was afraid of his strength and cruelty and had to obey all his orders, even if it brought harm to them.
One day, the Lion ordered all the animals and said, “To maintain the safety of your communities, every day, one animal will visit my den and be my lunch.”
The animals were astonished by the Lion’s order, but they had no choice but to obey. They had to listen to what he said, or he would kill all the animals at once. Hence, they sent a family member to the Lion daily so that others could survive.
However, the animals were not happy with the decision because the Lion used his power and strength to intimidate them. So one day, it was the turn of a Hare that lived in the same jungle. The Hare was sad and did not want to go. All the animals insisted that it would make the Lion furious, but the Hare was not ready to give his life that easily. He made a plan and did not appear in the Lion’s den that day. The Hare went the next day, and upon seeing him near the den, the Lion roared in anger and asked him why he did not come yesterday.
The Hare explained, “I was on my way, my lord. I was happy to be your meal, but I was chased down by another Lion near the well in the jungle. I saved my life yesterday.”
The Lion exclaimed, “What? Is there another lion in my territory? How dare he? Show me where he lives and I will kill him today!”
The Hare pretended to be frightened and said, “Yes my lord. I will take you there.”
The Hare took the Lion near the well in the jungle. He told the Lion, “The lion hides in this well.”
The Lion peeked in the well. The well was not dry and the water in it was still. He saw his reflection and thought it was the other Lion.
The Lion roared instantly. The reflection roared back but in a deeper voice due to the echo of the well. He roared again and warned the Lion inside the well. The Lion inside the well roared back.The king became impatient and jumped into the well to kill the other one. He did not know how to swim and drowned.
The Hare saved all the animals with his wit.
In a business context, otherness thinking refers to recognizing and valuing perspectives and experiences that differ from the dominant or “in-group” viewpoint, fostering inclusivity and innovation. In a business setting, it involves actively seeking out and valuing diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas, even those that might challenge the status quo or dominant way of thinking. Benefits of otherness thinking include increased creativity and innovation, improved problem-solving, enhanced customer satisfaction, stronger brand reputation, and greater employee engagement.
