The Wise Old Man
An elderly man sat outside his hut, which was situated in the border compound in the village. He played host to many travellers and spent hot afternoons sitting under the tall palm tree and reflecting on the complex simplicity of life. One day, a traveller came up to him and asked,
“Sir, I have travelled far and wide, and I have seen many things and met many people. Can you please tell me what kind of people I will meet in this village?
The wise man replied, “Yes, I’d be happy to tell you. But, tell me, what kind of people have you met in your travels so far.”
The traveller responded, “Oh, I have met the most awful people! People who are selfish and unkind to strangers. People who don’t care for themselves or one another. I’ve met foolish people I could learn nothing from and old people whose hopelessness depresses everyone they meet.”
As the traveller spoke, the wise man’s eyes nodded knowingly. “Yes,” he said. “I know exactly the kind of people you speak of. And I’m sorry to tell you that’s exactly the kind of people you’ll meet here.”
“I knew it!” the traveller muttered. “It’s always the same.” He stormed off down the road without bothering to stop in the village.
A few hours later, another traveller came to the wise man.
“Dear sir,” he said, “I have travelled far. I have seen many things and met many people. Can you please tell me what kind of people I will meet in this village?”
The wise man replied, “Yes, I’d happily tell you. But first, tell me what kind of people you’ve met in your travels so far.”
The traveller responded, “I have met the most amazing people! People who are kind and generous to strangers; people who care for one another like family. I’ve met young people with wisdom beyond their years and older people with a youthful zeal for life. And I have learned much from all of them.”
This time, as the traveller spoke, the wise man nodded happily. “Yes,” he said. “I believe I know exactly the kind of people you speak of. And I’m happy to tell you, if you go into my village, I’m certain that’s exactly the kind of people you’ll meet”.
Business Lesson To Be Learnt
A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
What we repeatedly and constantly see in others – good or bad – is a reflection of who we are.
The Mirror Effect states that what we repeatedly see in others reflects our values, beliefs, and even our fears and insecurities. If you constantly observe a lack of accountability in your team, it could be that you lack firm expectations or are reluctant to hold people accountable. If you repeatedly see people being dismissive of your ideas, it could be that you’re not listening to others or that your communication style is not conducive to collaboration.
By acknowledging these “mirror” effects, you can take intentional steps to address your own weaknesses and cultivate the qualities you admire in others.
