FUNNY STORY: WOULD YOU PASS THE TEST OF THIS MENTAL HOSPITAL?
A group of suppliers was once given a tour of a mental hospital. One of the visitors in the group had made some very insensitive and insulting remarks about the patients.
After the tour was completed the visitors were introduced and met with various members of the mental hospital staff in the cafeteria. The unkind visitor chatted with one of the security staff, Bill, a kind and wise ex-policeman.
“Are they all sick and crazy loonies in here then?” the insensitive and rude visitor asked.
“Only the ones who fail the test,” replied Bill.
“What is the test?” asked the man.
Bill replied, “Well, we show them a bath filled with water, a large bucket, a large cup, and a spoon. We then ask them what the quickest way to empty the water in the bath would be.”
The man said, “Oh, I see… that is pretty simple — the ‘normal one’ knows it’s the bucket, right?”
“No actually,” replied Bill. “The normal ones say pull out the plug. Should I see if there is a bed free for you?”
Lessons from this story:
- What you say about others tells a lot about your character.
- Filter your thoughts and your words. You cannot take back what you have said.
- Many times managers or team leaders are too quick to judge their coworkers because they have a fixed mindset that only they are right. Be careful not to judge people to quickly and to think there is only one right solution (yours) for the problem at hand.
- Sometimes you are too focused on picking the right solution for the problem you are presented with. In certain situations to find and not pick the right solution, you must take a step back and take a look at the problem from a different perspective, asking yourself a different question about the problem. Do not let the opinion of others of a possible solution get in the way of finding the right solution for you.
Be sure to also read:
BE CAREFUL HOW YOU COMMUNICATE
THE LAZY MEMBER OF THE TEAM A STORY ABOUT TEAMWORK
ENDING THE CYCLE — HOW KARMA WORKS — A MINDSET STORY
WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM A HAMMER AND SOME NAILS
COUNTING THE SINS OF OTHERS WHILE NOT SEEING YOUR OWN — MINDSET STORY
YOUR DOG DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO SWIM — A STORY ABOUT WHEN PEOPLE ONLY LOOK FOR FLAWS
THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF TOO MANY TIMES A STORY ABOUT REPUTATION
THE TWO WOLVES INSIDE EACH OF US
