Jaybird180
Final Approach
Today’s Parable of Leadership and a question for thought. But first, a relevant joke:
An Air Force General, Navy Admiral and Army General were talking about how brave their men were.
The Air Force General orders an Airman to stop a C-17 from landing with his hands and gets run over by the plane. The Air Force General says, "That is bravery."
The Navy Admiral orders a Sailor to stop a destroyer with his hands; the sailor jumps in the water without hesitation and tries to slow the destroyer and drowns. The Admiral says, "No, that's bravery."
The Army General orders a Private to stop a tank and the Private turns to the general and says "With all due respect, Go screw yourself, Sir!" The General turns to his peers and says "Gentleman, now THAT is bravery."
Now the parable:
A Sage Master accepts only 10 apprentices to teach them his art and discipline of Leadership. Before being accepted, each student must take an Oath of Allegiance. The Oath, says “I will obey the word of the Master as I would obey the Word of God.” The Sage accepts their Oaths. He trains them in the Northwestern U.S. Once per year the students are sent to a different area of the country and given an assignment and return once the assignment is complete. Over time, apprentices are dismissed for one reason or another or they resign from the training. After 10 years, only 2 remain. They are sent to Arlington – one to Arlington, Texas and the other to Arlington, Virginia to await further instructions. They are told specifically where to wait. They are waiting on the tracks of an abandoned Railroad.
A few weeks later, a Railroad worker comes to each of them and says, “We’re going to restart the trains again.” The students humbly thank the worker and the worker disappears. A few weeks later, still standing their posts, a train comes by each location. Student A, gets off the tracks but Student B does not and he is hit and loses a leg. The leg is replaced with an artificial limb. They are both recalled to the Sage’s training grounds.
The Sage is in his study writing letters of instruction, while the students are waiting for him. He has two blank sheets of paper. Starting the first letter he writes, “You have exceeded the bounds of my training curriculum for you. I can teach you nothing new. You may inherit the mantle of leadership and begin the new generation of apprentices” and then the Sage dies with the pen in his hand and the other page still blank.
Which apprentice should be the new Sage and why? What happens with the other apprentice when the next generation’s apprentices arrive? Imagine given your answer that the school survives 1,000 years to conduct instruction the same way. What becomes of its students? What effect do they have on the world?
Discuss.
An Air Force General, Navy Admiral and Army General were talking about how brave their men were.
The Air Force General orders an Airman to stop a C-17 from landing with his hands and gets run over by the plane. The Air Force General says, "That is bravery."
The Navy Admiral orders a Sailor to stop a destroyer with his hands; the sailor jumps in the water without hesitation and tries to slow the destroyer and drowns. The Admiral says, "No, that's bravery."
The Army General orders a Private to stop a tank and the Private turns to the general and says "With all due respect, Go screw yourself, Sir!" The General turns to his peers and says "Gentleman, now THAT is bravery."
Now the parable:
A Sage Master accepts only 10 apprentices to teach them his art and discipline of Leadership. Before being accepted, each student must take an Oath of Allegiance. The Oath, says “I will obey the word of the Master as I would obey the Word of God.” The Sage accepts their Oaths. He trains them in the Northwestern U.S. Once per year the students are sent to a different area of the country and given an assignment and return once the assignment is complete. Over time, apprentices are dismissed for one reason or another or they resign from the training. After 10 years, only 2 remain. They are sent to Arlington – one to Arlington, Texas and the other to Arlington, Virginia to await further instructions. They are told specifically where to wait. They are waiting on the tracks of an abandoned Railroad.
A few weeks later, a Railroad worker comes to each of them and says, “We’re going to restart the trains again.” The students humbly thank the worker and the worker disappears. A few weeks later, still standing their posts, a train comes by each location. Student A, gets off the tracks but Student B does not and he is hit and loses a leg. The leg is replaced with an artificial limb. They are both recalled to the Sage’s training grounds.
The Sage is in his study writing letters of instruction, while the students are waiting for him. He has two blank sheets of paper. Starting the first letter he writes, “You have exceeded the bounds of my training curriculum for you. I can teach you nothing new. You may inherit the mantle of leadership and begin the new generation of apprentices” and then the Sage dies with the pen in his hand and the other page still blank.
Which apprentice should be the new Sage and why? What happens with the other apprentice when the next generation’s apprentices arrive? Imagine given your answer that the school survives 1,000 years to conduct instruction the same way. What becomes of its students? What effect do they have on the world?
Discuss.
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