CARPENTER'S TOOLS

I like to tell story about a carpenter's tools, to a class, to highlight leadership. It is not everyone's cup of coffee to be able to lead.

The Carpenter's tools were lying about in the tool shed. The Carpenter, who had made beautiful furnitures, had gone to rest, and had made decision to call it a day. His name as a Craftman had made him known far and wide. With the various tools in the shed, he had made furnitures for the poor and the famous.

Since the carpenter was not around, the tools wanted to select a leader, who would utilised the talent to produce the furniture, together. afterall he used them to produce the various pieces. Why not among themselves, elected one and led them to produce the best.

The Hammer, the ruler, the saw, and the screw driver set down and started the meeting.

The Hammer began to make his pitch. He stated clearly, "I should be the leader, as a hammer, I knocked everything into the various places, making them nice and fit. That is my role"

The Ruler then added, "Wait a minute, without my measurement, you could not fit it nicely. I measured and measured to the last centimeter to fit the pieces together."

The Saw with a strange look in his eye, look up, and said, "You meassured and you hammered, but have you ever given a thought that if I did not saw and cut the wood into the various designs, are you able to do your own functions, and roles. Think again, you needed me."

The Screwdriver without even looking up, "hey you guys, you could saw, hammer, and measure, I was always the one to screw all together, and moreover I was the one, who screw everyone for their job to be done. I am the leader"

They argued to and fro, without coming to a decision, who was best to lead them.

In the corner of the tool shed, a tiny voice sounded out. It is a small nail, a very insignificant piece.

The Nail just plainly nailed into their heads, "You are what you are. Without the carpenter's talent and his hands, we are just his tools. You all are useful to him, hammering, measuring, screwing, cutting. The carpenter is our leader. Without his action on us, we were no where, making those beautiful furnitures."

The carpenter is the true leader, he has the talent to visualise the design, measures it, cut it, screw it up and hammer the various pieces together. He builds up the pieces for the rich and poor, be it complicated or simple. he just does what he knows best, with his hands. The tools are his assistants, and they are to be used together to get job done. All the tools depend on the Carpenter.

So it is the same in a company, there must be a carpenter, with his resources to make beautiful successful plans