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Stone Soup

There is an old fable about a young knight who goes into a small town. Everyone is hungry as food production is minimal, and each family only has a few items from their own tiny gardens. The knight assesses the situation and decides to take action. He builds a large fire and fills a large pot with water and a very large stone.

Several of the villagers pass by and ask what the knight is doing. 'Making stone soup' he replies..'it's really filling, but could use a little flavor.' The villager replies 'It's not much, but I have a few meager onions. They could improve the flavor of the soup." The knight agrees with a smile and promises the villager a heaping helping of the end product.

Several other villagers see the interaction and come to the knight with the same offer. Some have a few potatoes, some a few handfuls of wild greens, one villager even has a small ham bone to offer. Before long a roiling, gurgling pot of soup is on. That evening the knight and the villagers all sit down to a humble, but ample, soup.

OK....I'm not promoting Communism. I'm a capitalist (and a damn good one). But there are many things which can come only from the collective. We each carry with us a 'flavor' of our own. We may be experts at a few things, but we cannot be experts in everything. In a healthy team environment (sales or otherwise) we learn, grow, and utilize each other's talents to achieve our long term goals.

So be open to the next opportunity to share skills and knowledge. It may just look like a bit pot of water with a rock in it, but it could be a catalyst to success.

Comments

Kim Phillips said…
Great post! Ever consider being a preacher? Oh, wait...

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