I often think about this fable in relation to organisations and the people within.
In this story the sun and the wind have an argument about who is able to get the man, who is walking below, to take his coat off. The wind blows strongly, then stronger, then stronger still. The man just wraps himself up increasingly determined to keep warm and to stop his coat being forced off.
When it is the sun's turn, he gently warms the man. After a while the man voluntarily takes off his coat.
So, I would suggest, it is with people in organisations.
If people are controlled and told what it is they must do, they are likely to dig their heels in and refuse. At best they may do what has been asked of them, but usually without their heart being in it.
If, however, people are involved in the process, their ideas and thoughts gathered and used to shape the change happening around them, they are more likely to be receptive.
There is so much in this simple analogy about trust; that dialogue with people, involving them in every step of the way, develops trust. Trust leads to receptivity to change and trust and receptivity lead to engagement with that change.
In this story the sun and the wind have an argument about who is able to get the man, who is walking below, to take his coat off. The wind blows strongly, then stronger, then stronger still. The man just wraps himself up increasingly determined to keep warm and to stop his coat being forced off.
When it is the sun's turn, he gently warms the man. After a while the man voluntarily takes off his coat.
So, I would suggest, it is with people in organisations.
If people are controlled and told what it is they must do, they are likely to dig their heels in and refuse. At best they may do what has been asked of them, but usually without their heart being in it.
If, however, people are involved in the process, their ideas and thoughts gathered and used to shape the change happening around them, they are more likely to be receptive.
There is so much in this simple analogy about trust; that dialogue with people, involving them in every step of the way, develops trust. Trust leads to receptivity to change and trust and receptivity lead to engagement with that change.