Four Blind Men & An Elephant

I want to share with you one of my favorite parables that I think every leader should know. It's the story of four blind men and an elephant.

There once were four blind men who lived in a bustling village. One day, news spread through the town that a magnificent elephant had arrived. Curious and eager to learn what this giant creature was like, the four blind men decided to visit it. Each man was guided by a kind stranger.

As they arrived, each person was carefully led by their personal guide to touch the different parts of this magnificent elephant so as not to disturb this mighty animal. As they spread out around the elephant, one man reached out and felt the elephant's rough, wrinkled side. Another grasped a sturdy, smooth tusk. Another man held onto a thick, powerful leg. And the last man felt a large, floppy ear.

The man who touched the side yelled out that the elephant felt like a wall. The one who grasped the tusk thought the elephant resembled a spear. The man who touched the leg thought the elephant resembled a pillar. The man who felt the ear said the elephant is shaped like a fan. They started arguing, each believing their description of the elephant was correct.

Their shouts echoed through the marketplace, attracting a crowd. A wise woman, observing the commotion, approached the men and listened patiently as they described their experiences. With a gentle smile, she said, "Each of you is right. Each one of you has touched a real part of the elephant, but none of you has touched the whole creature yet. The elephant is vast and magnificent, with all the qualities that each of you described!"

The blind men fell silent, contemplating her words. Then the wise woman asked the kind stranger to guide these four blind men to walk around the whole elephant this time.

You see, we live in an enormously vast world. None of us were born with the vision of seeing our surroundings in its entirety. We are all of the characters in this parable.

We are the blind men, the kind stranger lending a guiding hand, the wise woman, and the crowd watching the story unfold in the marketplace. We all have played these roles in our own stories and situations.

Next time, when you find yourself in a challenging situation, resist the urge for rushed judgments and taking sides. Instead, take a deep breath and ask yourself: which role am I playing now? Which roles haven't I explored yet? How do I want the story to end? And most importantly, how do I remain open and patient for a complete new picture to emerge?