The Secret to Success --- is simple!

One day, a young man approached Socrates ... the Great Greek Philosopher and asked, “Sir, I have come to seek your wisdom.  Will you help me?”

 

Socrates looked at the lad and replied, "How can I be of assistance son?”

 

The young man responded, “Socrates, I want to be a great success. Will you teach me all I need to know so I can be a great success?”

“Certainly, my son,” replied Socrates. “Walk with me”.  Socrates started to walk towards the sea. Once on the sand, Socrates continued walking right into the water as the young man followed. When they were both chest deep in the ocean, Socrates reached up placed his hands on the young man's head and pulled it down, forcing the young man's head under the water.

After about ten seconds, the young man fought his way to the surface and began to gasp for air. Socrates released the boy’s head, turned around and started to walk away.

The young man was appalled. He had traveled a great distance to meet with this scholar.  Socrates was a man of wisdom whom he admired and respected and all he did when he asked for the secret of success was to put his head under water. Never again, vowed the young man, would he seek the advice of Socrates.

Time, however as we know, has a way of healing wounds and after a week, the young man thought maybe he did something to upset Socrates. So back he went to visit the great scholar.  Again he beseeched Socrates to teach him all he needed to know to be a great success.

Socrates smiled and once again willingly agreed.  He asked the young man to follow him and again he began to walk toward the ocean.  Just like before, Socrates walked into the water and when the water was chest high, Socrates grabbed the young man by his head and dunked him under water.

This time, however, the young man was ready.  Before going under he took a big gulp of air and was able to hold his breath; almost for thirty seconds passed before he had to come up gasping for air. As he wiped the water from his eyes, he saw Socrates walking away.

Now the young man was furious. Twice he had asked this  scholar for the knowledge he needed to become a great success and twice Socrates took him to the ocean and dunked his head. Never, ever again would this young man return to Socrates and be insulted and humiliated.

Well, thirty days passed and the young man had a lot of time to reflect. He truly wanted to be a great success and decided to go see Socrates one final time. Upon arriving at Socrates’ home, he wrapped on the door. When Socrates appeared, the young man said, "I hope you remember me?”

 

Socrates smiled and said, “Certainly, I do. You’re the young man who wants to be a great success.” Socrates once again started walking toward the ocean with the young man following in step.

This time the young man was extremely prepared; as soon as Socrates grabbed his head the young man took a deep swallow of air and held his breath for almost two minutes. When he finally surfaced gasping for air, Socrates was already back on the shore walking back home.

The young man, now livid, ran after Socrates.  When he was a few feet from Socrates he shouted, “Socrates, why is it every time I come to you and ask for wisdom on how to be a great success all you do is walk me out into the ocean and dunk my head under the water?”

Socrates turned around - faced the boy and said, “Young man, three times now I have tried to teach you the secret to be a success.  The secret is simple: When you want to succeed as much as you want to breathe, I assure you you will be a great success.”
 

The Canoe Race

A Chinese corporation challenged its American competitor to a canoe race.  The challenge was simple:  Each company would form a canoe racing team and the teams would race 'three miles' down the Mississippi.  Without hesitation, the American firm accepted the challenge.

The American company assembled its canoe racing team which it titled the CRT.  The CRT practiced three hours every day.  When race day arrived, the Chinese team won by almost a mile.  Feeling sorry for its American competitor, the Chinese executives offered to host a rematch in one year. The American firm readily accepted the new  challenge.

Word spread quickly throughout the American company that their CRT loss the race and every American employee was stunned.  Worse yet, morale within the company began to sag.  Senior executives were adamant to determine why their CRT suffered such a crushing defeat.

 

A special committee, the Canoe Racing Fact Finding Committee or CRFFC was created and given two responsibilities:

    1) Determine the cause for the CRT's loss, and

    2) Recommend strategies for next year's CRT.

The CRFFC got right to work.  After an exhaustive investigation, it concluded the primary reason the CRT lost was because the Chinese team had seven people paddling and one person steering, whereas their CRT had only one person paddling and seven people trying to steer.

The CRFFC made the following recommendations:

First, The CRT needed to be restructured. The CRFFC suggested a position of 'Director of Canoeing' or DC be created.  The DC would be the sole person responsible for how the canoe was steered.  Since this was a such a critical position the CRFFC suggested the Director be assigned two deputy Directors called D/DC's; one D/DC would develop canoe steering procedures and the other D/DC would implement effective steering policies.

Second, to ensure every steering direction given by the DC was clearly understood, the CFFC recommended four Canoe Area Steering Managers or CASM's be hired.  The CASM's would sit in critical areas of the canoe and relay the DC's steering directions.

Third, the CRFFC recommended firing the current canoe paddler and hiring a new paddling team.  The new paddling team would be big, strong and possess great canoe skills.  The new Canoe Paddling Team would be called the CPT. 

Fourth, the CRFFC recommended a special compensation for the CPT.  The CRFFC believed the CPT should be compensated based on merit - meaning if  the CPT won the race, the CPT would receive a substantial bonus.  The CRFFC believed a bonus incentive would ensure the CPT paddled harder.  The CRFFC suggested this new  compensation system be called the "Canoe Paddling Performance Compensation System"  or CPPCS for short.  

Fifth, the CFFC felt the CPT should attend all CRT meetings.  Having the DC, his D/DC's  and the CASM's along with the CPT in the meetings would ensure everyone had input on the CRT strategies.  

Sixth, to keep the CPT motivated during the year the CRFFC asked the Human Resources Department (HRD) to develop an employee slogan such as "Quality Canoeing Wins Races."  HRD ordered Quality Canoeing Wins Races lapel pins, pens, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, signs, and memo pads, etc.,  which were distributed to all company employees.  

As the year progressed, the CPT, DC, D/DC's and the CASM's practiced every day and held weekly staff meetings. HRD kept passing out the "Quality Canoeing Wins Races" incentives.  Soon the second race day arrived and this time the Chinese company won by almost two miles.

Furious over this second loss, senior management decided to:

   1)  Terminate the CPT, the DC, the D/DC and the CSAM's

        citing failure to achieve objectives;

   2)  Cancel all future CRT investments and expenditures;

   3)  Sell the all the CRT equipment including canoe,

        paddles, life preservers and trailer.

Senior executives did, however, feel the establishment of the CRT was a bold, forward thinking endeavor.  To thank all employees who sat on the CFFRC for their hard work and for displaying such initiative and exerting great creativity, senior executives decided to reward them all with a sizable year-end bonus.