"A Management Learning Principle"

by Phil Miclot, Director with Eastman & Smith Ltd.

As law firm administrators, we attempt to reduce lessons to management learning principles, like...

The boy road on the donkey and the old man walked.  As they went along, they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding.  The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.  Later, they passed some people that remarked, "What a shame, he makes that little boy walk."  They decided they both would walk!  Now they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride.  So, they both road the donkey!  Now they passed some people that shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey.  The boy and  mans said they were probably right so they decided to carry the donkey.  As they crossed a bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.

Management Learning Principle:

If you try to please everyone, you will eventually lose your a_ _ !