Leadership and the Wisdom
Leadership and the Wisdom of Balance An Armenian parable illustrates the importance of generosity in leadership. The trees once argued over who should be king. Some trees said the palm tree was the best because it was tall and bore sweet fruits on its crown. But the grapevine refused, saying, “I bring joy to people through my wine.” The fig tree said, “My fruit is delicious, so I should be king.” Then the thorn tree claimed, “I am the king because I punish those who touch me harshly.” The palm tree asked, “Am I not worthy?” The other trees replied, “You are tall and bear sweet fruit, but your fruits are difficult to harvest, and those who try often lose their lives. You are not easy to cultivate, and your height puts you beyond the reach of human hands.” Hearing this, the palm tree responded, “To resolve this, I will become king and make all three of you, my princes.” He appointed the grapevine as the royal chef, the fig tree as the prime minister, and the thorn tree as the office...