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July
Issue |
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Look...
no fence
Some travellers in Holland noticed there were many cows in the open.
But there was one thing very strange. The fields did not have fences
around them. Yet the cows did not try to move out of the fields.
A Dutchman explained: He said that when a cow is young, the farmer
brings it to cold water and puts its legs into the water. Of course
the cow does not like it. But it remembers from that time onwards
not to walk into water.
The travellers saw that the fields had water around them. But the
water was very shallow. The cows could easily walk through them.
However, because of the lesson on cold water they learned when they
were very young, the cows keep away from the water.
There is something for us to learn here.
When we first started work, we were told to do things a certain way.
We were also told not to do certain things, and to keep away from
certain people and certain places. Now that we have spent many years
on the job, we should think over these instructions.
Don’t simply accept the rules. Ask the reason for the rules.
If the reason is no longer sound, change the rules. Or even better,
get rid of the rules altogether.
Think also about the way you do your work. Is the method still good
for today? Is there a better approach? Are there better ways to use
your time and energy?
Next time you see cows on TV or in a magazine, see if there is a
fence. If there is no fence, ask why? Could it be due to a lesson
in its childhood which the cow never learnt to question later on
in life?
And what about us? What is preventing us from trying new ways, doing
new things, having fun in our work – even though there is no
fence around to force us to stay where we are?
Lim
Siong Guan Head, Civil Service |
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