A Business Fable in 30 Seconds: The Nun

Jeevan Sivasubramaniam Posted by Jeevan Sivasubramaniam, Managing Director, Editorial, Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.



 

 

 

 

 

 

A man is heading into a bar when he is stopped by a nun outside the door.

"You know that alcohol is bad for you?" she says.

"I am only going in for one" he replies.

"Still, that's too many. I'd never do that--I've never touched the stuff." she says.

"You've never had a drink, ever?" the man asks her.

"Never" she answers.

"Well don't knock it until you've tried it" he says to her.

"No, I couldn't" she says.

"Look, if I get you a small bit, would you try some?" he asks.

"No, I couldn't." she replies.

"Go on, just a small drop" he says.

"Well... ok, just a small drop. I am not going in though, so maybe bring it out to me. Put it in a coffee cup. I don't want to be seen drinking."

"OK" he replies. He goes inside and up to the bar. "Could I have a glass of vodka, please, and I know this is going to sound strange, but could you put a small bit of it into a coffee cup?" he says to the barman.

The barman looks at him with a little smile and then says, "Is that old nun back again?"

 

Moral of the Story: Never assume you know a person based on superficial factors--people have long used such things to get their own way.