Wisdom & Guile

A vizier who had served his master for some 30 years was known and respected for his loyalty and truthfulness. His character and skills, however, also made him a target. The courtier collegiate began seeding rumours of the vizier’s duplicity and perfidy which eventually reached the sultan who began falling prey to the aspersions. Wondering if he’d been victimized by the vizier, the sultan decided the vizier should be put to death.

In the sultan’s realm, those who were condemned to death were tied up and thrown into a pen where the court’s fiercest hunting dogs were kept. The dogs would promptly and reliably tear an accused to pieces.

Before being thrown to the dogs, the vizier voiced one final request: “Give me 10 days’ respite so I can pay my debts and share out my goods among members of my family,” he said.

The sultan allowed the respite.

The vizier then hurried home, collected 100 gold pieces, and paid a visit to the huntsman who looked after the sultan’s dogs. He offered this man the 100 gold pieces saying, “let me look after the dogs for 10 days.”

The huntsman agreed, and for the next 10 days the vizier cared for the dogs with his usual great attention, grooming them well and feeding them handsomely. By the end of the 10 days, they were eating out of his hand.

On the eleventh day, the vizier was called before the sultan. The charges were repeated and the sultan watched as the vizier was tied up and thrown to the dogs. But when the dogs saw the vizier they ran up to him with wagging tails. They nibbled affectionately at his shoulders and began playing with him. The sultan and his shitty band of underlings were amazed, and the sultan asked the vizier why the dogs had spared his life.

The vizier replied, “I have looked after these dogs for 10 days, and you have seen the result for yourself. I have looked after you for 30 years and what is the result? You condemn me to death based on your own conjecture and projection.”

In life, one is generally judged by their actions. In the corporate world – or in this case, the world of the court – there are always those who, thanks to their own deplorable set of principles, their disposition, their insecurities or their desire to appear superior in the eyes of their leader will do whatever it takes to bring a good person down.

They can’t help it. It’s just who they are.

And who are you? The sultan? The vizier? The bootlicker? The accused who knows that by revealing inconsistencies in unfounded character assassinations their words will have no effect?

Your boss’s ego may be their temple, but that doesn’t mean it should be welcomed into your church.