Leader, beware of flattery. This is the message from various historical documents that have been around for a long time. The Aesop Fables are a collection of over 656 stories that teach us timeless lessons. These stories have been around for over 2600 years. One of its most celebrated stories is the one of the Fox and the Crow demonstrating the consequences of flattery.
The Crow is eating a tasty piece of cheese. The Fox would love to get hold of the treat and flatters the Crow in hopes that he’ll say thank you and drop the piece of cheese from his beak. The Crow is seduced by the flattery, drops the cheese and the Fox eats the treat running away leaving the Crow empty handed.
The Book of the Courtier was read by the royals and nobles of the Renaissance. It encouraged certain values and behaviors that were acceptable for a great courtier. This is no different than the values that are acceptable for good leadership in our corporate environment. In those days the Prince was the CEO and his advisers comparable to the senior leadership of a current organization. The book discourages the use of flattery towards the Prince and encourages the courtiers to influence the Prince without its use.
This excerpt below is taken from another famous book, The Prince:
That flatterers are to be shunned.
One error into which Princes, unless very prudent or fortunate in their choice of friends, are apt to fall, is of so great importance that I must not pass it over. I mean in respect of flatterers.
Again, the Prince is advised to beware of the flattery or else to suffer the consequences. A savvy leader is not going to fall into this trap.
Your Insights and Thoughts
- Have you personally been burned by a flatterer?
- How does a good leader deal with a flatterer?
Photo Credits, stellab1
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