Once upon a time a well-built woodcutter got a job with a timber merchant. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. The woodcutter was determined to do his best.
His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought eighteen trees.
"Congratulations! Now go on that way," the boss said. Highly motivated, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he only could bring fifteen trees. The third day he tried even harder, but only could bring ten trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.
"I must be losing my strength," thought the woodcutter. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.
"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees."
As business owners and leaders, our lives are like that. We often get busy that we don't take time to sharpen the axe. In today’s disruptive environment, it seems that every organization is busier than ever, but less productive at the same time.
Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten to stay sharp?
