Why can’t we find the elusive “well-rounded” person in our workplaces or relationships?
“My darling, you deserve to be married to the best knight in all my realm!” cooed the king as he gently tucked his daughter into bed.
“Really Daddy?” squealed the little girl as she playfully poked her head out of her bed sheets. “And just how will you find this most excellent knight?”
“When you are ready to be married, I will host a grand tournament. There will be jousting, archery, musical performances, and every possible competition under the sun. And the knight who is able to excel and win at every single event, will be the one who is worthy to have your hand in marriage.”
“I can’t wait, Daddy!” smiled the little princess as she hugged her father tightly and slowly fell asleep in his arms.
And sure enough, when the princess came of age, her father hosted a grand tournament. He invited every single knight from all across his vast realm. Many of them were handsome, strong, and skillful in many of the different competitions. But not a single knight was able to dominate at every event. Because of this, the father adamantly refused to crown a winner. Instead he relentlessly hosted the tournament each and every year until the perfect knight was to be found.
Thirty years passed by, and no one came close to ever winning the king’s entire annual tournament. By then, the time-worn princess still held and clutched her father’s cloak. But instead of crying tears of excitement and joy, her tears were now filled with bitterness and resentment. Even though she had gradually realized that there was no perfect knight who had the capacity to excel in every single event, her stubborn father had yet to embrace this reality as well. So long as he tirelessly searched for this mirage of a man, she would always be doomed to be utterly alone.
Rather than wasting our time endlessly searching for the mythical “well-rounded” employee, manager, or even spouse, we must embrace the humbling truth that each person is skilled and passionate in extremely different ways. Just because the perfectly balanced person doesn’t exist, doesn’t mean a well-rounded team or community can’t be found instead.
