The Inner Circle

Every organization, every enterprise has its own inner circle. Sometimes formed deliberately, but most often it evolves and develops through passage of time - happy and difficult times. It becomes what it is due to bestowed and earned trust and confidence for and by each one within the circle. The circle is as important as the leader or head of the organization because from within it, decisions and directions are formulated. While it is a must that the leaders check the ranks, of more significance if not equally important is that they also police the inner circle.

Let me share to you the story of one great dog trainer that makes up this whole point. There once lived a monk in a far flung temple whose fame in training dogs stretches through out the archipelago of Japan. He is so good he can even make the dogs howl the temple chants.

One day he was visited by the Prince of the Empire. The trained dogs immediately went to work by entertaining the royal visitors who were all greatly impressed by the dogs' tricks. After the show while walking in the garden outside the entertainment hall, the Prince saw five flea-ridden, saliva-dripping dogs. "So, these are your failures?" the Prince asked the monk. "No, Your Highness. They are my greatest successes. As soon as the sun sets, one dog goes to the east, the other to the west, the other to the north and the other to the south, guarding the temple from all four corners by repelling bandits and intruders," was the monk's reply.

"Were there not five dogs? Where guards the fifth?" the Prince asked again.

"The fifth dog is the most ferocious of all. He stands guard in the temple hall."

"Why inside the hall? Shouldn't he be out there helping the other four dogs repelling bandits!" exclaimed the Prince.

"No, Your Highness, he must stay inside. Remember, most houses collapse from within its walls."

I couldn't add more. History abounds with stories of great empires, kingdoms, organizations and governments falling from within its walls... within its inner circle.