In 2002, Scholastic Press published a quiet little children’s picture book, illustrated and written by Jon J. Muth, based on a story by Leo Tolstoy. Yes, that Leo Tolstoy, of War and Peace fame.
The Three Questions is a charming, small tale about a small boy living among his animal friends small and large. And from this book, anyone can learn timeless leadership lessons.
The Story of The Three Questions
Nikolai has three questions burning in his mind:
- When is the best time to do things?
- Who is the most important one?
- What is the right thing to do?
He turns to his friends: Sonya, a heron; Gogol, the monkey; and Pushkin, the dog.
Seeking The Answers
To the question, “When is the best time to do things?” Sonya says to plan, while Gogol says you will know the right time if you watch, and pay attention. Pushkin points out you cannot pay attention to everything yourself; you need a pack to keep watch.
The three friends answer the second question, Who is the most important one?
- Sonya—The one closest to heaven
- Gogol—Those who can heal the sick
- Pushkin—Those who make the rules
This puzzles Nikolai, but he presses on.
And What is the right thing to do?
- Sonya: Fly.
- Gogol: Have fun at all times.
- Pushkin: Fight.
The Turtle
Nikolai seeks out his friend Leo, the old turtle. Seeing Leo struggle to dig his garden, Nikolai digs it for him, then hears a cry for help as a storm descends. He finds a hurt panda and carries her back to Leo’s house. Nikolai sets a bamboo splint on the panda’s leg and puts her to bed. She asks where her cub is. Nikolai ventures out into the storm to rescue the wet, cold, shivering cub.
Mama Panda and cub are safe, but Nikolai still has no answers until Leo the old turtle points out that, when Nikolai came to him, the important time was when Nikolai helped him dig the garden, because then Nikolai heard the panda’s cry. The most important one was Leo, and the right thing to do was help Leo with his garden.
Then, says Leo, when Nikolai dealt with Mama Panda, the important time was when Nikolai splinted the panda’s leg and rescued her cub. The most important ones were the panda and cub. And the right thing to do was care for them.
You see, says Leo, the best time to do things is now.
The most important one is the one you are with, now.
The right thing to do is to do good for the one you are with, now.
And the Moral of the Story . . .
This is a sweet and gentle tale, but beneath its simplicity lie many important lessons for business leaders. Nikolai, the leader, displays valuable traits you may want to mirror in your career:
- Yearn for knowledge
- Gather trusted team members
- Actively seek answers and advice
- Weigh those answers carefully
- Give of yourself
- Be brave in the face of adversity
- Act on your instincts
- Help others
Leo is wise, not simply for being an old turtle, but for showing some canny business qualities of his own:
- Do not feel pressured to provide a ready answer
- Accept help from others
- Help others to see things for themselves
- Clarify, do not confound
Neither can we ignore Muth’s supporting characters: the soaring heron, playful monkey, and alert dog are all vital parts of Nikolai’s team. Sonya has her bird’s-eye perspective, and advises careful planning and a willingness to soar. Gogol recommends watchfulness, a sense of play, and compassion for others. Pushkin suggests teamwork, a respect for hierarchy and rule-setting, and a willingness to fight.
Still, it is Nikolai’s gut feeling that his trusted team has not given him definitive answers that drives the story forward. Nikolai is not so much pulled away from his principal, guiding questions as drawn toward someone in need, and he responds immediately, selflessly, and correctly to the crisis before him.
Leadership Lessons
The watercolor illustrations in Muth’s book are delicate, ending with the friends—Nikolai leading the way, Leo right behind him, Sonya atop Gogol atop Pushkin behind Leo—walking off together.
“This is why we are here,” says Muth.
You are a business leader when you recognize that the best time to do something is now, without excuses about underfunding, understaffing, or too little time. The most important people are the ones around you and the right thing is to do what is right for those around you.
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An excellent place, besides the children’s section of your library, to gain more wisdom in business is at ECPI University, where a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration could be yours in only 2.5 years. Contact ECPI today to learn how you, like Nikolai, can ask all the right questions and find the reason you are here. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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— Dawson Melody (@Itz_Weezy_D) December 15, 2015
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