10 Jugs of Wine - A Tale from Japan

Diffusion of personal responsibility can occur quickly on teams. Everyone must contribute.

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Leadership Tools: Ten Jugs of Wine - A Tale from Japan.

This is a simple tale from Japan that elegantly illustrates the point and includes how people react even when the failed results are clear. Watch your scoreboard. Watch for those who aren't giving their all and then some for the good of the team. Watch for those that don't shine a bright light on those problems, especially themselves.  


10 Jugs of Wine - A Tale from Japan

Ten old men decided to celebrate the New Year with a big crock of hot sake wine. Since none of them could provide for all, they each agreed to bring one jug of wine for the large heating bowl. On the way to his wine cellar, each old man thought, "My wine is too valuable to share! No one will know. It'll never show. It'll still be fine. I'll bring a jug of water instead of the wine."

And so when they gathered with the jugs they brought, all ten old men poured the contents of their jugs ceremoniously into the big bowl and then looked sheepishly at one another as they heated and poured hot water for all.


"Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some." - Excerpt from the Army Ranger Creed

"Responsibility is a unique concept... You may share it with others, but your portion is not diminished. You may delegate it, but it is still with you... If responsibility is rightfully yours, no evasion, or ignorance or passing the blame can shift the burden to someone else." - Hyman G. Rickover; Father of the Nuclear Navy

 




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