The consultant David Noonan has taken the best fables from Aesop and then analyzed their lessons for business. Here the list with some of the Aesop’s Fables chosen by David Noonan for business management.

1. B Y D A V I D
K I G E R
Tree Aesop’s Fables useful for
business.
Image courtesy of
Tom Blunt at
Flickr.com

2. Tree Aesop’s Fables useful for business.
The consultant David Noonan has taken the best fables from
Aesop and then analyzed their lessons for business. He also states
that it is so natural to go beyond the Aesop fables, adapting what they
intend to teach from current and normal situations to business situations
that despite being more complex and deeper study needed, are events
fables’ lessons become a useful tool for solving them. Before bringing up
the fables that can help you the most for leadership empowerment or for
work things out when businesses are not doing well, first check who
Aesop was and the importance of his fables.

3. Tree Aesop’s Fables useful for business.
Aesop was an ancient Greek fabulist or story teller who lived between
c. 620 – 564 BCE. His fables (a succinct fictional story,
in prose or verse, that features animals, mythical creatures, plants,
inanimate objects, or forces of nature that are anthropomorphized and
that illustrates or leads to an interpretation of a moral lesson (a
"moral"), are best known as Aesop’s Fables. Numerous of his tales
have been gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a
storytelling tradition that remains to this day. The principal aspect
that characterizes his tales is the presence of animals and inanimate
objects that speak, solve problems, and behaving as humans do. Some
details of Aesop's life can be found in ancient sources,
including Aristotle, Herodotus, and Plutarch. An ancient literary work
called The Aesop Romance tells an episodic, probably highly fictional
version of his life, including the traditional description of him as a
strikingly ugly slave by his cleverness acquires freedom and becomes
an adviser to kings and city-states.

4. Tree Aesop’s Fables useful for business.
Conflict management:
Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Momus
According to an ancient legend, the first
man was made by Jupiter, the first bull by
Neptune, and the first house by Minerva.
On the completion of their labors, a dispute
arose as to which had made the most
perfect work. They agreed to appoint
Momus as judge, and to abide by his
decision. Momus, however, being very
envious of the handicraft of each, found
fault with all.
Image courtesy of lolaleeloo2 at Flickr.com
Here below the list with some of the Aesop’s Fables chosen by David
Noonan for business management. v

5. Tree Aesop’s Fables useful for business.
He first blamed the work of Neptune because he had not made the horns
of the bull below his eyes, so he might better see where to strike. He then
condemned the work of Jupiter, because he had not placed the heart of
man on the outside, that everyone might read the thoughts of the evil
disposed and take precautions against the intended mischief. And, lastly,
he inveighed against Minerva because she had not contrived iron wheels
in the foundation of her house, so its inhabitants might more easily
remove if a neighbor proved unpleasant. Jupiter, indignant at
such inveterate faultfinding, drove him from his office of judge, and
expelled him from the mansions of Olympus.
Reflection according to Noonan: If your boss were as Momus was,
for sure you will feel everything you’ve done is not good enough. Hence,
you will turn into an inferiority complex and that is exactly how some
seniors expect their employees feel. So that, good chiefs tell off their
employees privately but make compliments in public.

6. Tree Aesop’s Fables useful for business.
Keeping stress under control
The Horse and Groom
A groom used to spend whole days in currycombing and rubbing down his
Horse, but at the same time stole his oats and sold them for his own profit.
"Alas!" said the Horse, "if you really wish me to be in good condition, you
should groom me less, and feed me more."
Reflection according to Noonan: Have you ever think about the time you
spend working, including the time you use for getting to your job? Do you
think working harder motivates your colleagues? Usually, some companies
don’t give employees their oath because they prefer to save that money rather
than give their employees what they deserve. This, ends up into a conflict
between leaders and employees because the first expect more than the second
can do. Hard working is good but this addiction, also called work-addiction,
brings stress affecting people’s emotional live and health condition. Keep a
balance and make your employees do it as well.

7. Tree Aesop’s Fables useful for business.
Leadership and motivation
The Goose with the Golden Eggs
One day a countryman going to the nest of his Goose found there an egg all
yellow and glittering. When he took it up it was as heavy as lead and he was
going to throw it away, because he
thought a trick had been played upon him. But he took it home on second
thoughts, and soon found to his delight that it was an egg of pure gold. Every
morning the same thing occurred, and he soon became rich by selling his
eggs. As he grew rich he grew greedy; and thinking to get at once all the gold
the Goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find nothing.
Reflection according to Noonan: Hire the right people, train them as
better as you can and then, let them be free to make their job in the way the
prefer to. As long as you trust them, they will do their best in order to
maintain that confidence. And, doing this is easier when you train them well,
because you know they will do what you expect from them.