To make up for my absence for the past few days I will share a fable that describes a behavior which impacts upon well-being. This fable is based on a spider known as Brer Anancy. He is popular in African, American and Caribbean folklore. As you read the fable, see if you can guess the behavioral trait and try to think of how this can be manifested in the workplace:
Brer Anancy and the pot of stewed beans
Once upon a time....no it does not begin like that but more like this:
Brer Anancy's father-in-law was having a party in honor of Anancy and his accomplishments. He invited the whole village - many 'brer' (brother) animal folk. Brer Anancy was excited. Even though the party was a week away, he spent much time in front the mirror trying on different suits and hats. He had the most elegant suits and he could not make up his mind which suit and hat to choose. He asked his wife for her opinion but before she could answer he said,"You know what? I think that I'll wear the hat that makes me look the best at the party".
Finally, the evening of the party arrived and Anancy really was the best dressed 'brer' at the party. Everyone admired his suit and his hat. Since the party was in honor of Anancy and his accomplishments in getting food for the whole village which is another story, all the food and the drink at the party were the favorite foods of him and his wife. Everyone was having a great time at the party. Anancy was the center of attention but he was not really happy even though he was smiling and chatting with everyone.
He had looked around the table at the food and saw all his favorite dishes but one dish. He loved beans and there was no beans on the table. As the evening passed by Anancy thought more and more about the lack of beans. In fact stewed beans was his most favorite dish. The more he thought about the missing stewed beans, the more he bacame perturbed. This is not right, he thought. How could they honor me and not have my favorite dish? I am the most important in the village and they did not cook my most favorite dish, he mused angrily.
The thoughts consumed him and he went outside to find a quiet spot to think of how he had been mocked because they did not cook his most favorite dish. But his deep musings were interrupted by a spicy fragrance in the cool, night air and that fragrance meant one thing. "Aha!" He said to himself aloud,"they have hidden the beans from me! How dare they! I, Anancy will find my beans!" He followed the scent and sure enough there was a pot of stewed beans on a table in a small room. He tasted the beans. The beans were so delicious that he started eating from the pot. Delicious beans! How dare they hide my beans from me, he thought between mouthfuls.
Then he heard his wife calling out to him. "Ananceeee - where are you?" "It is time for the speech!", she said loudly. He did not want her to know where he was so he did not answer. Quickly, Anancy scooped as much beans as he could into his hat. He replaced his hat on his head and ran back to the party. "There you are!", his wife said and his father-in-law called out for everyone's attention and began his speech to thank Anancy for getting food for the whole village - but - Anancy was unhappy. The beans were warm. His head began to sweat and he started to feel uncomfortable. He stopped hearing the speech. All his thoughts were focused on the discomfort from the warm beans. His father-in-law continued talking and the minutes seemed to crawl. Unable to bear the discomfort of the beans any longer, Anancy tried to dash off through the door to get outside for some fresh air and his hat fell off in the process with beans plopping everywhere. His father-in-law became angry because the beans were the surprise dish for everyone at the end of the speech. Soon there was mayhem with Anancy running at the front, his wife behind, followed by his angry father-in-law and a mob.
In the end, Brer Anancy and his wife were forced to leave the village in order to restore peace.
Did you figure out the behavioral trait? How does it fit into our survey planning and construction of an inventory of workplace well-being? Next week! Have a great week everyone!
Aspects of well-being in Atc
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