A Monkey Story

"If you can’t cope, leave the profession."

That was what they told us in their two days talks on coaching and mentoring school leaders. And that was how they answered those who had a lot to complain.

The words stunned me and hurt me deeply, though it was not directed at me in the first place.

I enjoyed the talks and the various areas of considerations.

But I didn’t like the way the messages were delivered.

I never like negative answers, or any similar answer with impolite criticism.

I believe professionals are very easy going people with good personality, mature and charismatic with positive outlook on life. But I couldn’t see any of the good quality.

Undoubtedly, the visiting officers were under a lot of stress and they were venting their anger for some strange reasons.

I studied and examined them, wondering how they would deal with their own family, friends, and colleagues.

Bad habits die hard and it is difficult to change overnight.

True enough, as I continued to hear from them, they finally revealed to us that was how they worked in the office.

I smiled inside. Now I understand how the monkey becomes king when the tiger is away.

All of a sudden, I overheard one officer said, “You are my monkeys. You must listen to what I say.”

A good joke, I smiled with my mouth covered. "The big monkey is telling a bunch of small monkeys what to do."

I smiled heartily throughout, not believing I was listening to a monkey story in the middle of the day.