The Boy Who Cried Wolf
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Timeless tale with lessons of trust, accountability, deceit, and leadership
"Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching."
- C.S. Lewis
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life
The story "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" is one of Aesop's Fables, passed down for generations (Aesop was a slave and storyteller who lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE).
The fable goes something like this: In a small village, there lived a young shepherd boy. His job was to watch over the village's flock of sheep. To amuse himself, the boy would often shout, "Wolf! Wolf!" even when there was no wolf around.
The villagers would rush to his aid to help fend off the predator. But every time they arrived, they found no wolf. The boy would laugh at them as he watched and enjoyed their frustration.
After a few false alarms, the villagers began to grow weary of the boy's tricks. They warned him that if he continued crying wolf falsely, they would not come to his rescue when a real wolf did appear.
One day, as the boy was watching over his sheep, a real wolf came. It snuck up on the flock and attacked his sheep. In fear and desperation, the boy cried out, "Wolf! Wolf! Help!" as loud as he could. But this time, the villagers, remembering his past false cries, didn’t come to help.
The boy watched helplessly as the wolf devoured his sheep. His pleas for help went unanswered, and the wolf finally left, with his appetite satisfied.
The moral of the story is clear, if you repeatedly make false claims, others may not believe you when you genuinely need their help or attention. Honesty and credibility are valuable traits, and bending the truth can have serious consequences.
The lesson of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" can be applied to athletes, coaches, leadership, and teams in a number of meaningful ways:
1. Accountability: Just as the villagers in the story held the boy accountable for his false alarms, athletes and teams must be accountable for their actions. Accountability promotes a culture of responsibility, where individuals take ownership of their actions on and off the field.
2. Trust and Credibility: Trust is crucial in sports. Athletes must trust their teammates to do their jobs, and coaches must trust their players to execute what they have trained and practiced. Repeatedly making false claims or excuses can undermine trust and credibility on a team.
3. Consequences of Deceit: The story highlights the consequences of not being truthful. Athletes who make excuses or unfairly place blame on others may find it hard to gain support or empathy from their teammates or coaches when they really do face difficulties.
4. Leadership: Athletes who demonstrate honesty and integrity become leaders within their teams. They set positive examples for others to follow, creating a culture of respect and trust.
(A difficult bonus reflection: For those coaches and athletes in games with officials – what happens if we constantly “cry wolf” and complain about calls?)
"Character is much easier kept than recovered."
- Thomas Paine
Connecting this quote to the story: Honesty, accountability, and trustworthiness are foundational values for success and significance, whether on the field, in leadership roles, or in everyday life.
This week’s Chasing Influence tip: Teams that play together grow together. Make time for team bonding. Create meaningful opportunities to spend time together as a team away from practices and competitions.
If you enjoyed this story, a series of three Chasing Influence workbooks is available. Stories are accompanied by discussion questions and answers. Each workbook contains 33 lessons to use with any team.
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©Troy Urdahl, 2024