The Little Red Hen. A tale for modern times.

An allegorical folk tale about the valuable lesson of teamwork - revamped for modern times.

Inspired by Estonia's President, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, "I'll gladly Pay you Tuesday" here

The Little RED HEN - revisited.
Once upon a time there were some little hens. They lived outside a farm on their own, subject to the rigours of supplying all their own needs in an unpredictable and sometimes hostile world. They were alone. Sometimes they were afraid.

One day the farmer approached them and invited them to come inside the farmyard fences. In there they’d have the benefit of the experience and contacts of all the other farmyard animals. Life would be secure and good. Together they could do wondrous things. Everyone would benefit!

The little hens were allocated a corner of the farmyard, and they were content. They were united with all the other farmyard animals; horses, cows, pigs, ducks and geese, each with their own part of the farmyard to tend.

The farmer presented the little hens with the rules of the farmyard. The rules were clear, the rules were fair. Everyone would benefit!

The little hens read the rules, they understood the rules, they accepted and followed the rules. And life was good.

Eggs were laid, and chickens were hatched to the little hens. The chickens were taught by the farmer to abide by the rules, to live within their means to work with the skills and resources they had. And life was good.

The little hens and their chickens scratched the soil, they tilled the soil, they harvested the produce. They worked hard; they were careful. The little hens wrinkled their little brows over the accounts late at night, by thrifty candlelight, after a hard day's work. There was little waste and just about enough for all the hens and the little chickens – just like the farmer had promised. They trusted the other farmyard animals to do the same, to follow the rules so all would benefit. Surely life was good?

The little hens and their chicks appreciated the farmyard. They enjoyed the benefits of belonging to the farm. They were secure. But a storm appeared, brewing menacingly on the horizon. The farmer came to the hens and their chickens to ask for help. For the good of all.

The larger animals who had been at the farm longer than the little hens and their little chicks had asked the farmer to help them out. They couldn't seem to manage their plots of land or their accounts. They never seemed to have enough to go round. The horses, the cows, the pigs and ducks and geese complained loudly to anyone who would listen that they were being treated unfairly and that life was harsh and unjust. They needed someone like the little hens and their chicks to support them. A lot.

The little hens were confused; surely the horses, the cows, the pigs and ducks and geese had worked as hard as the little hens and their chickens, scrimping and saving for the good of all? Surely they had lived within their means and hadn’t become lazy and greedy? Did the other farmyard animals expect to have more than the little hens and their chickens?

The little chickens saw the benefit of belonging to the farm. They agreed to let the horses, the cows, the pigs and ducks and geese have some of the goods they’d worked so hard to produce. For the good of all, for the unity of the farm. But they were not happy.

The chickens who had played at the homes of the foals, the calves, the piglets, the ducklings and goslings had seen a land of plenty, had seen rules being flouted. Had seen farm animals better off than themselves and their families. And they didn’t understand why they were being asked by the farmer to support those with more than themselves.

And the little chickens became resltess.

.

Budget, schmudget - we'll be in surplus!

News from a vaguely familiar state somewhere in Southern Australia. Somewhat tongue in cheek, and entirely unreferenced, flight of creative fancy.

The elected Grubbymint in their most recent budget, endorses rampant climate change, gives green light to policies that hasten our ill health, erodes job security and secures the advantage and ubiquity of coal fired power plants.

Education, now considered a luxury, is outsourced to the lowest bidder. Staff recruited via call centres based in India - visas optional.

Funding slashed from technical and further education redirected into newly built and refurbished jails. Corrections Officer training available from “Shonky Bros” inconveniently and expensively located in your nearest capital city.

What used to be quaintly known as the Bluestone College*, is rumoured to offer courses to inmates similar to what in the past was offered by TAFE’s. Many inmates had hopes for re-entry into education after disrupted schooling. *early jails were built from bluestone and were known colloquially as a bluestone college.

An early introduction to a life of crime by Thugs Anon, led to these youths being called the 100,000 dollar kids, being the average cost per annum to provide funding for services such as counselling, welfare, court appearances, intervention orders and rehab costs. Their dreams of a regular education have been gutted by the callous dismantling of the highly regarded TAFE sector with support systems available to reintroduce disengaged youth to reputable, vocational and challenging courses.

Services for those with special needs are seen as an an unnecessary luxury by the Grubbymint and are likely to be slashed to cut costs.

Jails are rumoured to be refurbished and huge sums are earmarked for new facilities to house the expected increase in convicted criminals. In part these new inmates are likely to come from the growing ranks of the newly unemployed and angry, disengaged groups who are unable to take advantage of “upskilling” now the TAFE colleges are being allowed to fall into disrepair. 

Stress levels are anticipated to increase as disregard for the environment takes its toll – those who used to cycle safely to bushland to lift their spirits and enjoy some peace from the hurly burly of life are now unable to avail themselves of that outlet. Health impacts are expected to lead to an increase in depression and weight gain, blowing out medical and hospital budgets.

Jobs slashed in the environmental sector saves millions, now earmarked for generous injection into cleanER coal. Koalas, already endangered, lose protected lands, but habitat is now available for fracking and/or subdivision (see F - Fracking here). Generous tax breaks for fossil fuel and mining industry will be offset by increased taxes in luxury goods such as bicycles, scooters and all recreational and sporting goods.

Innovative enterprises are obstructed and investment discouraged in renewable energy, further supporting the stranglehold of the fossil fuel industry.

Generous performance bonuses are deposited into bank accounts of the sycophantic Grubbymint minions whose inability to address the far reaching impacts of their vicious decisions further alienates them from the public and any good-will that may have been expressed. Secure in their sheltered, ivory tower 'workshops', they’re protected from the need to come face to face with any of the people who suffer at their hands, and give high fives all round for a job well done.

Safe in a sanctuary, these koalas are unlikely to be bulldozed or fracked into oblivion.
.

Climate Matters. Q is for Quadruple bottom line

This post is for Q in the A-Z Blogging Challenge 2012. Link in the Sidebar.


For many years large businesses focused only on the bottom line accounting practice of returning a profit for their shareholders, often at the expense of their employees and local communities. Acting with integrity, and responding to moral, social, cultural and environmental responsibilities had frequently fallen by the wayside.

The triple bottom line refers to the practise of including three aspects: environmental balance, social inclusion and economic growth, to describe a sound business model.

The quadruple bottom line includes culture. 
More recently however, there is a growing awareness of the need for businesses to achieve economic, social and cultural growth without irreversibly damaging the ecological systems that support that growth. Culture is recognised as the fourth pillar of corporate responsibility in a sustainable business model and is considered to be where values, meaning and purpose in life originate and gel, to form a healthy society.

Whilst this model began in the government sector, businesses at the forefront of its adoption are working towards being sustainable and responsible by looking towards a future where growth in one area creates positive benefits in all areas. They are aware that it's valuable for employees, shareholders and management to acknowledge that they're part of something bigger than themselves.

Sustainable development is often referred to as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Increasingly local businesses and councils are leading the way in proactively addressing climate change and sustainability. They’re taking responsibility for the environment through waste minimisation, energy analysis and taking an interest in social and cultural responsibility to increase morale, reduce absenteeism and improve overall work performance. In short, they find that these efforts increase efficiency and productivity and therefore increase the bottom line, not decrease it!

Ideally, governments worldwide will begin to confidently pursue cultural responsibility through good governance and a wider understanding of people's needs, desires and goals in life. This would undoubtedly facilitate wise and effective long term planning rather than focusing on the short period between elections.

Of interest is recent research showing that businesses offering Mindfulness Meditation or similar training for their employees is having a positive benefit. Employees have found that spending time on these practices increases job satisfaction, enhances focus, decreases absenteeism and the number of job related accidents, decreases stress and generally improves their lives both on and off the job. The research “presents compelling evidence that mindfulness-based practices may be a fruitful addition to organisational wellness programes.” (Glomb et al)

Businesses thinking more holistically are addressing new ways to produce services and products with an eye on our collective futures. They -

1. Recognise the human needs of employees, stakeholders and all other parties the business impacts on 

2. Protect the environment and are aware of the needs of all communities impacted by the company 

3. Use natural resources wisely 

4. Accept that constant growth may not be possible or desirable for the long term viability of the company.  

In these ways everyone involved with the company feels part of something with a higher purpose and vision than just making money. The company doesn’t extract value from employees or the environment, it adds value, and as a consequence all stakeholders are more deeply engaged and committed to ensuring the companies long term success.

Last year I wrote about the Qualities we instil in our children for Q for my theme of workplace bullying. Here and Quinces here.
.