Many years ago in a small town, a salesman had the misfortune of
owing a large sum of money to a wealthy banker who owned a huge estate
on the outside of town. The banker, who was old and ugly fancied the
salesman's daughter. So he proposed a bargain. The banker said, "I'll
forgive your debt if you let me marry your daughter."
Both the salesman and his daughter we're horrified by the offer. So the cunning banker suggested that they let providence decide the matter. Since they were standing near a creek bed on his huge estate, he told them he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into a small paper bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble, she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble her father would be forced into bankruptcy and the salesman would lose the family home.
The banker then reached down into the creek bed to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that the banker had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. The banker then asked the girl to pick out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled it and let the pebble fall into the stream where it immediately became lost amongst all the others. "Oh my! How clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind. If you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."
Moral of the story. True sales professionals realize that honesty is always the best policy. It it the most powerful weapon one can use against those you meet in business who will try to lie, chest, or steal to gain an advantage. With simple street smarts, one can always use their nefarious activities against them.
"Love thyself last, cherish those hearts that hate thee; corruption wins not more than honesty." - Shakespeare
Both the salesman and his daughter we're horrified by the offer. So the cunning banker suggested that they let providence decide the matter. Since they were standing near a creek bed on his huge estate, he told them he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into a small paper bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble, she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble her father would be forced into bankruptcy and the salesman would lose the family home.
The banker then reached down into the creek bed to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that the banker had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. The banker then asked the girl to pick out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled it and let the pebble fall into the stream where it immediately became lost amongst all the others. "Oh my! How clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind. If you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."
Moral of the story. True sales professionals realize that honesty is always the best policy. It it the most powerful weapon one can use against those you meet in business who will try to lie, chest, or steal to gain an advantage. With simple street smarts, one can always use their nefarious activities against them.
"Love thyself last, cherish those hearts that hate thee; corruption wins not more than honesty." - Shakespeare
