In the city of Tabriz lived a middle aged jewelry merchant named Ardashir. He felt a great sense of responsibility for the jewelry store as it has belonged to his family for generations. For this reason, he was strict with his workers and often distrustful of them. Workers are innately unreliable and lazy was his belief, and they needed close supervision and discipline. This belief was backed by experience, 19 years of firsthand experience to be precise.
Over the years, he learned to deal with his unreliable workers. Cameras were installed to prevent stealing, fines were established to discourage tardiness and a no-tolerance policy was in place to combat insubordination.
The competitive external struggle with other jewelry stores along with his own internal struggle with his workers took a toll on the aging man. He was exhausted! He thought of Babak, one of his best workers who resigned two months ago. “Why do my best workers leave me?” In reflection, he noticed that Babak was no exception, none of his few exceptional workers ever stayed beyond two months.
Ardashir! “One who rules with Truth,” this was the meaning of his name. A name he was always so proud to bear. But now Ardashir sounded distant, as if it no longer belonged to him. The constant distrust of his employees had so poisoned this man’s heart that he no longer sought the guidance of Truth. In this tender moment, the word “Love” rung out loud and clear. “Assign no task to an employee that you would not perform yourself, first seek the happiness of those under your authority ahead of your store’s prosperity.” The flood gates opened up and these words kept flowing. Lastly, he heard… “do to them as you would like to be done by.”