A corrupt official was brought before a kind king.
This man had been moved from department to department, but wherever he went, corruption followed.
The king, known for his kindness, decided not to punish him. Instead, he gave him a seemingly innocuous task:
“Sit on the beach, count the waves from nine to five, and report your count daily.”
Surely, the king thought, this task left no room for dishonesty.
But within days, the official found a way. He extorted passing ship captains, blaming them for disturbing the waves and demanding bribes to keep the king “happy.”
Soon, traders stopped visiting the kingdom’s ports. Commerce dried up. The economy faltered. And eventually, the kingdom crumbled.
***
Mistakes of #competence are forgivable. People can be trained, coached, or mentored to improve.
But mistakes of #character? Hard to fix. They don’t just sink individuals—they take others down too.
No #skill, #talent, or #intelligence can outweigh the cost of a flawed character.
Choose wisely: in your hires, your alliances, and your inner circle. Because even a “wave counter” can cause tidal waves of destruction.