Sheepish Tales

Working in a notoriously loud newsroom has its serious repercussions. Not just on your ears and stress nerves, but also on your personality. People begin to assume that given that you work in a volatile news organization known for its hyperbole and desk-thumping journalism, you too would show the same personality traits! At least such was the story of a former colleague.

After a 6 year long stint in a news channel, Dorothy (name changed) changed her job. She joined a home shopping network and her new job responsibility included producing and packaging pre-recorded shows that sold everything from household items, to gadgets and fashion. Used to the diktats of live television and breaking news, changing gears into a new segment of television didn’t take time. She enjoyed the new pace of life, until her new boss came breathing down on her saying, “You lack aggression in your job!” “I failed to understand why aggression was so important in a shopping channel?” she asked me later.

I have known Dorothy for nearly 7 years now. In all these years we worked very closely for only about 4 years. Never the one to lose her frill in the face of a panic situation, she is always calm, composed and tranquil, quite evoking the Buddha in her! So yes, I have never seen her display an iota of aggression in all the time we worked together. Does that mean she was inept? In fact it quite the contrary! She brilliantly handled crisis situations, bottle tight situations and emergency productions without as much of a flicker of panic. To me she was and still remains the epitome of inner peace and confidence, a trait that I deeply respect and miss as a co-worker.    

So when Dorothy, in her usual matter of fact way told me about her new boss and his apparent need for aggression, we both had a good laugh. And today as I sit down to write this post I cannot help but think that why is it so bad to be soft and genteel? Is the visible lack of aggression a sign of the weak? Does not the loud, vociferous, attention-seeker have a brilliant and yet powerful adversary in the quiet and composed individual? Why is the former always under the limelight, and the latter considered a weakling? Why is docility such a bad thing?

Remember the nursery rhyme, “’Baa-Baa Black Sheep”? I wonder whatever happened to the little black sheep who was much in demand (Have you any wool Yes sir, yes sir, 3 bags full) when small but grew up to become the ‘black sheep’ in the family? Why is being a sheep so bad? Why is ‘sheepish’ such a negative trait? Perhaps we are not seeing the whole picture!  

It’s the Year of the Sheep! So say a big round of Baa-Baa to those who exhibit the character trait of this docile animal. Being a sheep is really not all that bad, because I feel they have quite a wealth of stories waiting to tell. Just that no one is ever bothered about the ‘Sheepish Tales’!

The Silent Witness  

Being a sheep is a good thing sometimes. Nobody would bother you. Nobody would be threatened by you. The quietest in the room is a great witness to have actually, someone who would watch and observe everyone else without being noticed! Think of a fly on the wall here. So never underestimate the power of a common sheep. People who are the quietest are the sharpest when it comes to remember events and moments. They are keen observers and are likely to notice fine nuances in people. The sheep always has a wealth of stories gathered through the eyes of the observer and silent witness.

Hardworking

I haven’t seen too many live sheep in my life, but the personality traits of the sheep point towards a hardworking individual who earns his stars through toil and discipline. It is a good idea therefore to have the hardworking stories out, fuelling those looking for inspiration and motivation to reach the finishing line. These could be stories of failures and resurrections. These could be stories of fears and personal battles.

Persistent   

Quite like the ‘ant’ that tries, tries and tries again, the sheep is known to be a persistent animal (never heard a children’s story on that one though!) so it is a good idea to get the persistence stories out. These could be stories of people who were the silent crusaders, or those who refused to be bowed down by pressures of any kind. These could be stories of patience and perseverance. These could stories of dogged pursuits; or the story and journey of an unfinished dream.

2015, they hope will be a calmer year as compared to the volatile 2014. I’d say let this is be the year where we celebrate the docile. Let this be the year where we celebrate the so-called ‘weak’! Let this be the year where we look for stories from those who we never ask. Let us quietly turn the spotlight on those who choose to stay away from it.

On that note arouse the sheep in you and say, “Baaa-Baaa”!

This post originally appeared on the Your Story Bag Blog