Today I went back to what is called the Pachatantra stories or fables from ancient India. These are usually bite size stories that have a moral lesson. This one reminded me of something that I see repeatedly in organisational patterns where structures and processes are place.
The story in short :
Once upon a time, in a peaceful lake, three fishes swam together, each with a different mindset.
One was the planner — always watching, ready to swim away at the first sign of danger.
One was the quick thinker — staying alert, ready to adapt if trouble came.
And the last was the fatalist — believing, “It’s my home, and I belong here no matter what.”
One day, they overheard fishermen gearing up to cast their nets.
The planner said, “This lake is no longer safe. We must leave before it’s too late.” And he swam away under cover of night.
The thinker decided to wait, confident he could react if needed.
The third fish, the fatalist- shrugged. “Why worry? I’ve survived here for years. Fate has always provided.”
Morning came. The nets descended.
One fish was gone—safe.
One fish squirmed and escaped at the last second—lucky.
One fish, unprepared and alone, was caught—lost forever.
The story in short :
Once upon a time, in a peaceful lake, three fishes swam together, each with a different mindset.
One was the planner — always watching, ready to swim away at the first sign of danger.
One was the quick thinker — staying alert, ready to adapt if trouble came.
And the last was the fatalist — believing, “It’s my home, and I belong here no matter what.”
One day, they overheard fishermen gearing up to cast their nets.
The planner said, “This lake is no longer safe. We must leave before it’s too late.” And he swam away under cover of night.
The thinker decided to wait, confident he could react if needed.
The third fish, the fatalist- shrugged. “Why worry? I’ve survived here for years. Fate has always provided.”
Morning came. The nets descended.
One fish was gone—safe.
One fish squirmed and escaped at the last second—lucky.
One fish, unprepared and alone, was caught—lost forever.
That’s the lesson hidden in every team.
What if your team was like this lake?
Too often, businesses rely on just a handful of people to “carry” knowledge, handle projects, or solve problems.
The stars—your planners and thinkers—adapt and pivot. But others, become isolated silos, hoarding expertise.
When the tide changes—market shifts, tech disruptions—the solo experts burn out or vanish, and with them, vital knowledge. The rest? Left to watch the nets close in.
The stars—your planners and thinkers—adapt and pivot. But others, become isolated silos, hoarding expertise.
When the tide changes—market shifts, tech disruptions—the solo experts burn out or vanish, and with them, vital knowledge. The rest? Left to watch the nets close in.
What’s at stake?
Knowledge silos grow, making companies brittle.
The bravest, most innovative voices are muted or sidelined.
People burn out or leave, bringing much-needed skills and ideas with them.
The team loses its collective intelligence—its most valuable resource.
Imagine a world where everyone is empowered to swim freely — sharing, teaching, growing together.
Where silos break, knowledge flows, and teams innovate faster because they act early, adapt fast, and collaborate constantly.
The bravest, most innovative voices are muted or sidelined.
People burn out or leave, bringing much-needed skills and ideas with them.
The team loses its collective intelligence—its most valuable resource.
Imagine a world where everyone is empowered to swim freely — sharing, teaching, growing together.
Where silos break, knowledge flows, and teams innovate faster because they act early, adapt fast, and collaborate constantly.
This story lives in every corner of modern work. Use it wisely.
Great teams don’t waste people or ideas. The danger isn’t out there; it’s in the habit of hoarding opportunity for the few while the rest simply watch the nets close in.
*Sketched two arts and used AI to unite their concepts. This time it's PikaAI