≈ 1 min read · August 7, 2026
A door may need a steady push,
Not fury, noise, or wounded pride;
The strongest hand can still be measured,
Firm in aim and calm in stride.
Speak clearly when a boundary matters,
And do not soften truth to fog;
Yet pressure without human judgement
Turns every colleague to a cog.
The willow bends but keeps its roots,
The hammer strikes but cannot hear;
Be strong enough to move resistance,
And wise enough to spare needless fear.
From the collection: “A Modern Almanac of Leadership”
