Three Stonecutters

This simple tale features three stonemasons, each doing the tedious, back-breaking job of carving rocks. The first one is cutting rocks because he needs the money. The second is doing the job because he perceives himself to be the best stone-cutter around. The third is hammering away with zeal and, when asked what he is doing, answers with ‘I am building a cathedral.’

This ‘Parable of the Three Stonecutters’, made famous by Peter F Drucker in his 1954 book, ‘The Practice of Management’, remains one of the most powerful illustrations of the challenges faced by Leaders today: how do you create the environment within which your stonemasons are motivated to reach beyond the task in hand and connect with the broader vision?

At that time, Drucker argued that the first stone-cutter is not an issue. He is doing an ‘honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay’ and the third stone-cutter’s merits speak for themselves. It is the second stone-cutter that the master stonemason really has to worry about because he is the person who has great technical ability but never looks beyond the task in hand. The functional work ‘becomes an end in itself’.

[Businesses] need every single rock-cutter to be committed to building the cathedral in order to fully leverage their talent, discretionary effort and creativity to achieve this lofty goal.

source: excerpt from Is your team cutting rocks or building a cathedral?