Is There and Upside to the Chaos?
- Pam Stoik
- Mar 25
- 2 min read
What does a farmer, a horse and reactive village members have to do with #Canada and the #tradewar ? Lots it turns out...
One of the key stories Shirzad Chamine uses in his great book Positive Intelligence is an old parable of the farmer, horse and village. It goes something like this...
One day a farmer's horse ran away. The farmer's neighbours lamented, "What terrible luck!"
The farmer, not particularly upset, replied, "Maybe."
The next day, the horse returned with three wild horses. "What amazing fortune!" the neighbours exclaimed.
"Maybe," said the farmer.
The following day, the farmer's son broke his leg trying to ride one of the wild horses. "What a tragedy!" the neighbors sympathized.
"Maybe," the farmer responded.
A week later, army recruiters came to the village, taking all able-bodied young men to war. The farmer's son, with his broken leg, was spared. "How amazing!" cried the neighbours.
"Maybe," said the farmer....
It got me thinking about recent tariff threats made to Canada...Our initial reaction was "What terrible news!" But then something remarkable happened...
This "setback" sparked something powerful.
Canadians across the country began championing our own products, supporting local businesses, cancelling trips to the U.S. and rebooking tours within Canada.
What seemed like a crisis became a catalyst for national pride and economic solidarity. I'd also note that, despite the headline, we're going beyond symbolism and fighting back with our wallets and by seeking out newer and more reliable business partners.
The lesson for #innovation and #transformation? Sometimes our biggest breakthroughs come disguised as setbacks. What matters is how we choose to respond and adapt.
Here are a few ways this is happening now...
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