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Olavo was transferred to a new project. On the very first day, to get on the good side of his new boss, he came out with this:
– Boss, you can’t imagine what they told me about Silva. They said he…
He barely finishes the sentence when Juliano, the boss, cuts in:
– Hold on a moment, Olavo. Has what you’re about to tell me already passed through the sieve of the three sieves?
– Sieves? What sieves, boss?
– The first, Olavo, is the sieve of Truth. Are you sure this fact is absolutely true?
– No… no, I’m not. How could I know? It’s just what they told me… But I think that…
And, once again, Olavo is interrupted by the boss.
– Then your story has already failed the first sieve. Let’s go to the second sieve, which is the sieve of Kindness: what you’re about to tell me, would you like others to say the same about you?
– Of course not! God forbid, boss! – says Olavo, alarmed.
– Then – Juliano continues – your story has failed the second sieve as well. Let’s go to the third, which is the sieve of
Necessity: do you really think it’s necessary to tell me this, or to pass it along?
– No, boss. Just from passing it through the sieve of these sieves, I can already see that nothing is left of what I was going to tell you – Olavo admits, taken aback.
– Exactly, Olavo. Have you ever thought how much happier people would be if everyone used these sieves? The next time a rumor comes your way, put it through the sieve of these three sieves – Truth, Kindness, Necessity – before giving in to the impulse to pass it along.
Remember:
Intelligent people talk about ideas.
Ordinary people talk about things.
Mediocre people talk about people.
