Dale Galloway

“An old grandfather puts his young grandson on the family donkey and begins the long journey to town. As they travel along the well-used pathway, passersby say, “Look at that selfish, spoiled kid riding the donkey while the old man is walking.” Not wanting people to criticize his grandson, the old man trades places with the boy. Soon people begin to say, “Look at that lazy man making the child walk.” Not wanting to be called lazy, the grandfather gets off the donkey and walks alongside it. Observers then begin to remark, “Look at those two stupid people walking when they could be riding the donkey.” Acting on their criticism, the grandfather seats both himself and his grandson on the donkey. As they continue along, the next people watching them comment, “Look how they’re brutalizing that donkey. They’re going to break its back.” In response, they get off the donkey. They put the donkey on their backs, and carry it the rest of the way into town, arriving bedraggled, exhausted, and still the subject of bystander criticism. The point of this fable is that if you try to please everyone, you, too, will quickly feel that you have a donkey on your back. Fortunately, being a people pleaser is not the ultimate goal of leadership.”
― Dale Galloway, On-Purpose Leadership: Multiplying Your Ministry by Becoming a Leader of Leaders