The Builder and the Blueprint
Ethan had built dozens of homes in his career, but lately, every project felt a lot heavier.
Deadlines were getting blurred, details and quality started to slip, and his crew grew frustrated. “Boss,” one framer said, “we’re moving fast, but it feels like we’re just nailing boards without knowing what we’re building.”
Ethan frowned. “What do you mean? The blueprint is in the trailer,” he said.
“Maybe,” the framer replied, “but nobody has seen it in a few days.”
That night, Ethan stayed late. He walked through the partially finished house and noticed the uneven walls, the crooked doorframes, the result of effort without direction.
After some searching, he pulled out the dusty blueprint and laid it on a workbench. The next morning, before anyone picked up a nail gun, he gathered the team.
“This,” he said, unrolling the blueprint, “is what we’re building. But more than that, this is why. A family’s going to eat dinner here, a child is going to take their first steps down this hall, and holiday celebrations will be hosted in the living room. That is why the details matter.”
The room went quiet, and for the first time in weeks, the noise of construction turned into the rhythm of purpose.
By the end of the project, the crew wasn’t just building walls. They were building a home that would be full of significance.
When the family finally moved in, Ethan realized something simple but profound:
He and his crews hadn’t lost their skill. They’d just lost sight of the reason they were using it.
From that night on, Ethan ensured the blueprint was always being utilized on site and at the top of each, he’d write “the future home of ____ family” to serve as a reminder to his crews why there were building a new home.
The Moral
Teams lose purpose and focus not because they’re lazy, but because leaders stop reminding them of the “why.”
When purpose gets blurry, even the best people drift. But when it’s clear, alignment, excellence, and energy follow naturally.
Your Takeaway
When was the last time you brought your team back to the “blueprint”?
Are they clear on what you’re building—and why?
So why a newsletter with fables?
Leaders often assume that logic and data drive change, but people rarely change because information alone. They change and transform because they’re moved.
Stories and fables don’t replace truth—they translate it and cement it into our hearts, which allows that truth to transform us into something greater.
When insight and ideas are told through story, it becomes portable, memorable, and repeatable. That’s why great leaders don’t just explain—they illustrate through story.
I experienced this first-hand recently while reading Patrick Lencioni’s book Getting NAKED: A business fable about shedding the three fears that sabotage client loyalty. The fictional story presented by Lencioni had me hooked. I was so invested in the story and how to overcome the three fears that I almost read the entire book in one sitting.
Not only can I tell you the three fears that sabotage client loyalty, but I can vividly picture in my mind the story of how Jack Bauer (the main character) overcame those fears to win clients and provide lasting value. Now, I too have a very clear roadmap of how I can earn client trust and help them grow, thanks to a short story.
If you want to continue to become transformed by leadership and organizational truths through the power of fables, I invite you to join me each Friday!