Leadership story: What can you learn about mentorship from flying a kite

Once, a father and his young son attended a lively kite-flying festival. The sky was painted with bright, colorful kites dancing in the wind. The boy’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he watched the kites soar high above. He turned to his father, eager to join in the fun, and asked him to buy a kite and a spool of thread so he could fly one too. Seeing this as an opportunity to teach his son an important lesson, the father smiled and led him to a nearby shop. He carefully selected a sturdy kite and a strong roll of thread and handed them to his son. The boy could hardly contain his joy as he ran to an open space to launch his kite into the sky. With his father’s guidance, the boy skillfully maneuvered the kite, and before long, it was soaring high, catching the wind effortlessly. His excitement grew with each passing moment. As he watched his kite climb higher and higher, a thought struck him.

“Father,” the boy said, watching the kite pull against the thread, “I think the thread is holding the kite back. If we cut it, the kite will be free and will fly even higher.” The father gazed at his son thoughtfully and responded, “Maybe the thread has a purpose?” But the little boy was insistent, convinced that the kite would continue to rise once it was freed from its tether. Seeing his son’s determination, the father finally agreed. He carefully cut the thread from the spool. At first, the kite seemed to rise even higher, and the boy cheered with excitement. But then, something unexpected happened. Slowly, the kite began to wobble. Without the guiding support of the thread, it struggled against the changing winds. Soon, it lost its stability and started to descend. Before long, it drifted helplessly, finally landing on the terrace of an unknown building. The boy stood in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened. He turned to his father, his face filled with confusion. “Father, I thought cutting the thread would make the kite fly higher. Why did it fall down instead?”

The father placed a gentle hand on his son’s shoulder and said, “Son, in life, we often believe that certain things are holding us back from reaching greater heights. We think that if we remove those constraints, we will achieve unlimited success. But today, I hope you have learned an important lesson about mentorship. The thread was not limiting the kite, it was providing the stability and direction needed to stay high in the sky. When the wind changed, the thread helped you guide the kite in the right direction. Without it, the kite had no support, and it could not stay afloat.” The father continued, “The thread is like a mentor in your life. A mentor provides guidance, support, and wisdom to help you navigate challenges. If you ignore that support too soon, you may find yourself lost and struggling, just like the kite without its thread. Choose your mentor wisely and listen to their guidance, for they are there to help you soar.” The boy’s eyes widened with understanding, and he nodded. He realized his mistake and learned a valuable lesson that true success is not about cutting off support, but about understanding and appreciating the role of guidance in life.