The Invisible Employee: Using Carrots to See the Hidden Potential in Everyone, Second Edition

Chapter 1. Invisible People

Invisible People. That's what the Highlanders of the island called the mysterious beings who filled their vaults with treasures—but were rarely ever seen.

On special occasions, in candlelit halls, the elders sometimes gathered the Highlanders together. In low voices, they repeated the legend of how the Invisible People had once lived openly among them, but had slowly faded into the background until they were mere hints of the men and women they had once been.

"Yet, they live among us still . . ." the storyteller would say, looking vaguely past the flickering lights. "They are a part of us. It is they who scale the mountains for the valuable jewels. It is they for whom we leave the Fruits of the Laborer."

A thrill would run up the Highlanders' backs. Many would glance nervously at the shadows of chairs and children and water jugs dancing around the edges of the room. But the Highlanders' eyes, dimmed by generations of disuse, saw nothing more.

Always at this point, a child would innocently ask in a high voice, "Doesn't anyone ever see them now?"

"Never." The elder would say firmly. "It is the way."

And around the room, all would breathe a collective sigh of relief. It was good to know that tomorrow things would go on as they always had on their island in the Medeokr Sea. Invisible hands would do the work. The Highlanders would go on seeing what they always saw, missing what they always missed. All would be in order. And that was enough for them . . . ...