Detectives
Vinaiseyvaar Thamsutram Ventaadhaar Endraangu / Anaivaraiyum Aaraaivadhu Otru
Classical English couplet — “His officers, his friends, his enemies,All these who watch are trusty spies”
What it says in plain words
“A spy’s job is to look into everyone involved: workers, relatives, and enemies. They must not favor people they know or like.”
The classical Tamil reading
தம்முடைய தொழிலைச் செய்கின்றவர், தம் சுற்றத்தார், தம் பகைவர் என்றுக்கூறப்படும் எல்லாரையும் ஆராய்வதே ஒற்றரின் தொழிலாகும்.
An expanded Tamil interpretation
ஓர் அரசில் உளவறியும் ஒற்றர் வேலை பார்ப்பவர்கள், வேண்டியவர், வேண்டாதவர், சுற்றத்தார் என்றெல்லாம் பாகுபாடு கருதாமல் பணிபுரிந்தால்தான் அவர்களை நேர்மையான ஒற்றர்கள் எனக் கூற முடியும்
The ethical and philosophical heart
Knowing someone well can make us overlook what they do. Disliking someone can make us judge them too quickly. The couplet asks those gathering information to check fairly, without taking sides. At home or work, this means checking facts about everyone involved.
In personal life, work and society
- Personal
- You check what happened before blaming a neighbor you dislike.
- Workplace
- You review everyone's role in a mistake, including your closest coworker's.
- Family
- You hear each child's account, rather than always trusting the oldest.
- Society
- A community group checks complaints about both longtime members and newcomers.
How to apply this today
- Decision-making
- Check the facts about everyone involved before choosing what to do.
- Integrity
- Apply the same checks to friends as to people you dislike.
- Communication
- Ask everyone involved what happened, not just those you trust.
- Leadership
- Review a trusted worker's actions as carefully as anyone else's.
- Governance
- Check complaints about officials and their relatives with the same care used for their opponents.
For leaders and teams
When checking a problem, do not give favorites a pass. Look at everyone's actions with the same care.
Something to sit with
“Where might your feelings about someone affect how carefully you check the facts today?”