Mike 
mid-size city in the middle of the country, but it wasn’t an ordinary place. That’s because one of the city’s long-time and wealthiest residents had given an incredible gift for the city to build a zoo. His only instruction: make this the best zoo in any mid-size city in America.
An executive director with significant zoo experience had been hired, and she quickly assembled a team of leaders for each of the habitats or major categories of animals. The donor met with the team and gave an inspirational speech on building a great zoo that would bring national recognition to the city. The executive director gave each leader a budget and an encouraging pat on the back, and told them to get to work.
Four months later, the leadership team reassembled for an all-day project update meeting. One by one, they reported on their plans:
- The team leader for the big cats proudly reported that he had already purchased two white Bengal tigers, along with several other rare animals. Most of his budget had been committed to a small number of animals, but he was confident that this unique collection would make a great zoo.
- The report from the primates team emphasized entertainment value. The leader planned to create an environment with lots of viewing stations and a large number of animals, confident that this would thrill visitors and create a great reputation for the zoo.
- A sweeping design for the African savannah was presented. The team leader explained that the original allocation of land and funds had been insufficient for a truly great zoo, so he was assuming that he could have more of both at the expense of the big cats and primates.
- The leader for the bear exhibit quietly explained that caring for the animals was the best measure of greatness. That’s why his proposal focused on animals that had been injured or mistreated. Taking in these animals and caring for them would mean less viewing opportunities for visitors, but it would be a mark of distinction for the zoo.
