How Do You Move A Calf?

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a great historian, noted poet, and respected philosopher.  However, even Emerson could learn from others, and that he did, with much frustration on this occasion.

Emerson and his son Edward were out one warm afternoon, attempting to get a calf to go into the barn.  Edward circled an arm around the neck of the calf, and Emerson pushed from behind, but the calf refused to move.  With each push and pull the calf locked its knees and planted itself even firmer in place. The two kept at it for quite a while with no results, except sweat and disappointment.  

A young peasant woman happened to walk by and saw their challenge.  She asked Emerson if she could be of assistance. Rather sarcastically, covered in sweat from his failed attempts to move the calf, the sage replied "If you think you can do anything, you go right ahead."

The young woman walked around to the front of the calf, put her finger into the calf's mouth and the calf began to suck on them.  With her finger still in the calf's mouth, she walked forward and it followed her peacefully into the barn.  

The lesson is that it that the way to move people to action is not by force; that rarely gets results and when it does, they are usually results with resentment.  Instead give people what they want and they will be happy to do the thing you want.