Life does supply some great metaphors.
I read this sign as I walked along the Tay last night, after arriving in Dunkeld, Perthshire.
It got me thinking about those people in our lives who absolutely love to throw stones in the river, knowing full well it will upset the salmon.
You’ve invested hours and hard cash in team training, brought in guest speakers or done the preparation yourself.
You deliver a training session on customer service or communication skills – on teamwork or brand standards.
Then after the meeting that “well-poisoner” gets into the staff room or the pub and makes disparaging comments about you, the speaker, the training, the business.
Or maybe you have a family member, a neighbour, a so-called friend, who delights in the negative – who wants to discuss why things won’t work – but never why things will.
The answer isn’t to prohibit them from throwing stones in the river.
This sign will never work – in fact it reminds the stone throwers to throw stones.
The real secret is to keep them away from the river.