Lion Quote by Geoffrey Chaucer
““And shame it is, if that a priest take keep, To see a shitten shepherd and clean sheep:””
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Canterbury Tales, 14th century
A priest should not be surprised by seeing a shepherd who is messy, implying that leaders must accept imperfections.
In simple terms: Leaders must accept imperfect followers.
Key Takeaway
Embrace imperfection in leadership.
Themes
leadership
humility
expectations
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
didactic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- church leadership
- team management
- parenting
- community organizing
Key Concepts
medieval literature
social hierarchy
human frailty
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you handle imperfect team members?
- When is tolerance too lenient?
A Different Perspective
Leaders may overreact to minor flaws.
![“[To a priest who smoked:] What a shame for a man to dress like a saint and smell like a devil!” quote by Carrie Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c97/carrie-nation-49377_devil_to-a-priest-who-smoked-what-a-shame-for_79212.jpg)
![“I left that church with rich and royal hatred of the priest as a person, and a loathing for the church as an institution, and I vowed that I would never go inside a church again. [Eugene V. Debs, describing his teenage reaction to a hellfire lecture by a priest]” quote by Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/434/eugene-v-debs-7814_church_i-left-that-church-with-rich-and-royal-h_71485.jpg)
