There lives a troop of monkeys on the bank of a river. Every day they would swing from one tree to another tree in search of food. One day they found a bunch of bananas on the other side of the river. All the monkeys tried to figure out how to get that delicious bunch of bananas from the other side of the river by crossing that wide river. The river was very wide and it was impossible to swim in it. All the monkeys were very sad. Finally, one monkey had an idea and it suggested that they all can hold hands and form a long chain with each monkey holding on to the tail of the monkey in front of them. That way, they could cross the river without getting swept away by the current. The other monkey liked the idea and they proceeded as per the idea. The first monkey stepped into the river, and the rest of the troop followed and managed to get a bunch of delicious bananas and enjoyed it.
The story is a lesson for us that if something is hard to achieve by individual effort then that can be achieved by working together. This story teaches us that union is strength, and when we say “Union is Strength,” we mean that there is power in numbers. By working together for some common goals, we can achieve maximum results as compared to working alone. When a task is performed in a team it is supported by the different skills and abilities of individuals who are members of the team to perform a task to achieve a common goal.
In business and corporate each department has a team that works together to achieve the goal of organization and the tasks assigned are easily achieved by team. Father of modern management Fayol also explained in his Fayol’s 14 principal about Esprit De Corps i.e. Union is strength. This principle implies that union is strength and an extension of the principle of unity of command. Fayol here emphasizes the need for teamwork and the importance of communication in obtaining it.
This concept of Union is Strength is also applicable in our Indian family where we live in a joint family and each member has his own responsibility and duties to perform for fulfilling family needs. This is helpful in running the family smoothly and fulfil the needs of each and every member of the family. The family that lives together supports each other and faces the challenges that come in life like any financial issues, medical issues etc. in a better way.
Hence, ‘Union is strength’ is the idea that when people work together, they can accomplish more than they could on their own. This proverb can be applied to many different areas of life, from lifting heavy objects to running a successful business.
PhD in Business Administration, qualified UGC NET/JRF in Management and NET in Commerce, MBA Specialized in Finance and International Business, M.Com, Dr Prashant Kumar has been in the field of education since 2016. His research papers got published in various reputed journals and books. He has presented research papers in different national and international conferences and seminars. Also participated in research methodology workshops and faculty development programmes.