“Persi lu sceccu cu tutti i carrubbi!”
Sicilian proverb:
I lost the donkey along with the whole load of carobs!
This sharp and rather bitter proverb captures the disappointment of a deal gone wrong. The saying is used when one expects to profit from a situation but ends up losing everything: not only the donkey (the means), but also the valuable goods it was carrying (the carobs).
A double loss, usually the result of misjudgement or overconfidence.
In the business world this expression serves as a stern warning against a familiar trap: underestimating risk while overestimating opportunity.
When faced with what seems like a promising deal, it is easy to get carried away by enthusiasm. Vigilance drops, weak signals are ignored, and dissenting voices are dismissed. A leader in such a scenario runs a dual risk: the tangible loss (the investment) and the systemic one (trust, team cohesion, reputation).
Key reminders:
- Risk must be assessed, not denied. True courage stems from awareness, not recklessness.
- Never bet everything on a single hand. Diversifying, listening, stress-testing scenarios — this is not paranoia, it is foresight.
- Beware of seductive storytelling. Often, leaders pursue applause more than results. And applause is a terrible advisor.
In leadership terms: never gamble the entire organisational capital in pursuit of a shortcut; an isolated mistake can be corrected, while a total collapse leaves you with nothing but rubble to rebuild from.