The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen was referred to me by another manager, and while it is a short children’s story, I found myself thinking about how relevant its message can be in leadership and the workplace.

The story centers on an emperor who is swindled into believing that he is wearing beautiful clothes that can only be seen by people who are intelligent and competent. Of course, no one can actually see the clothes. Yet no one wants to admit that because they are afraid of being seen as foolish or incompetent. Instead, everyone goes along with the lie. It is not until a child speaks up and simply says what everyone else is thinking that the truth finally becomes impossible to ignore.

What stood out to me most is how easily this can happen in the workplace, especially when it comes to leadership. Sometimes people are afraid to speak up, ask questions, or challenge something that does not make sense because they do not want to be seen as difficult, uninformed, or, in this case, an idiot. So instead, people fall into the mindset of “go along to get along.” They may recognize that something is wrong, ineffective, or simply does not make sense, but they continue to support it because everyone else appears to be doing the same.

The story also made me think about how people can sometimes knowingly buy into a lie. The people in the story were essentially being swindled, yet they continued to participate because admitting the truth would require them to acknowledge that they had been fooled. That can happen in organizations as well. Sometimes it feels easier to continue believing something than to admit that a decision, idea, or direction may not be working.

The child in the story is the bravest person because they are willing to say what everyone else is afraid to say. The child does not have the same pride, fear, or need to protect their image. That reminded me of Matthew 18:3-4 and the idea of becoming childlike through humility. To me, being childlike does not mean being childish. It means having the humility to admit when you do not know something, the courage to ask questions, and the willingness to speak honestly when something does not make sense.

This short story was a great reminder that asking questions and speaking up should not be viewed as a weakness. Sometimes the person willing to ask the question that everyone else is thinking may be the one helping everyone finally see the truth.