The accountant & the shepherd (context & communication)

My friend Ben was an accountant. He decided to take a career break, and went to work on a farm, just helping out, odd-jobbing – anything to get away from bean counting, analysis and finance. One day the farmer asked him to round up the sheep in a field, and get them into a trailer. Ben did this, and called the farmer to say the task was complete.

Farmer: “Great thanks – did you count them?”
Ben: “Yes”
Farmer: “How many were there?”
Ben: “40″
Farmer: “40!? There should only have been 37! Where did you find the others”
Ben: “Well you said to round them up…”

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