The Pot of Gold or the Mermaid?

Eli Goldratt told a rather entertaining story during the Upgrade Workshop at last week’s TOC ICO conference, replete with a hand-drawn set of images to go along with it.  I wasn’t sure how to recount the story, but Kevin Kohls has done a nice job of recounting it and the core conflict that Goldratt was attempting to describe, The Pot of Gold or the Mermaid?

The short version: do you stay down with your mermaid, or do you erect a ladder to climb up away from the alligators and up to a lovely pot of gold?

Goldratt has apparently been telling this parable at other events, since a colleague leaned over to tell me what Goldratt was about to draw.  The live, freehand drawing is rather funny (or offensive).