In a workplace, let's say there is a team working on a big project. One member is always late, misses important meetings, and doesn't contribute much. This one 'black sheep' can make the whole team look disorganized and unproductive in the eyes of the management, even if the other members are doing their best to meet the deadlines and complete the tasks.
Well, this phrase implies that a single negative aspect can taint the entire situation. Say there's a family business. If one family member is involved in some sort of scandal, it can make the whole family business look bad to the public, even if the rest of the family is running it well and with integrity.
It means that a single bad or negative element can have a negative impact on the entire group. It shows how one person's bad behavior can taint the reputation or performance of the whole team or community.
Sure. There's a story about a family of musicians. All the siblings are trained in classical music and perform in orchestras. But one of them is into rock music. This one is the black sheep. The family doesn't understand why he doesn't follow the family tradition. However, he forms his own rock band and becomes quite successful, eventually making the family see that his different musical taste has value too.
One example could be a game where the characters are lost sheep in a virtual world. The players' goal is to guide these sheep back to the flock. It's a simple concept but it can be a metaphor for helping those who are lost in real life find their way back to a community or a set of values.
A single bad element or person can have a negative impact on the entire situation or group. It's like a rotten apple spoiling the barrel.
A group can deal with a 'black sheep' in several ways. First, they should identify the root cause of the 'black sheep' behavior. Is it due to personal issues, misunderstandings, or a real lack of alignment with the group's values? If it's a personal issue, the group can offer support and understanding. If it's a values misalignment, the group may need to have a serious conversation about what the group stands for. Another approach is to lead by example. The positive members of the group can show through their actions what is expected. In some cases, if the 'black sheep' refuses to change and continues to have a highly negative impact, the group may have to consider excluding the individual, but this should be a last resort as it can also have consequences for the group's image and internal dynamics.
The 'black sheep' could be a person who is constantly negative in a group of positive - minded people. For example, in a team that is working hard towards a goal, if there is one member who always complains and discourages others, that person would be the black sheep.
Sure. A family of horse breeders. Their family story includes a great - grandfather who found a wild horse with unique markings and an especially gentle temperament. Since then, they have been breeding horses with a focus on maintaining that gentle nature, which was part of their family story.
Sure. A colleague of mine who has a physical disability was constantly overlooked for promotions. His work was excellent, but the management seemed to think that his disability would somehow hold him back in a more senior role. This is discrimination as his capabilities were not being fairly judged. It's unfair to deny someone opportunities based on a physical condition that has no bearing on their job performance.
Yes. Consider a story where a child is kidnapped. The darkest part would be when the kidnapper starts to send videos of the terrified child to the parents, taunting them. This is not only cruel to the characters in the story but also makes the reader feel a great sense of horror and helplessness.