(Published May 18, 2009)
Animals are the ultimate workers; they must work to live, quite literally. We can learn some important lessons from observing the animals — not only about what to do, but also what not to do. I was given as a gift a booklet called African Wisdom by Dr. Lanette Hattingh and Heinrich Claasen. Here are some excerpts from a few of the lessons it contains, followed by my own translation for the workplace. See if you can apply these to your own situation, or pass them on so your employees can benefit from them.
The Lion
"The dominant male lion becomes very lazy once he has the pride under his command. He sleeps most of the day, and the other lions do the hunting for him. Initially, he can face any challenge from younger males, but the day will come when his lazy, only-hanging-in-there lifestyle will catch up with him…."
Workplace lesson: Work hard to keep the success you've attained! We've all seen execs who, after making their way to the top of the heap, sit back and basically do nothing, firmly believing that they've "earned" the right to relax and be paid for it. Now that times are harder and organizations are anxious to cut off any extra "fat," I hope they've let go of their complacency and are working hard once more to prove their worth.
The Ostrich
"When confronted with a setback, you have two choices of action: You can bury your head in the sand like the ostrich and hope the problem will pass by, or you can stand tall and face the problem head on…."
Workplace lesson: Face each problem as it comes. Dealing with an unexpected problem might cause a slight delay in your workday schedule, but it's much more effective than ignoring problems until they become so overwhelming you just want to hide in the restroom all day.
The Hyena
"Hyenas are the opportunists of the African bush….Hyenas are capable hunters in their own right, but they are more notorious for depriving other predators of their kill…."
Workplace lesson: Watch out for those "project scavengers" who always find a sneaky way to jump in and reap the rewards of other people's hard work. Speak up if you spot such a creature — they may also be described as leeches, who take and take from the organization but give nothing back in return.
The Warthog
"The warthog's outer appearance is unsightly, and people often have the perception that it can be very dangerous. The truth is that the warthog mother is caring and loving towards her young and does not have an inherently aggressive nature."
Workplace lesson: Never pre-judge anyone or rely on stereotyping. Judge each person by the work that they do, not by their race, gender, disability, etc. (Internet sensation Susan Boyle is another example of this — who knows how many times she was dismissed by club owners or record producers at first glance because she didn't "look like" a successful singer?)
The Wild Dog
"In a wild dog pack, every dog has the same goal, and each dog understands the part it plays to ensure the realization of that common goal."
Workplace lesson: Successful teamwork entails each member working towards the same goal and selflessly using his/her unique skills and talents for the good of everyone on the team. Also, working together gets you rewards you wouldn't be able to achieve on your own.
The Zebra
"Zebras are born with stripes and they don't spend an ounce of energy trying to change their stripes into spots."
Workplace lesson: Be the best you can be at what you already are, and stop worrying about what you're not. Zebras and other animals are never crippled by the angst and self-doubt felt by humans indulging in mid-life crises, wondering if they're in the right job, the right field, etc.
What kinds of "animals" have you encountered at work, and what have you learned from them? Let me know!
Eileen Mager
Writer
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