
Aside from eating and sleeping, herd animals are committed to the eco-system – the survival of the herd or pack. Even going so far to protect all of the animal babies of a herd. If you’ve ever seen a mother animal defend her babies, or frantically dig for them in a collapse, you’ve seen first-hand how animals can be extremely protective.
Some of my favorite leadership stories come from the animal kingdom. I believe there is quite a bit that their behaviors can teach us, if we’re open to it. Here are just a few examples:
Geese: they fly in a specific formation to support one another through a long journey,
Fairy penguins: stand together at the shore, together they march through the beach to their burrows,
Bull elephants: mentor young elephants within a herd to ensure good elephant behavior,
Prairie dogs: have a series of different positions to ensure the packs safety,
Even ants, the most simple of insects have a complex network of pheromones that alert other ants of danger, and incredibly supportive team behavior like forming a chain to move large materials,
retrieved 10/11/2024 from: https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=chain+of+ants&form=HDRSC3&first=1
And my favorite, all of the animals who banded together on the Ark to fix a leak – fictional of course, but a fun story!
What I love most…there is no hidden agenda, no favoritism, no ego, just the instinctive need to survive. They can be aggressive defenders of the herd and loving to others – even other animals outside of their own species and relentless babysitters. Still others have a symbiotic relationship, like the clown fish and sea anemones.
Are there challenges? Yes, there are challenges exist within any system. For example, there is no way to ask “is there a better way to do something”? Just thousands of years of honed, instinctive behavior.
All animals have a sharpened instinct that alerts them to trouble. Perhaps its because they do not have a frontal cortex that is like ours, they make decisions entirely from the amygdala, or reptilian brain. They don’t over think things, they just react out of self- and team-preservation.
Is it possible, through our own human-ness to learn from them? To set aside ego, to work for the good of everyone, to defend those in need, respect everybody, to love unconditionally?
You can read about these and other animal stories in Focused Moments. A series of stories and questions designed to enhance team dynamics through enhanced relationships and deeper connections through dialogue. If you’re thinking about a corporate Christmas gift (too soon?) it is available with a custom foreword!
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