Leaders Learn From the Ant

This instruction is simple, but profound: "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise!" The ant society has no leader, no guide, no management team, but follows a pattern of work built into them by their Creator from which we can learn.

Four of the sixteen observed ant “behaviors” include:

Career Training: Ants learn particular jobs, especially worker ants; then, on some schedule, change & learn new careers – small business demands learning many tasks and doing each well. Larger business benefit from people who take on different tasks within an organization to better understand the "how" - something like ants!

Education: Ants may be the only group of animals besides us in which interactive teaching behavior has been observed during their life: they pace instruction to the learner’s ability – not all your employees use the same learning style as you did. Observe. Teach them based on how they learn. Some want visual examples - drawings, pictures, etc.: other, just written instructions; some want to watch before they do; others combine all for best learning.

Planning: Ants store food in the warm summer to feed a colony all of winter – Planning is one key to survival. Do you have a business plan? Like ANTS, remember, you must always be planning.

Limited Free Will: It seems that ant inter-relationships between ants more symbiotic than coercive. All of the above thrive in a symbiotic relationship. We can always learn from each other. Symbiotic relationships build on each other's strengths - working together to solve problems, no matter the "rank" of the team member. It's about solving a problem, not securing status. It's about listening. Communicating. On the other hand, coercive relationships are all about "me" and how "I" can get you to do what "I" want, when "I" want it. There is no "team" in coercive, save for the leader ( the "me" person) an all the other team members.

Observe and be wise: Leaders mentor, sacrificing time often to teach – even in tough times; a caring leader paces the instruction; and, an effective leader actively listens, interacting and communicating.

What kind of relationships do you cultivate: symbiotic or coercive?

Copyright ©2009 P. Griffith Lindell