Leaderships Lessons Derived From Studying the Ant

Proverbs 6:6-11 (MSG) You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing? How long before you get out of bed? A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy--do you know what comes next? Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest!


Ants in the kitchen! The mystery remains the source – perhaps some of the fresh strawberries we picked. Pesky little things that demand a second look, according to this verse.

The lesson to be learned in your observation is not just to collect facts, and information, and a body of knowledge; rather, learn to be wise.

For example, ants may be the only group of animals besides humans in which interactive teaching behavior has been observed during their life. That learning seems also to be future-focused, teaching younger ants what they need to know to be effective producers.

Like the ant, leaders should be mentoring. Sharing the “tricks of the trade:” Allowing the “mentee” to discover some “wrong ways” to do something so that a better way may be learned. Answering questions with questions or telling a story and letting the employee work at discovery. Learning.

Leaders are then building a succession plan that has a potential of success.

Who are you teaching? Who are your grooming?

MORE Ant Information Here

Copyright ©2009 by P. Griffith Lindell