Some time ago, I watched the BBC series 'The Hunt'. It was fascinating to watch. Apart from the stunning video clips and all of the work involved in the filming, it was the lessons that we could learn from animal behavior and some of their attributes that intrigued me. All of these lessons can be applied to work, business, and life in general.
Patience and timing from the Leopard
Everything in life is about timing. When you bake a cake - if you take it out too early, it will be flat but if you leave it in the oven too long, it will be burned. You can't rush - or prolong - things. Everything has to go through a process. Sometimes we rush through things to get the "final" outcome when we should focus on the now. This can often be the case when we want to do something new at work, when we're not ready, or when we're in too much of a rush to get that big promotion or client. However, taking time to learn and develop our skills properly and stepping back allows things to unfold while waiting patiently for the perfect timing, will increase our chances of success.
From the leopard, we can learn that opportunities will come to you when you are clear about what you want and "strike" at the perfect moment.
Persistence and the ability to grow thick crocodile skin
The fact that today is not the right time doesn't mean it never will. The more “No’” you hear, the closer it brings you to a “Yes”. Learning to cope with rejection and continue onwards is crucial in any career especially when looking for a job or business opportunity. Don’t take constructive criticism or interview feedback personally. Always remember that an interview is all about two-way communication, it's a chance for you and the interviewer to learn more about each other. So ask yourselves:
● Could you work well with that person?
● Do personal values and company values align?
● Do you like what the company stands for?
● Is the company the right fit for you … are you the right for the company?
Agility and flexibility like the gazelle
There are times when you need to be able to make decisions quickly and be open and flexible enough to change direction.
Teamwork the wild dogs chasing their prey
Work with others when the task is impossible to tackle on your own. You need to surround yourself with great people to help you with the things you are not so good at, or to keep things running when you need some downtime. It’s important to have breaks and take time to do things we enjoy. Having this time for ourselves makes us more creative and able to approach things from a different perspective.
Be able to see the big picture like the hawk
Keeping the bigger picture in your mind gives you perspective and from this, comes balance.
Finally, the most important … Don't Give Up!
It’s not about how many times something doesn’t work. Try something new, change, adapt, tweak, and find new options and opportunities. Keep trying until you find the solution, the amazing job that meets your needs, or the perfect product for your market. These are a few things we can learn from animals' hunting behavior.
What other things can we learn from animals? I would love to hear your ideas.
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