November 2010 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

Business
Doctrine of Ants and Ostriches
Text Frank Kuijsters
Source From the book Animal Firm of M. Schreurs and S. van de Veer
Successful organizations have in common the same as in
groups living species. What can you learn from elephants,
ants, coal tits and ostriches?
Successful organizations have certain characteristics
in common such as long-term orientation and quality
leadership. What emerges: in groups living species are
paragons of such behavior. Below what you can learn from
elephants, wild dogs, ants, coal tits and ostriches.
The elephant
The quality of the leadership of the matriarch is crucial.
Quality leadership means that the matriarch, as the oldest
and most experienced elephant, the direction, the herd
‘coached’ to a new target, the togetherness in the herd
monitors and a strong role model. What does that matter?
The matriarch always acts in the interest of the group, is
results-oriented, decisively and sets clear frameworks. For
example, the matriarch decides where and when the group
stops, for example, to drink or to sleep and when there is
drained under gravity. A key element of its behavior is that it
serves to protect the next generation.
A successful Manager builds trust by integer and
developing coaching style of leadership combined with
strong example behavior, quick decision-making (also about
non-Achievers’) and focus on results, working from a longterm
vision.
The African wild dog
The wild dog is an animal in a ‘tough market’ special long
term orientation properties of shows. Typical behavior of
African wild dogs is their social cooperation. They encourage
each other and encourage each other to be successful.
On obtaining result each Member of the Pack has a task.
Successful hunting techniques will be shared with future
generations, because long-term survival is for short-term
gain. The pack is a safe environment, where the group
interest is above the individual interest.
A successful manager is focused on continuity in the
long term and for profit in the short term. The manager
creates a safe and stable work environment. It’s long-term
thinking is aimed at all stakeholders of the organization:
the society, customers, suppliers, employees, government,
social groups. Everyone benefits from it.
The Ant
Ants are continuously working on knowledge sharing to
work together more effectively. Each ant in the colony takes
alternating the role of master or journeyman. If an ant has
certain knowledge, such as a food source, he is the master
automatically. He shares his knowledge with the other ants,
the companions. Ants make mistakes, but learn from each
other how things can be improved. They are sensitive to
non-verbal communication and linking directly to actions.
A successful Manager creates an open culture where
employees are frequently involved in key processes, the
dialogue with one another, share knowledge, learn from
mistakes, change encourages and pick up actions to achieve
better performance.
The Crow and the Tit (mees)
Simplify, enhance, refresh: the tit and the crow have a rich
creative ability to find new and smart solutions. In other
words, they’re particularly innovative. The special feature
of them is that they improve continuously based on the
‘lessons of life’. Crows show how ingenuity and creativity can
help improve performance. Both birds show attributes that
an organization needs to stand out. All of this is fueled by an
important property: unprecedented curiosity.
A successful Manager lets employees always strive to
the best possible result and the best out of themselves,
colleagues and the organization. This manager provides
a distinctive strategy and let everyone help to improve,
simplify and tuning processes, services and products.
The wildebeest, zebra, giraffe and ostrich on
the savanna
Wildebeest, zebras, ostriches and giraffes pull side by side,
flanked by antelopes and other small animals. Predators
often see too many preys and try then the old, sick and
young animals of the group. To solve this ‘organization
problem’ of inattention these so-called prey animals form
together a diverse and complementary team. Cooperation
and group interests are of utmost importance. By combining
their diversity of strong features they become stronger
against predators.
A successful Manager builds diverse and complementary
teams at all levels in the organization.
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