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‘Strategy indicators’ of different animals offer great knowledge and understanding about the behaviour and leadership style of people in the corporate. Based on the primary strategy that people employs in their day to day interactions either with their peer group, people reporting to them or people much above their designations, one can easily, clearly and undoubtedly establish what kind of leadership style/quality they portray in the corporate.

The strategy of a prey and predator in the jungle is no way different from the working style displayed by the large group of people in the corporate. Therefore the HR function must learn from the observational science of animal behaviour in nature.

The lion or tiger or cheetah or panther or pack of wild dogs or hyenas never tries to prove their strength especially when they spot a prey animal. They love to hide and conceal their identity in every possible way and make them appear ‘small’, least visible and less noticeable to the prey animals. Only when they conceal their true ‘nature’ and ‘intent’, they can achieve success.

On the other hand, most prey animals, although watchful and vigilant throughout, do engage in showing that they are bigger than what is understood, by inflating their body. Some frogs, reptiles etc., do engage in the above business when threatened. ‘Showing that I am big’ behaviour can be seen even among most animals and they exhibit the same when they are corned or the possibility to escape is made remote.

One group of animals- the predators, are very strong and powerful, attempts to hide their ‘power’ and ‘strength’ and become ‘ordinary’ when they spot a prey. On the other hand, the other group inflates and shows they are bigger than what is understood to be when they see a predator.

The people who often exhibit such ‘simple’ traits of predators have rich leadership qualities. The ‘simple’ leadership style of people must be clearly understood from the definition of ‘submissive’ style.

Some people in the corporate always try to show that they are far more knowledgeable than what is understood/perceived, very powerful & strong and have excellent network etc. Such people really lack ‘true’ leadership quality. No true leader would ever engage in megalomaniac or wish to advertise ‘how great he is’ businesses. Only silly people wish to do the above business.

In an informal and casual conversation with people in the corporate at different occasions will help the HR and the corporate to understand the leadership dimension of people as whether the ‘fear’ or ‘confidence' really ride their behaviour.

While observing people to know the leadership dimension, the ‘trait’ - submissiveness should not be misunderstood to be ‘fear’. People with total lack of confidence, hopelessness and incapability only will resort to ‘submissive’ approach. Majority of the employees in ‘single man’ owned companies often exhibit such leadership style as such style is considered by such corporate to be as signs of ‘obedience’, ‘loyalty’ and ‘commitment’.

Do introspect whether you carry ‘confidence’ ‘fear’ or ‘submissiveness’ oriented leadership quality.

Dr S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai

Learn more from the following management books

1. Jungle wisdom for corporate management – lessons from the university of nature by Swami Sukhabodhananda and Dr S Ranganathan
2. Nature- The Entrepreneur by Dr S Ranganathan