Capability seldom get support, HR wisdom from Eagle and Duck

Capability will slowdown ones growth. Although the source of the above management wisdom is from nature, the corporate people have an important management message to be learned from the above biological principle.

The hatchlings of all birds fall under the two groups such as

1. Altricial chicks
2. Precocial chicks

The chicks of altricial nature are born weak, eyes closed, skin without feathers etc. Eagles, Robin etc., are examples for altricial birds. On the other hand, the precocial chicks hatch out in fully developed, eyes open, can move around, gather food and eat etc. Chicken is the best example for the precocial bird. If we look at the growth of the young ones, the altricial chicks grow faster than the precocial chicks.

The Altricial chicks have to grow fast as threat to their life is high if they remain helpless in the nest for long. Hence, the parents care and feed the chicks frequently to ensure that they grow fast and leave the nest soon. On the other hand, the chicks of the precocial birds have to learn fast to gather and eat their food by itself. Only the care/protection from the predators alone is given to them by their parents.

If someone thinks that they are fully capable and self reliant, naturally the support given to them in the corporate will be less. When the support is less, naturally the growth also will be less. If they wisely seek the support, guidance and help of others regularly, they will be supported by others and hence the growth also will be faster.

The message is not against people developing capability and become independent. Develop capability and even if you are capable, necessarily remember to involve and include others in the team to achieve the larger mission of the corporate. Everyone in the system should have the sense of responsibility for themselves and for others. Only when the parent birds feel the necessity of caring the chicks as they are altricial, support and care will come to the chicks.

In corporate, both the bosses and the subordinates must connect to each other only with the intent that each are ‘altricial chicks’ to some extent and hence need mutual support and help. Only then people can work as team and only team can take any organization to success.

The corporate need not follow the principle of Altricial and Precocial chicks in ‘verbatim and literatim’. But the larger management meaning must be understood correctly. While involving and including people, genuine need must be created. Only when one realize and recognize the fact that different people in the corporate have different capabilities and skills and seek their help and support, success and growth becomes easier. Capability should not create arrogance but only humility and humbleness. Remember, capability will slow down ones growth in true sense if it is over recognized.

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