Giant squirrels are always with Plan B - HR message

Every corporate will make multiple approaches for the business success. In the corporate parlance, the multiple approaches are otherwise called as ‘Plan B’. In the event of failure of ‘Plan A’, the ‘Plan B’ can be tried out without losing any further time.

In any business plan, the time is a very crucial factor. In the complex market dynamics, no corporate can afford to loose time and effort. If the corporate prefers to work with a single option/approach and it realizes later that the chosen option is not viable or workable, by then it would have lost time, resource and effort.

Always some element of caution is inevitable while preparing the success plan. Do animals prepare and operate ‘Plan B’ option or do they have multiple strategies? Do animals live in the present or future? Certain animals have learned their business plan correctly. They have learned to overcome some of the limitations and unforeseen events by having multiple options.

The giant squirrels approach their life with such multiple options as it appears. Giant squirrel is an arboreal mammal that lives strictly on the upper canopy of tall trees. This animal largely lives in diverse, matured forest, where the tall deciduous trees have dense canopy connectivity.

The interesting aspect of giant squirrel behaviour is that they build multiple nests of different sizes. Why these animal build several nests. Nest building is indeed an expensive exercise. The animal has to spent long hours to build the nest. During nest building time, the animal also may not eat efficiently as it cannot afford to waste its time by not completing the task. Why these animals build many nests when a single nest may be sufficient to nurse their pups?

A possible interpretation/inference for the above behaviour is to safe guard its young ones during breeding season. Also may be the presence of multiple nests give them a chance to confuse the predatory birds, especially the eagles, during the leaf falling season. The arboreal animal during leaf falling season can be seen easily by the predatory animals. The multiple nests always help the animal to confuse the predators. Also the multiple nests give them the best choice as to which nest they can use to rear the baby squirrel.

May be to ensure future of the young ones and also to ensure protection during the leaf falling season as they live in deciduous forest, they have learned the art of building multiple nests. Although nest building is a costly process, the benefit justifies the expenditure from their point of view.

The message to be drawn by the corporate is not about having multiple options or the importance of having Plan B. The above requirement become must and inevitable when the corporate is working in complex and volatile business dynamics. Giant squirrel is strictly an arboreal animal and hence it has fewer options to move out of the canopy. When there is an obvious limitation, the animals have preferred multiple options. Foresee the limitations and accordingly have your options ready.
Dr S Ranganathan