Useful over dependency - the management message of Fig tree

It is not just the mutual benefit but mutual dependency, absolute necessity and inseparability between people and corporate also become inevitable for the success and this management message, both the corporate and its people must recognize.

One may wonder how one could survive and be successful if such an exclusive dependency is ever created? In such relationship, if one partner gives a miss due to some reason, the other one may go insignificant or defunct. Why nature says such ‘necessary relationship between the two different species also means grand success?

Look at the fig trees. All fig trees are completely depends upon small wasps called ‘fig wasps’ for pollination. Without their help, the fig flowers that ‘turn outside in’ cannot get pollinated. Interestingly the fig wasps also cannot breed anywhere else other than inside the fig fruit.

The fig wasp enters the flower when it is open and burrow inside when the flower turn from outside in and closes completely. Inside the closed flower, the pollinator fig also gets protection to breed and while doing so, it also pollinates and fertilizes the fig flower.

The management message is that not just how both partners mutually benefit, how both partners depends upon each other and how exclusive and inseparable level of dependency they develop for success.

During this process, many other insects do try their luck by entering the fig fruit/flower. But they may not help the plant to pollinate. Instead, they may use such ‘secure’ place to breed and rear their young ones. It would not benefit the fig trees at all.

But the fig trees not only recognizes such ‘cheaters’ but also smartly punishes them. The un-pollinated fruits, the fig trees never hold and allow to ripe and instead they immediately drop such fruits. Once the fruit is dropped off from the tree, would die off and that will necessarily also kill the ‘cheater’ insects. Only when the cheaters are destroyed, the menace due to them in future can be minimized for the fig tree if not they are totally prevented.

The tree if holds/retains the un-pollinated fruits, it would not only cause huge economic loss to the tree but also populate cheaters who can destroy the fig trees in future by not pollinating the fruits. Once the tree recognizes the cheater who had entered the fruit, it is wise to loose such fruits and that is why it drops the un-pollinated fruits quickly.

It is not just the mutual benefit, absolute dependency and necessity between the two also can bring success. This language and meaning, both the corporate and its people must learn.

Be smart in such relationship to recognize and eliminate cheaters. The fig trees are extremely successful despite having exclusive dependency on fig wasp to pollinate and vice versa.

Dr S Ranganathan