The HR message of ‘Ant raft’

‘If you work for, with and as team’, you can sail and be successful, otherwise you would sink and die is the greatest management wisdom the colony of fire ants conveys and communicates to the corporate world.

The fire ants used to build their nest underground. During raining season, water enters their nest and do cause great destruction. Naturally during such situation, the ants in the colony are likely to get scattered, sink and may die. But the fire ants instead of getting panic during such occasions and getting scattered away from each other, have adopted a wonderful technique, i.e. they hold onto each other closely and form ‘ant raft’/mat. The ant raft is nothing but a huge collection of ants in the form of a mat that floats on water and moves along with water current.

One ant raft may have 30,000 or more ants. The raft formation helps them to float on water for days to a week or until the water recedes completely or till the raft land safely on the nearby landmass. Once the water drains off, the ants search for a new nesting site, build a new nest and continue their role. They operate as teams where every member of the colony bond with the other and form an air tight rafts that doest allow water to enter. Because of the above team unity and team effort, none of the ants in the colony die of sinking or gets isolated. Further, in the raft, they also nurse pupa and eggs, the future generation, if any are available. Because of the team effort and togetherness, only fire ants could remain unhurt and unharmed during the entire unfavourable situation.

Team unity and team spirit the people in corporate must display especially when the task is challenging or the situation is highly unpredictable or volatile. But unfortunately, most people including the people in the higher order in corporate will try to protect only their own interest and self-gratification and never think of their team or the corporate. If people are willing to work as a team, no individual or the corporate would ever suffer failure.

Corporate people must remember the fact that, be in the team and work for the team does not mean ‘self-sacrifice’ or ‘compromise’. At the time of urgency or emergency, the individual success and survival largely depend on how well one is willing to work as a team and how well one exhibits team spirit is the message the colony of fire ants shares. They help the other and get helped from the other.

Instead of getting scattered away or runs to safety, every member bond with other and form a ‘mat’ and then ‘together float’ on water. By doing so, they are not just protecting them alone, they are also safeguarding the future generation of the fire ants as well.

Look at the beauty of nature, admire it and learn the indomitable management message of team effort and team spirit. When the fire ants work as a team, every member becomes a leader where there is no hierarchy and boss-subordinate distinction, success and success alone prevails. Lean this wonderful HR message from fire ants, thank them and then be successful.

Dr. S Ranganathan