From Lion leader and Tiger leader, learn your HR culture

Who can claim the rights of others achievements, especially the achievements of the entire team? This serious question every corporate must ask. In most corporate, the bosses uncharitably claim the entire credit of their subordinate’s achievements/success as theirs. In truth, the bosses would not have done anything to the team to perform or win. Unfortunately the single man owned corporate often praise and appreciate such bosses and even would say that the team has performed only because of the mentoring ability and the exemplary leadership quality of the boss.

The lack of order, fairness and justice are rampant in most corporate but such uncharitable culture of claiming the credit of the subordinates/team without putting any effort/contribution doesn’t seems to exist in the world of big cats.

Lion is head of the pride. The lion offers protection not only to the female lions in the pride; the cubs also enjoy protection and safety only because of the powerful head of the pride. The bachelor lions roaming around always look for a chance to kill the cubs and the dominant lion to own the pride. Interestingly the lion seldom hunt and most of the hunts are done be the female lions in the pride. But when it comes to sharing of the kill, lion take its share first and only then rest of the members in the pride can have their meal. Lion takes its lion’s share first may be as a reward/pay to the safety and security it offers to the pride. So the pay and payoffs are balanced or gets adjusted well in nature.

In the case of tiger, the male tiger always wait until the female tiger and cubs finish their meal and only then it eats. Although the male tiger is more powerful than the female one, but it never seems to showcase its power or valiancy to win the hunt. They follow the discipline of ‘I can claim the right only if I am playing my role that is meaningful and significant. Unlike the dominant male lion in the pride, the male tigers never keep the social group nor do they offer any protection to the female tiger or the cubs. Therefore it never shows its physical strength and grabs the kill. It waits patiently and only then it takes its share.

This order, culture and discipline the corporate leaders must follow. If they have not contributed anything to the success and achievements of their team, they should not claim the credit. By doing so, they can in fact heighten and prove their dignity, respectability and true spirit of leadership. The HR function must support such culture.

Dr S Ranganathan