HR message of Scarlet Pimpernel

The plant Scarlet pimpernel, botanically called as Anagallis arvensis, popularly known to the world as ‘poor man’s weatherglass/shepherd’s weatherglass/shepherd’s clock, is an annual, small flowering plant distributed widely in Europe and several parts of Africa. This plant is also grown by humans as an ‘ornamental plant’ in the home garden.

The interesting thing about the plant scarlet pimpernel is about the extraordinary sensitivity of its flowers. The flowers open only when there is sunshine. The flower can sense the day in advance as to whether the day is going to be sunny or cloudy. If the flower is fully open, it means the day is going to be sunny and otherwise, the day is going to be cloudy. Farmers use this behavior of the flower of the plant to understand/forecast the weather of the day. That is how this plant got the popular name – poor man’s weatherglass/shepherd’s weatherglass.

Many such ‘scarlet pimpernel’ are there in every corporate. Unfortunately, the ‘sensitive’ people are not well accommodated by the corporate leaders. The sensitivity of people is not seen as leadership component and rather such people are treated as unfit and lack leadership qualities. To know the market realities, the likely competition, and the possible challenges, global factors etc., that can affect the business adversely, one needs an extrasensory perception or high level of sensitivity. Unless the different odds in the marketplace are well understood in advance and the meaningful forecast is made, right business plan and strategy cannot be prepared.

Nature has gifted the ‘scarlet pimpernel’ to the human being. The wise farmers have learned about the plant and how it will be useful to them to understand the day. Knowing the day as to whether it is going to be sunny or cloudy is important for every farmers and shepherd to plan their ‘business’ well in advance.

The corporate must make people more and more sensitive to realities and must accommodate sensitive people. It is not the sensitive people will help the corporate. Corporate must develop ‘sensitivity’ to know the ‘behavioural idiosyncrasies’ of such people and what meaning it conveys.

Every indicator and indication is valuable provided how one understands and interprets them. Success is not just the outcome of doing things ‘right’ and ‘correct’ but knowing how the ‘situational factors’ are going to receive and value the same only finally determines the success.

Develop sensitivity or have sensitive scarlet pimpernel is the message, nature conveys to the corporate.

Dr S Ranganathan