Instinctive leaders – HR message from red eyes tree frog

Knowing the instinct is inevitable. Unless one tries to know the instinct of the self and others in the corporate ecosystem, the extent of support, care and help that can be either offered and or received cannot be measured and made useful to both the recipient and giver. The message is not against one receiving care, help or support from others but one has to work with ones own instinct, otherwise success become difficult.

The red eyed tree frogs, like their name explains have big red eyes and the frog lays clutch of eggs on the leaves of plants near water. The clutches of eggs are covered by mucilaginous layer that prevents the eggs from desiccation/drying before they hatch out. By laying the eggs on the surface of leaves, the mother frog offers considerable extent of protection to the eggs from the predators of the aquatic medium. However, the eggs are not that safe even on the surface of leaves.

Many arboreal animals like lizards, snakes, wasps do hunt the eggs of the green tree frog mercilessly. The mother frog is not that strong enough to defend the eggs from the predators.

Interestingly the nature has never made the eggs of green tree frog so defenseless or its eggs very precarious. In fact the embryos in the eggs have got strong instinct to sense the danger and hatch out immediately. When the predator attacks the clutch or come near, the embryos immediately hatch out and drop down to water.

Most occasions, the predators search for eggs and would ends up in vain as most of them would have escaped to water.

The management message is clear. Others can offer help only to some extent. Over dependence on such support may not be wise. Hence one has to recognize ones own instincts and must work accordingly.

More often than not, the corporate people develop over dependency on the corporate fallacy, brand image, the financial power of the organization to promote and advertise the products etc. As a result, both the corporate leaders and the employees progressively loose their ‘instinct’.

Developing over dependency on the above is like the fate of the eggs of red eyed tree frog on its mother. If they ever feel secured as they reside safely on the leaves of tall trees and no aquatic animals can even come near or can attack them, they become easy meal to many arboreal animals. Further, the mother frog also cannot ward off the predators.

Only because of the instincts of the embryos, they immediately hatch out and rescue themselves. If they fails to employ their instincts would certainly die of predation.

Fundamental ingredients of good leaders are the ‘instinct’ and ‘right vision’. Instinct would help one to sense and prepare to overpower the adversity. If such instincts are not there means, one would unwisely ‘over depend’ on the pre-existing merits and would perish.

The message is not to ridicule the pre-existing merits, but meant to explore and develop newer capabilities and abilities by knowing and using ones instincts. Have the instincts of the embryos of red eyed green tree frog and be successful is the message nature conveys.