AN EDUCATIONAL CUP OF TEA

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Educational Cup of Tea | Learning from Elephants

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lmcroupe

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My last post looked at different ways to set goals and grow in the new year. As I set my own growth expectations (this year’s world is INTENTIONAL), I came across this interesting piece posted by @formresilience@qoto.org on Mastodon, “What Can a Matriarch Teach Us About Leadership.” Elephants are my favorite animal, so learning about leadership from them seemed like something I would enjoy. The article did not disappoint.

Here are the Top Three observations and connections I made from the piece:

  • “Social worth is defined within a herd of elephants as the value that an individual has to the group. This can be based on many factors, such as their ability to provide food or water, their ability to care for young, or their ability to protect the herd from predators. Much like Elephants, humans define social worth within society by looking at how much somebody contributes to the community.”
 
It can be easy to miss the value of an individual if a leader does not take the time to balance a team with a variety of strengths. Additionally, a leader should see all skill sets as valuable, especially the skills the leader may not possess or needs to grow in. As mentioned in my New Year’s post, I really like using the Enneagram to understand why people behave the way they do. Balancing a team with a tool like this increases the team’s effectiveness while helping the leader learn how to guide each person in a way that is best for their individual growth.
 
  • “A broad review of recent literature would demonstrate that there is a growing trend towards servant leadership, where the leader’s primary focus is on helping others to grow and develop.”
 
I 100% agree that part of a leader’s responsibility is to grow those they lead. I also see the value in servant leadership. Personally, empowering others is one of the ways I choose to be a servant leader. I love acknowledging the potential in someone and doing everything I can to help them fulfill it. I also choose to stand backstage in order for others to experience their moment in the spotlight. This doesn’t mean I leave my team out to dry if they need support, but I do know when to get out of their way and trust them to know the next best steps in their journey.
 
  • “The economic cost of poor leadership can be difficult to quantify, but some estimates suggest that it can be as high as $600 billion per year in the United States alone. This figure includes the cost of lost productivity, lower morale, and increased turnover.”

I hesitate to blame poor leaders for their poor leadership because I’ve seen people put in leadership positions without proper support in learning how to lead. While there are basics in discipline a leader can employ, I do believe there is a difference between managing people and leading them. That is what the right kind of support would show a leader. Of course, this also depends upon the leader’s willingness to grow and learn. I believe we should invest in growing leaders as much as we expect them to grow others. With the risk of such negative effects, the investment is more than worth it.

Along with the insight into leadership, I love that the article emphasizes the importance of the Matriarch as a leader. I will always support female leadership in any form!

 

 

Today’s tea: Anne Shirley from Adagio’s Signature Blends

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