“If we look to the natural world we can discern patterns and principles that help us understand and influence organizations so that we can connect people in positive change.” (Hum, 59).
At first glance, it may not be obvious to associate change
and management within an organization as having any connection with
nature. Yet, if we take a closer look at
the natural world and its biological systems, there are many lessons to be
learned about how human organizations can adapt to and manage change.
Throughout the course of my career working with many
different organizations, the most profound lesson I have incorporated in my work is the
importance of connectivity. In both our
personal and professional lives, we seek to create connections and
relationships. Animals in their natural
environment also pursue this, choosing to live in packs and work together to
accomplish a common goal. This interdependence is a key to organizational
success in both nature and in the office. Like populations of geese or a pride
of lions, organizations where team members understand that they need to rely
and lean on each other are far more successful than those that maintain
complete independence.
So, the next time you go on a hike or hit the beach on
vacation, make sure to take a look around you and try to identify how some of
the connections observed in nature organically occur in the most purposeful and
efficient parts of your own organization.
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