Having long legs is important for survival, if you are a Zebra foal that is. Zebra foals (a young Zebra) are born with disproportionately long legs. In the animal kingdom there is a specific reason for this. For predators such as lion, leopard or cheetah, separating and catching a Zebra foal is a whole lot easier than hunting down a fully-grown Zebra.
Having long legs gives the Zebra foal not only instant getaway speed, but it also gives the foal another very interesting camouflage option. Standing next to its mother, the foals’ long legs blend with those of its mother making it difficult for a predator to distinguish and single it out from a distance.
As we develop in our careers we would be well advised to take a leaf out of the Zebra foal manual. Any corporate setup is a tough environment where a consistent and quality delivery of results are paramount. In surviving and growing as a leader in organizations I think we have to be mindful of a few key watch-outs:
- Seek Protection when needed – this is not meant that we need to be protected and wrapped into cotton wool. Sometimes it helps to align yourself with more experienced individuals, just to help you over that rough patch and for them to guide you
- Act with Speed – do not sit on issues. The world moves fast, and companies do not tolerate taking a long time to solve problems. At the same time it will give you a sense of accomplishment
- Be Smart – I have maintained that working hard will only get you so far. You need to work harder, faster AND smarter. This means finding new ways, be creative and always look out to do whatever you do in a more effective and efficient way.
Do you have long legs and what do you do to develop your ability to thrive in business or in your Company?