What can we learn from the bees?
A bee colony manages to work seamlessly without having a leader; the Queen Bee is too busy laying eggs and being regal to issue commands and take control. In fact, bees don’t really do command and control and that’s why they offer such a great model for a successful working team, especially in a challenging economy. Bees are very good at self-organising in a way that works for mutual benefit; here are 4 lessons we can learn from them about how we might organise ourselves better to ensure that everyone succeeds.
- One for all and all for one
Bees are the ultimate in team players. They work together so closely that if one bee is suffering or failing the others step in for the greater good of the hive; that’s why you won’t see a drop in productivity because of one bee.
- Pollination – share the love.
The value of sharing knowledge is that you get twice as much back. When bees go foraging, they also pollinate our crops and the whole cycle of life continues. So think about what you have to offer and who might benefit. Don’t think about how you’ll be rewarded for it. Just know that you will be, in time.
- Girl power
I’m talking about feminine values rather than about girl bees being better than boy bees. Most of the bees in the hive are girl worker bees, and they are responsible for making the hive work like a colony. The traditional ‘feminine’ values of collaboration, relationship building, sustainability and balance are evident in the hive and should be in the way we do business.
- Communication
Now, more than ever, it’s vital for us to stay connected to each other and communicate in better ways than we did before. That’s the only way that we can be individuals, but enjoy the benefits of working as a group. They used to say knowledge is power and that’s as true now as it has ever been.
