By Omogbemi Adelagun, Esq
In my previous piece titled ‘The Relevance of the Jungle Strategy in the Corporate World’, we found that all organisations, big or small, have within it various shades of power centres and interests with differing agendas. Playing politics is thus an unavoidable reality in the corporate world. And so, it has always been very critical that every player in the corporate world, especially at senior levels, must bear some level of political savviness no matter how creditable he or she is in terms of talent or competence.
The Explorer Benedict Allen, an acclaimed British explorer, broadcaster, author and public speaker who is best known for his dangerous and arduous expeditions to the jungles and remote corners of the globe, has also shown us that the Jungle is not altogether a place of animal cruelty, aggression, and unscrupulous selfishness as the Jungle is normally painted to us. He asserted that beneath the naked tricks and aggression, there are are many useful and positive moralities in the strategy and politics of survival in the Jungle, which are as well applicable and useful in the corporate game of power. According to Benedict, even the most powerful and strongest animals in the jungle do not usually rely on their own strength and power alone for their survival or victory. According to him, one of the most visible strategies of survival in the jungle is the Strategy of ‘Collaboration” or ‘Synergy’, No wonder, all the human cultures in the world pass many social wisdoms across using the stories of the animal worlds.
Applying Benedict Allen’s jungle strategy in the Corporate World, it simply means that mastering the power game in the Corporate World is not about being politically smart, clever or manipulative, but rather requires more of ability to collaborate with relevant or critical stakeholders in the Organization. In other words, it has become necessary to match competence with good interpersonal skills and the ability to get along with all, irrespective of differences, and more importantly is the ability to keep calm and cool when faced with political games and their destabilizing effects.
According to J.L Mackie in his ‘Moral Laws of the Jungle’, ‘when people speak of the jungle, they usually mean a place of unrestrained and ruthless competition where everyone is out for his own selfish advantage. However, a keen study of activities in the jungle reveals some lofty demonstration of the basic principles of social cooperation, a judicious mixture of individualism and collectivism’. Mackie further holds that even the process of evolution in the jungle is ultimately about the good of the group rather than merely for the good of the individual. That, according to him, is why natural selection favors the specie whose members tend to cooperate for the common good.
The recent and much-appreciated adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic, The Jungle Book, while being fun to watch is awash with corporate wisdom. The story is centered on a human child or man-cub called Mowgli who is born by a human but raised by wolves in the Jungle. The water truce scene where the Law of the Jungle and the local culture play a significant role clearly reflects that in order to achieve the ultimate common goal, all must stick together, which is of course resonant in the corporate world. In the climax, we see critical moments when the loyalty of wolves for Mowgli is tested. Wolves accept Mowgli as one of their own and stand by him even when their own survival is under threat. Subsequently when Mowgli finally defeats his oppressor, the highly dreaded Shere Khan, it effectively brings out the importance of team spirit, especially in difficult circumstances.
The classic movie opens with Mowgli trying hard to be a wolf but without much success. Later in the story, Mowgli realizes his folly and changes his strategy by using his assets as a human while leveraging on the supportive wisdom of the Wolves. It is a journey through which he learns to accept himself with his own flaws while, at the same time, utilizing his own strengths to an advantage, and is thus able to face and defeat the man-eater tiger, the highly dreaded Shere Khan, in the final fight. Having courage, working with others in crisis situations, discovering your own strengths, and making the most of them, growing as an individual, are the key learning’s from the life of Mowgli.
In the ‘6 Lessons To Learn from the Lion, the King of the Jungle’, Ketan Pande demonstrated clearly that the Lion was not named the King of the Jungle simply because of his physical prowess, might or strength but more because of his majestic calmness. We all must have noticed that the Lions dominate their territory and are powerful apex predators. This however is not the reason why they are called ‘Kings’ because the Jungle is replete of many other powerful predators. The Lions are called ‘Kings’ simply because they have a touch of royalty in form of a superior and inner calmness in everything they do. A lion always has a clam, bold attitude even in moments of concerted dangers or forest conspiracy.
The Lions’ lives are never out of obstacles and problems. Also, hunting is not an easy task for Lions because their success rate is only 17-19 percent and they never get a second opportunity. Yet, you will never see a depressed lion or one who wants to give up. They always struggle to hunt and rule lands, but they never quit no matter the concerted odds. Sometimes they fail in hunting a zebra, a gazelle, and a wildebeest, but they never give up.
The Corporate world will always be a jungle. You don’t have to win the game, and if you do, you may not win it all the time. What is paramount is that you make yourself enjoy the game by not getting depressed or sapped. Anyone who is weary of political tricks or scary of the corporate game of power should simply emulate the very calm boldness of the Lion. No matter how hot the game is in the corporate jungle, keep your focus simple – do your work, give your best, be polite and respectful, and most important of all, remain calm like the LION. And forget not the beautiful wisdoms in the victorious adventure of Mowgli.
Bio: Omogbemi Adelagun is a Corporate Writer and Corporate Counsel Doyen in Nigeria
