Don't be a Sheep Spreading Wolf Pack Leadership Lies

In the span of about 3 days, I saw at least four different people post this image (below) and following description online about wolves and what we can learn from them via leadership:

A wolf pack: the first 3 are the old or sick, they give the pace to the entire pack. If it was the other way round, they would be left behind, losing contact with the pack. In case of an ambush they would be sacrificed. Then come 5 strong ones, the front line. In the center are the rest of the pack members, then the 5 strongest following. Last is alone, the alpha. He controls everything from the rear. In that position he can see everything, decide the direction. He sees all of the pack. The pack moves according to the elders pace and help each other, watch each other.

Except it's not true.

Not in nature. Not in general. Not even regarding this specific photo.

And frankly, it's also an extremely tired version of leadership in some ways, barring some effort to look and feel progressive...

But you know what?

That's not even the part that drives me insane. No, the part I want to specifically talk about today, is how quickly we all are to share images like this without any real insights or confirmation.

Now look, I don't expect people that share things like this to be "wildlife experts" or have some sort of background in animal behavioral science. But if you did, you'd know the description accompanying this image was inaccurate.

And that matters. Why? Because someone with insight and knowledge about this specific subject matter would know not to share this image and its misleading info.

Think about that for a moment.

Once again, we're falling prey to the world of "best practices" and their often well-meaning, but worthless applications in our real lives. We're spreading false memes. And not to borrow a volatile contemporary political term, but we're spreading fake news.

As a still newer consultant, I have become extremely leery of being a wolf in sheep's clothing. There are those moments when a client asks if I can do something for them that I'm honestly not very good at, but they really need it. And I want to just say "yes" because it's clear they need it and want to pay for it at a premium. And often also because as a consultant they see me as a one-stop-shop.

And so I've made it a point to be extremely transparent about my skills and expertise. And often I'll even express I could do something as long as they understand it's not necessarily in my wheelhouse, but am willing to apply the research or seek insight or at least give it a go. And I only do this with things I really do feel confident I can support--all the while fully acknowledging that it's not my specific expertise.

To the things I'm either not interested in supporting nor skilled? I politely decline with context. Every. Time.

My point? We have to own our insights. We have to get better at treating things with a sense of purpose and a shred of truth. Is the sharing of a false analogy of a wolf pack related to leadership a crime? No. But it's dishonest to our industries, to those poor defenseless wolves, but moreover, to ourselves.

We should work hard to become reflections of who we really are, the lives we have lived, and who we're working to become. The sharing of these kinds of generic memes or stories blindly sets us up to lose ourselves, to just become a culture of blind sharing, seeking likes and affirmation without any real ownership or personal truth.

It becomes more than not just Google-checking things for accuracy. Like it or not, it's a self-directed attack on our own personal integrity.

Oh, don't give me that look.

This stuff really matters. These are the building blocks of integrity. I own my words. And for that I have sometimes suffered because I'm known to be fairly mouthy at times. But then I grow, I learn, I own and synthesize my experience.

And in doing so, have the opportunity to help support other's in their growth, education and analysis. Otherwise, I'm just a guy who tells you what you want to hear and worse, convinces us both it's true and faithful.

And to the unintentional sheep who hire that guy? One day they'll offer to host a dinner and guess who'll be on the menu?

So own your insights. Own your story. Turn those into memes and analogies for other's to benefit from. Even if someone were to try and tear them down because they disagree or are feel there is a thread of inaccuracy, your offerings will come from a root of truth and experience: Yours.

"One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised." Chinua Achebe

Ben

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Ben Bisbee is the founder and principal of Rhinocorn Consulting, an engagement expertise consultancy focused on supporting nonprofits of all shapes and sizes with better models of volunteer management, board development, fundraising, corporate partnerships, and public program strategy and design. 

He is also the founder and creative director of the think tank 31st Century Nonprofits an organization aimed to truly change the nonprofit lexicon and landscape by offering a brand of fresh, creative, theory-driven, and progressive industry topics and tactics with a modern focus.

?To learn more, contact Ben on LinkedIn or at [email protected], visit The Rundown – his weekly digest of the best 3-5 nonprofit articles from across the sector, and join 31st Century Nonprofit Network on Facebook to read and share Engagement Professional content with like-minded professionals nationwide.