How to bee: from the (arc)hive

What if I told you that some of the most impactful strategies for navigating your career and life could be found in a beehive?

I recently learned about (and experienced!) beekeeping and observed bees' behaviors and lives up close. First, a couple of amazing facts about bees to truly appreciate the magnitude of their individual and collective feats:

1. A pound of honey is made from 2 million flower visits, requiring about 55,000 miles of flight to bring the honey
2. Almost 90% of wild plants and 75% of leading global crops depend on animal pollination. One out of every three mouthfuls of our food depends on pollinators such as bees.

How do these half-inch insects that live 4-8 weeks do it (the exception is the queen, of course), and what can we learn from them?? Here are my observations and reflections:

Bees are essential and underappreciated pollinators

Lesson: The hype of an industry or a job does not always reflect its true criticality ??

Even though one-third of our food depends on honeybee pollination, we often only think about trendy products like royal jelly or maracuja honey when it comes to bees. This underappreciation of bees' roles in our food supply mirrors our society's undervaluing of certain career paths. It's time to recognize the value of all roles in the hive and our careers.

Organizations and governments are guilty of this oversight, too, underinvesting in core, stabilizing functions and infrastructures in favor of what is trending or appealing to investors (ahem, AI?).

For individuals and collectives, pursuing short-term trends may lead to losing focus on long-term success, impact, and stability. So don’t be discouraged by the lack of popularity in such jobs or functions. Instead, focus on the more significant impact you and your organization want to achieve and the role these less glamorous but crucial positions can play. ??

Bees communicate through an intricate dance

Lesson: Precise communication is key, always ?

Honeybees use a specific dance called the Waggle Dance to communicate precisely: the direction of the waggle indicates the location of the food source, the duration reveals the distance, and the repetition shows the food's quality.

This clarity and accuracy in bees’ communication offer a valuable lesson for the workplace: be clear and concise in all your communication and use the most appropriate type, e.g., verbal, non-verbal, emails, and messaging. Also, make it fun and creative??

Bees switch roles multiple times throughout their lives ??

Lesson: It's okay to switch your career! ??

Bees switch roles multiple times, adapting to the hive’s needs. Young bees start as nurse bees, caring for larvae, and eventually move into roles such as foraging for food or guarding the hive.

This adaptability is essential in our workplace and, more importantly, in feeling satisfied. Whether you’re looking to move within an organization or jump careers entirely, being open to learning new skills and taking on different roles can make you a more versatile and valuable professional, so don’t be afraid to redefine yourself.

Bees identify and elevate their leader from within

Lesson: Nurture your and your organization’s potential ??

When the queen bee passes, the hive crowns a new queen from within—one they’ve specifically nurtured for this role with royal jelly. The potential queens compete, and the last one standing ascends to her “throne.”

The takeaway is not to fight to the end for a role (unless you are on the TV show Survivor) but to understand the value of nurturing your potential from within. Look for environments where your growth is supported and focus on developing your strengths. Don't be afraid to be surrounded by competitors or peers who will challenge and show you your limits and opportunities. Unlike bees, we can have many winners.

As a leader, providing adequate support and opportunities to prepare your team for leadership roles is essential as a leader. A potential successor may already be within your organization, and it's beneficial to the organization to identify them early and provide the necessary growth and exposure opportunities. Most effective and well-revered leaders are often developed over time through the organization's efforts.

Bees recognize human faces

Lesson: Never underestimate the power of an impression ?

Bees can recognize and remember our faces, like they identify flowers, enabling them to distinguish friendly humans from threatening ones. Similarly, how you interact with others leaves a lasting impression beyond your work. Your impact on someone can have significant consequences, influencing future opportunities and relationships many years later.

Maya Angelou said it best: “…People will never forget how you made them feel.” Bees and I have that in common.

Goodbye summer

I hope these delightful facts inspired you as much as these creatures inspired me. By embracing their wisdom, we can learn how to?bee?(??) the best version of ourselves.

In addition to beekeeping, I also learned to fish for the first time this summer. I leave you with this picture of me with a bass (I, well mostly my fishing partner, caught about 5!), celebrating the end of a beautiful summer season.

WHERE YOU AT

I recently launched a new exciting series called “Where you at” in my newsletter, “Frying Bigger Fish.”?This series explores diverse professional journeys and asks questions we all want to know, like: How did you figure out your career goals? Are you happy at your job? How much do you make? We are collecting submissions (anonymous!) and will be dropping fresh profiles every week. Come be nosy, comment, and ask questions!?

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