A Stinging Lesson from a Hornets' Nest

Late one afternoon, my wife Kerry discovered an enormous hornet nest in our back yard which had seemingly appeared overnight. Somewhere between the size of a basketball and the sort of pumpkin your kid picks out but is too big for anyone to lift, it was a horrifying sight. Scores of them were flying in and out of their lair, bulging out of a tree next to our back door. Prior to that, we had seen a few hanging out on our dog Tarot’s poop, and had taken the time to identify them as Bald-Faced Hornets. A quick Internet search informed us that they are, in fact, yellowjackets, highly aggressive and, according to a text from my older son, “Scary AF!”

We generally respect nature and, having seen only a few here and there, were happy to let them go about their business. However, swarming beside our house where the dog and kids play called for prompt action. My first instinct was, of course, to take a photo and post it on Facebook.

Within moments, the comments started rolling in with a diverse range of opinions and advice. Many advised to leave it to professionals, citing the extreme danger they posed. Some were so concerned that they felt obligated to comment when they typically stay out of other people’s decisions. Others suggested various tactical approaches involving multiple cans of hornet spray. My law enforcement friend Steve said to just whack it with a bat to disrupt the nest. I don’t think he was serious, although I’m not entirely sure.

Having seen my post, my friend Juan, an entomologist, did something extraordinary in the realm of social media – he actually made the effort to call me. “You don’t need to kill them all, just the queen. After that, it’s game over.” We talked through my options and came up with seemingly reasonable plan. 

After assembling an array of garden implements, insecticides and an EpiPen, I was prepared to lay siege to the hornet castle. “Be brave, but not stupid,” Kerry advised.

Serious threats can bring out the very best in people. Many will offer terrific advice and support. Others, who don’t ordinarily speak up, may feel compelled to help and become excellent resources. Patients commonly experience this when confronted with a serious diagnosis, such as cancer, with friends and family offering both advice and support. Sometimes the information is useful and relevant, other times not. However, in most cases the input is driven by a sincere desire to help.

Organizations go through similar experiences. Serious challenges often elicit a broad range of suggestions, recommendations, opinions, warnings, and guidance. While sorting through the barrage of information to determine what is valuable, leaders often fail to reflect on what motivated team members to contribute (or not). In these moments, one should take some time to understand:

• Why now? What is prompting someone to speak up, particularly if they have not done so before? Sometimes this can suggest that individuals only feel empowered to contribute in a crisis, reflecting challenges with employee engagement.
• What about diversity? Are you getting a diverse range of views and perspectives? Does your team feel as though they can present differing options?
• What is the basis of the advice? Are individuals relying on expertise or experience that you may not have previously recognized or appreciated
• Is there a different agenda? While some people contribute to be constructive, others may view this as an opportunity to advance another agenda, to say “I told you so,” to slow change, or to promote themselves.  

Facing and overcoming a crisis is a great achievement. At the same time, it presents a rich opportunity to drive employee engagement and identify untapped resources. Returning to my back yard, alternating between attacks and sprinting out of the area, I ultimately prevailed. As satisfying as it was to be rid of the hornets, I had gained great insight into my broad network of friends, finding great caring, expertise, and a bit of humor.