The Zookeeper Program

Author: Darcy Blessing-Williams, PMC-VI

For the last 30 years, I've given the best of my training, creativity and passion as a leader to help the companies I've worked for solve problems, transform and grow.

Through that time, I've come to appreciate this resounding truth:

Even in an age of transformative technology, PEOPLE are still truly the heart and soul of any company.

Winning leaders of today are expected to develop & manage high-performing teams, grow revenue, improve productivity, and reduce costs while navigating the execution of disruptive, transformation projects. Which begs the question: Who is managing and developing the human element?

Companies are comprised of humans with unique talents, behaviors, emotions and communication styles. Unleashing greatness with these humans requires leaders to understand how to leverage and manage those unique elements. For companies undergoing any type of transformation the burden is even bigger.

Successful transformation REQUIRES building and developing elite-level teams. For it is the PEOPLE behind the transformed vision that must balance their ability to embrace and adapt to new ways of thinking and working while also focusing on the "job to be done". It's insufficient today to simply communicate about the changes that are happening. We must know where we are strong and where our blind spots are.

Knowing what NOT to expect from people becomes as important as knowing what to expect. As Mark Twain once said:

"Don't try to teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time and annoys the pig"

Enter the Nivalmi Zookeeper Program.

Unlike traditional leadership development programs, The Nivalmi Zookeeper Program offers a simplified, refreshing, AND effective approach to equipping people at any level to learn the language of leadership through the lens of 4 key zoo animals: Lions, Lemurs, Dolphins and Elephants.

Why a Zoo?

Humans are drawn to the animal kingdom. We learn from and appreciate the diverse roles required in a healthy bio-diverse ecosystem. Zoos serve as a window into this world, allowing us to observe, understand, protect, and nurture animals.

Our workplaces are teeming with diverse individuals with unique personalities: Behavioral tendencies, strengths, emotional bends and preferred communication styles. Think of them as different "animals" in a complex ecosystem. Some are lions, fiercely driven and independent. Others are dolphins, sensitive to the needs of others and collaborative.

Just like in a zoo, chaos erupts when the zookeeper is missing or ill-equipped to understand what people are saying (or showing behaviorally and emotionally). Further, if we expect a Lemur to behave like an Elephant, we're missing out on the most obvious ways to leverage the top strengths of those "animals" thereby setting ourselves and our people up for failure.

Alas, there is a better way!

Leaders, like zookeepers must learn to observe, understand, develop and play to the strengths, emotional and behavioral needs of each "animal" in order to create a harmonious and productive environment.

Who are the animals in the zoo?

Most of us embody a blend of all of the animals in the zoo but many of us have one dominant animal we most relate to. The animals are:

The Lion: The Confident Achiever

Motto: "Results matter."

Strengths: Decisive, driven, ambitious, bottom-line oriented.

You are the Lion if: You thrive on setting and achieving challenging goals, radiate an aura of self-assuredness, and enjoy taking charge.

The Lemur: The Social Connector

Motto: "Relationships are key."

Strengths: Communicative, collaborative, persuasive, influential.

You are the Lemur if: You excel at building rapport, enjoy brainstorming with colleagues, and have a knack for getting people on board with your ideas.

The Dolphin: The Reliable Teamplayer

Motto: "Together we achieve more."

Strengths: Trustworthy, supportive, cooperative, sincere.

You are the Dolphin if: You value a harmonious work environment, prioritize helping others succeed, and are always there for your team.

The Elephant: The Knowledge Expert

Motto: "Accuracy and expertise are paramount."

Strengths: Detail-oriented, analytical, meticulous, competent.

You are the Elephant if: You have a thirst for knowledge, enjoy tackling complex problems, and ensure every task is completed to the highest standard.

Leaders motivated to achieve legacy-level success must know how to build and nurture high-performing, trusting, accountable teams. Your workplace zoo is full of animals crying out for a good zookeeper. Time to rethink leadership and build teams that work better together, and win together.

Want to learn more about this program for your team? Contact [email protected] today to schedule a free consultation appointment to learn more about how the Zookeeper Program can best fit your company's needs.