What Animals Can Teach Us About Leadership & Management Styles
Christopher Goodsell
I work with committed individuals and small teams who are ready to do what it takes to achieve their dreams and desired outcomes.
Exploring the Pack, the Herd, the Hive, the School & the Lone Pioneer
By Christopher Goodsell,
ICF Certified Coach & Author of The Secrets of High Performance Communicators
Leadership and management styles are as diverse as the animal kingdom itself. From lion prides to elephant herds, the behaviors of nature's creatures offer powerful metaphors for how humans organize, lead, and collaborate. Drawing from my upcoming book, The Secrets of High Performance Communicators, let’s explore these styles—and their real-world impact—through examples from modern business.
?? Case Study: General Electric under Jack Welch
During the 1980s and 90s, Jack Welch transformed General Electric into one of the world’s most successful corporations. Known for his authoritative leadership, Welch streamlined operations, removed underperformers, and rewarded top talent. His decisive style delivered immediate stability and results, earning him the reputation of a leader who "runs the pride." However, critics later noted that his approach stifled collaboration and innovation in the long term.
Lions: The Pack, Patriarchal Management
Lions lead with strength and hierarchy. A dominant figure maintains order, ensures protection, and drives decisions. This patriarchal style thrives in moments requiring authority and decisive action.
Strengths:
Opportunities:
Challenges:
Takeaway: Lion-style leadership delivers clarity and structure in times of uncertainty but must be balanced with trust and collaboration to unlock long-term potential.
?? Case Study: Mary Barra at General Motors
When Mary Barra became CEO of General Motors in 2014, the company was in the throes of a safety crisis. Barra adopted a leadership style akin to an elephant matriarch, prioritizing trust, transparency, and collective action. She openly acknowledged the company’s failings, creating a culture of accountability while guiding GM through a recovery that restored public and employee confidence.
Elephants: The Herd, Matriarchal Leadership
Elephants are led by a wise matriarch, who uses experience and emotional intelligence to guide the herd. This leadership style emphasizes trust, mentorship, and collective decision-making.
Strengths:
Opportunities:
Challenges:
Takeaway: Elephant-style leadership thrives on wisdom, trust, and mentorship—critical for building cultures that endure and grow.
?? Case Study: Amazon Fulfillment Centers
Amazon’s fulfillment centers operate like a highly efficient hive, where thousands of workers fulfill specialized roles in a meticulously coordinated system. Central leadership sets the vision, while automated tools ensure precision and consistency. This model has allowed Amazon to dominate global logistics, though critics point to the risks of worker burnout in such a rigid, role-driven environment.
Insects: The Hive, Swarm, and the Queen
Hive-based leadership emphasizes efficiency, structure, and alignment. Individual contributions serve the collective purpose, with centralized leadership ensuring focus.
Strengths:
Opportunities:
Challenges:
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Takeaway: Hive-style leadership delivers unparalleled efficiency but must be humanized to prevent burnout and allow room for innovation.
?? Case Study: Spotify’s Agile Squads
Spotify embraced flock-style leadership with its "squad" model—small, autonomous teams aligned to a shared company vision. Like a murmuration of starlings, each squad acts independently but adjusts in real time to changes, enabling innovation and adaptability in Spotify’s competitive tech space.
Birds/Fish: The School, the Flock, and Murmuration
Flocks of birds and schools of fish embody fluid, collaborative leadership, thriving on trust, communication, and shared direction.
Strengths:
Opportunities:
Challenges:
Takeaway: Flock-style leadership thrives on agility and trust but requires a shared purpose to maintain alignment and avoid chaos.
?? Case Study: Steve Jobs at Apple
Steve Jobs embodied the lone pioneer, breaking boundaries with innovations like the iPhone. His relentless vision and perfectionism allowed Apple to revolutionize industries. However, his tendency to operate in isolation sometimes alienated colleagues, highlighting the risks of solitary leadership without collaboration.
Tigers and Other Loners: The Lone Pioneer
Solitary animals like tigers lead with focus, independence, and self-sufficiency, thriving as innovators and visionaries.
Strengths:
Opportunities:
Challenges:
Takeaway: Pioneer-style leadership drives innovation but requires integration with collaboration to scale and sustain success.
?? What Style Does Your Team Need?
From commanding lions to nurturing elephants, efficient hives, and fluid flocks, each leadership style suits specific opportunities and challenges. In truth, most teams need the ability to be many things. Expecting people to morph their natural tendencies at will can cause stress, strain and burnout. Forcing a team player that enjoys being part of a hive to hire and fire like a Lion is not good long term plan.
The power of Performance Communication lies in your ability to:
?? A Glimpse of My Upcoming Book
In The Secrets of High Performance Communicators, I explore how leaders can master communication to build trust, clarity, and alignment—whether they lead a pride, herd, hive, or school.
Final Thought
No leadership style is perfect. The true skill of a leader is learning to adapt—balancing authority, collaboration, efficiency, and creativity to meet the moment.
So, what animal are you? And what does your team need you to become?
Let’s embrace the lessons nature teaches us to elevate our leadership, communication, and performance.
Christopher Goodsell ICF Certified Coach | Author | Performance Communication Expert
Excellent insights, Christopher! Understanding and leveraging natural tendencies can truly enhance team dynamics and performance. Would love to connect and discuss this further.