Wilderness Wisdom

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.": John Muir?

Humans have been intrigued by the concept of leadership since ancient times.Throughout history leadership has been a topic where we have always looked for inspiration and guidance from successful leaders, whether they be historical figures or contemporary role models. Not only that, we have built theories, models, training programs, coaching sessions to help ourselves and others to become better leaders.? But have you ever realized that you do not have to go too far to learn all of this?? You need to be a keen observer. Yes, I am talking about Nature.

Nature has been honing the art of leadership for millions of years, and there are countless lessons we can learn from observing the natural world. One of my favorite things is being outdoors, and whenever I get to spend time,? it allows me to have a deeper appreciation for the wisdom that nature has to offer and make each of us a better leader in our professional and personal lives.? So let’s explore the Power of Nature in making us better humans:

????Be Resilient In The Chaos:?

Nature can be brutal, unforgiving? and the reality is that the corporate world is no less.? The secret is to learn that despite this, many species are incredibly resilient and able to bounce back from adversity. Similarly, corporate leaders need to be resilient and able to navigate through tough times, such as economic downturns or unexpected disruptions. React with deeper insights. Nature is constantly evolving and so are the organizations that we are all part of. Leading is all about championing the evolution of the system rather than controlling the system.The living structure of trees combines both strength and flexibility.? Instead of trying to resist it, they can survive storms without snapping. As a? leader you? don’t need to get bent out of shape about the turbulence of conflict or change. Be adaptable, work with the energy, instead of against it, and it will make you and the organization stronger.

?? Ecological Leadership: Just as ecosystems rely on the relationships and dependencies between different species and components, successful leaders understand the value of working collaboratively with their team and other stakeholders to achieve shared goals. The importance of Interconnection is the key in any role , nature or real-life. Collaboration is an important component of ecological leadership and essential for success in the corporate world.? Trying to “shine” as a lone leader is risky and often leads to failure. It also keeps the teams balanced, healthy with a shared understanding and? needs? leading to? better decision making.

?? Have a strong core: The trunk of a tree (its core) is what connects the leafy crown with its roots. It’s the backbone that sustains the branches and leaves. Likewise having a strong core means solid foundation of values, principles that makes you unique as a leader. Having a strong core also means being self aware about your own strengths and areas of opportunities.? . A strong trunk is? also the conduit for nutrients to flow from the roots to the rest of the tree.? The leadership of an organization needs to be that conduit of life, and be able to communicate effectively , providing the right resources and support necessary for the team to thrive.? Having a strong core in leadership means being accountable and taking responsibility for your actions and decisions.? Last but very important, always remember to treat people the way you would like to be treated at any given moment.

??Be a Visionary: The vision of nature is based on the principle of sustainability and balance . Just as nature operates on timescales that span decades or even centuries, a visionary leader must have a clear understanding of their organization's long-term goals and the steps necessary to achieve them. This requires patience and perseverance. Both nature and leadership vision involve a commitment to growth and development. Just as a healthy ecosystem is characterized by ongoing growth and adaptation, visionary leaders are committed to continuous learning, improvement, and innovation, both for themselves and their organization.

?? Promoting Self-directed Ecosystems:Nature can never be forced and we see that our ecosystem has an innate capacity to self regulate and adapt to the changes in the environment and thrive. Similarly in workplace, as a leader you need to create an environment where people are self-motivated , willing to learn and self-lead themselves.?

?? Be Adapatable: Just like in nature, the business world is constantly changing. Successful leaders need to be adaptable and able to pivot their strategies and approaches? as needed to stay ahead of the competition. Another way to look at it is :? If you are into gardening, you can easily relate that not every sapling that you plant grows , weeds will always pop up.? It's the mindset that failures are a part of the experiment and learning and having the right posture while being calm and balanced is critical and gets more important , the higher up you rise .

So next time when you are enjoying nature , DO NOT miss out on the learnings that you are surrounded with. Be grounded like a tree, yet stand tall to look out as a visionary.? Be strong like a hummingbird’s nest, yet be flexible enough to grow and change. Be willing to stand alone if needed, but collaborate with awesome people around you to become stronger together.?