Lessons entrepreneurs can learn from an eagle

By SRIRAM BHARATAM

In Summary

• An eagle, among the largest and the most powerful preying birds have from time immemorial provided inspirational stories of leadership.

“Leaders become great not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.” -John C. Maxwell

Have you ever watched an eagle soaring high in the sky? If yes, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of an eagle? Could it be its majestic personality, as it soars high in the sky with a pair of keen eyes, firmly spying on its prey?

An eagle, among the largest and the most powerful preying birds have from time immemorial provided inspirational stories of leadership. And today we draw yet more inspirational leadership lessons from the majestic bird.

1.Eagles have a vision: If you don’t find one flying, you are most likely to see it perched on a tree top scanning the area. Once it spots its prey, it sits still, tilts it head towards the prey’s direction and maintains laser focus on the same. Even when flying it maintains constant eye contact on the prey. Leaders need to have a vision and focus on the results.

While efforts are important, it is the vision of the result that matters. Creating a vision is the most important characteristic that every leader must possess.

2.Eagles are high flyers: No other bird goes to the height that an eagle flies. Eagles fly with eagles and not with sparrows and small birds like geese. Though they fly at almost 10,000 feet of altitude, their ability to land swiftly on the ground and pick a prey is impeccable.

As the leader focuses on the vision as he or she is flying high, it is equally important for him/her to be able to look into the challenges on the ground. Leaders should therefore be the first people to spot a problem and fix it without much drama, no matter how high they are flying.

3.Eagles are bold: Their personality speaks of their fearlessness. Eagles are so result-oriented that they don’t worry about the size of their prey. They often prey on animals that are larger than them like goats and sheep. They love the storm.

While other animals run for cover, eagles use the wings of the storm to rise above the clouds and glide using the atmospheric pressure, thereby resting their wings. Leaders too should use opportunities and challenges to their advantage to craft solutions and solve problems.

4.Eagles don’t scavenge: Eagles never eat carcasses. Eagles always eat fresh prey and only the ones that they have killed. Leaders should always chart their own path and not look for shortcuts or eat into others’ efforts. Every opportunity or challenge provides multiple paths for resolution. A leader is always forward looking and does not depend purely on the ‘old and the dead’ ways of doing things. Leaders don’t scavenge for ideas, data and actions. They look for fresh and dynamic ways of achieving results.

5.Eagles are a class by themselves: They don’t mingle with other animals. The company you keep often decides who you are and what you are capable of. Leaders should spend time shaping their own skills as well as those of others.

Don’t waste time on things or people who will not get you closer to your vision. Be around positive people or people who understand your language. Do not waste time on people who either do not believe in your dreams or don’t want your dreams to be realised.

6.Eagles are good communicators: They communicate with their mates through a variety of chatters, wails and peals. They have a strong visual mechanism to communicate with their mates. This is done by charting complex flying routines, movements of the head, wings and body movements. Through one way or the other they make sure they send signals of danger or alerts about a prey.

Leaders should make sure they are in constant communication with their team, be it in sharing good news or bad news. Each leader has to figure out his or her own signals of what suits them and their team the best.

7.Eagles nurture young ones: Eagles provide the best example of compassion and courage twined in one. No one can imagine the extent of care and compassion that eagles show to their younger ones. They nurture them and when they are ready, allow them to fall and fly. The process of training is aggressive and gentle. When the young ones are timid, they are pushed to know their strengths and powers.

Leaders make sure their teams are nurtured in a unique way by empowering them to handle the challenges and take up opportunities. A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.

8.Eagles possess vitality. Midlife crisis is something that all humans are aware of. In everyone’s life there comes a time, when you feel you can neither continue with the habits you gained nor can you adapt to new habits, what do we do then? Most of us complain, accept or just fall apart.

Eagles are different, when they reach a stage when they feel weak, and are about to die, they settle on a rock, pull out their talons with their beaks, pull out each feather out of their bodies until they are bare. They allow themselves time to grow new talons and feathers and start life a fresh.

Leaders likewise are not drowned by challenges, they use this as a time to inject vitality in themselves and teams.

Mr Sriram is the founder and chief mentor of Kuza Biashara Limited, @Sbharatam or sri@kuzabiashara.co.ke.