The document discusses why king cobra venom is able to kill elephants, despite the size difference between the two animals. It suggests that king cobras may attack elephants accidentally due to an inability to properly measure or assess the larger animal. Alternatively, elephants may not have evolved immunity to snake venom like king cobra's since snakes pose little threat. The document then draws a parallel to corporate leadership, noting that CEOs should not take subordinates lightly, as even smaller, less powerful people may have harmful impacts, similar to a king cobra's deadly venom. CEOs must be aware of potentially "venomous" people in their organization.

1. King cobra venom can kill an elephant. King cobras are also known have killed many
elephants. The question is why a small snake like king cobra in comparison to an
elephant carries the venom to kill the giant animal like an ‘elephant’.
Do elephants attack king cobra often? Is the attack of king cobra is an accidental event?
Even if the attack of king cobra on elephant is accidental and spontaneous, why the
nature has favoured the snake to have such deadly venom?
Is not the venom in the poisonous snake is essentially for their defense and hunting the
prey? The elephant is neither the prey of the snake - king cobra or an enemy who loves
to attack them. The question is why they have such deadly venom?
This needs to be understood from the management perspective. When we compare,
the king cobra is extremely smaller animal than that of an elephant. There is no sense in
such comparison, either. But have we ever understood how the snake would be seeing
the elephant.
There are several instances where the python has killed animals that are larger than
what it could swallow. After killing the prey with great effort, the python has left the
prey as it could not swallow the same. The probability is that the snake may not either
able to measure the size of the animal, its relative intention, whether the snake can use
the animal as its prey etc., before it bites.
Another probability is that the animal like elephant would have evolved with least
resistance or immunity against snake venom, especially that of king cobra. During
evolution, nature would not have favoured the elephant to be immune against the
snake venom as the elephant would never encounter conflicts with snakes as they are
too small a match for the pachyderm.
Perhaps the elephants would have evolved by taking snakes for granted. The corporate
leaders like CEO’s and people holding related profiles should never think or take other
people like officers and executives for granted by taking their designation. The people
like officers and executives can prove to be king cobras to the CEO’s in the corporate
world.
In comparison, the CEO’s may hold extraordinary powers in the corporate in comparison
to the officers and executives. But these people may carry ‘venom’ that can kill the
CEO’s.
The CEO’s must evolve therefore with complete awareness and understanding that
many people in the corporate can be like ‘king cobra’. Once such awareness is there,
they can easily identify such poisonous snakes.

2. The HR must know the venomous people in the corporate as the venom of these people
can cause destruction of any magnitude. Further never take any one in the corporate
for granted is what the king cobra conveys to the corporate world.
Dr S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai
Learn more from the following management books
1. Jungle wisdom for corporate management – lessons from the university of
nature by Swami Sukhabodhananda and Dr S Ranganathan
2. Nature – The Entrepreneur by Dr S Ranganathan