1. 1
Introduction
Leadership matters. And there is a great need for better leaders (Beam, 2004). Certainly if
one wants to be successful, one should develop one’s leadership skills?
Leadership skills are a skill set that can be possessed both in humans and in animals.
Animals can be good examples of leaders for they lead their groups by influencing,
showing examples, guiding and constantly communicating with their followers. They
have the aim and goal for their followers to follow. For example, animals that travel in
groups, when making migratory or movement decisions, often depends on social
interactions among their own group members. This is important since they need to have
good communicating skills; they transfer information and/ or show action. This is done
by signaling to one another or making noises which can only be understood by their own
species. Information that is transferred is crucial as in many cases, very few of them have
enough information, such as knowledge about the location of a food source, or of a
migration route, and therefore in a group there is always a leader that knows all the
information and thus guides its followers in the right direction. This leader is the one that
takes responsibility of the safety of its followers (caring them) and in turn, the followers
are dependent on their leader.
To the authors, leadership involves using the head, the heart and the hands. The leader
should make full use of his or her analytical skills and social or interpersonal skills. By
“using the hands”, we take it to mean that the leader should lead by the example, actions
that the leader not only speaks of but perform. The leader also needs to be hands-
Whatever you intend to do, do it with a wholehearted
and strenuous effort.
2. The lion does not only lead its pride, it is also the leader of the jungle. Without successfully
leading his pride, it would be very difficult to lead the jungle. Any leader who cannot lead
their immediate followers can never lead those far from him. If things are disordered at
the head office, you can t expect fluid business at the branches. More so, in this jungle
like business world, you cannot expect to lead the competition. For the past two years or
so, I have devoted over 200 hours to studying the leadership style of the lion, which is
the king of the jungle. As the king, the lion rules with authority, sometimes by a decree.
The lion’s authority is unquestionable; perhaps he is better than some CEOs at some
listed companies. What we then want is to see the kind of lessons that we can get from
the lion. The upside lessons are: Large pride; abundant food. The lion is the only social
cat. They move in hunting parties. This entails team work. The lion is good at building
teams. The bigger the pride; the bigger the rewards. This team is well coordinated and
as a result effective. With the authority of the father, discipline is alive in the pride. To
succeed in leadership, one should have team building abilities. Team building is one of
the prime tasks of leadership; you can never succeed with a divided, backbiting,
backstabbing collection of people. Build cohesive teams where collaboration and
cooperation revered. The second lesson is: Strategy, strategy, strategy! The lion
understands the importance of strategy. They are masters of ambush. A lion can lie 10
metres from an unaware prey creeping close slowly, he never attacks without a strategy.
Success depends on not being unidentified so they like dry tall grass. The lion goes at
55km/at its best and zebras go much faster so he has to get closer and win through his
high take off speed and jumps. Number two, lions attack from all angles, they surround
the prey. The lion understands his limitations. A fully grown lioness weighs 135kg.
Attacking a prey that is much bigger is dangerous; no wonder a lion never attacks an
elephant. Some of the goals that some leaders set for themselves and their team does
nothing better than expose the incompetence of the leader and the team. The best way
3. to compete with Innscor Africa in retail is to buy their Spar franchise or be their
distributor if you are a small and new player. Timing Lions hunt at night, that’s when they
have better eyesight. At the same time, most prey has very boor eyesight at night no
wonder they graze during the day. A leader has to understand when business booms
and when not and act accordingly. It’s about strategy, not just doing things. Success is
not doing too much or having many attempts, it’s about having the right strategy, proper
timing and effective coordination of people. Most products fail not because they are bad,
but because they were brought to the market at the wrong time. Timing will inform you
on the levels of stock you need to keep at certain times. If you are into stationery, we
expect you to be well stocked during the back to school period. Any leader who does not
understand these will fail. Timing is critical. I nearly lost the lady who was to be my wife
because I approached when she had exams all over her. Timing is critical for every
leader. Work hard, play hard. A lion spends 18 percent of its time in leisure. Success is
not doing too much, its doing just more that enough. John D Rockefeller failed to
understand this and faced the consequences. During his time, JD as one of the richest
man in the world, he worked so hard and forgot to play. He suffered a condition called
multiple sclerosis. This is a disease that kills most executives. Having established the
Standard Oil Company, with a monopoly, JD could not enjoy his money. His head got
bald, that he had to put on a scull cap. He developed severe stomach pain, that the
doctor had to make him drink distilled milk and two biscuits, yet his company was
making US$2 million a day. What a pity. Take time to play. Take breaks here and there
to keep fit and healthy. Go to a gym to release aggressive energy. Because of this
problem of overworking, most executives die in their 40s and 50s. Take time to smell the
flowers. Work hard and play hard! Intimidate The lion roars. When
4. Leader of the Forest
The animals of the forest had gathered in a
circle because they wanted to choose a leader
for themselves. The bear brought the meeting to order and asked, "are
there any candidates who think they should lead the animals of the forest?"
The elephant raised its trunk and in a loud voice said, "Yes. I think I should
be the leader of the animals, because I am the biggest and strongest animal
in the forest."
A sparrow chirped, "That is not fair. No matter how much I try to grow, I
will never be as large as the elephant. I will never stand a chance. Besides, if
we were all as large as the elephant, then very soon we would run out of room
in the forest."
The animals agreed that the elephant was not a suitable candidate.
5. Then the snake slid its way through the crowd into the middle of the circle
and hissed, "I should be the leader of the animals because I am the
deadliest and the slyest of all animals."
A squirrel climbed down from its tree and said, "that is not fair. I am a
vegetarian and I never kill any other animals. Besides, if we all want to
become killers, pretty soon everyone will be dead and there will be nobody
left in the forest."
The animals agreed that the snake was not a suitable candidate.
The hare ran into the middle of the circle and while panting, said, "I should
be the leader because I can run faster than any of you."
6. The turtle slowly raised its head in objection and said, "I may
be slow, but I am steady. Besides, if all the animals of the forest
were to run fast, we would all bump into each other and there will
be chaos in the forest."
The animals agreed that the hare was not
a suitable candidate.
A peacock strutted into the middle of the ring, opened its beautiful tail and
said, "as the most beautiful and colorful animal of the forest, I should be
your leader."
The crow cawed its objection, "I only have black feathers. I am not as
colorful as you are. But I offer my own uniqueness, my shade of black
beauty. If all the animals were as colorful as you, then we would all look the
same."
The animals agreed that the peacock was not a suitable candidate.
A donkey hee-hawed from one side of the ring, "I am the loudest animal and
everyone can hear my commands. I should be your leader."
7. A bat hanging upside down from a tree flapped its wings and
said, "my hanging quietly in the caves during the day, and
flying quietly in the skies at night brings a gentle peace upon the forest.
Besides, if everyone would be as loud as the donkey, when will I ever get
some sleep?"
The animals agreed that the donkey was not a suitable candidate.
Finally the lion got everyone’s attention with a determined roar and said, "as
a lion, I am kind and benevolent, but that is not all. I am also courageous and
wise. I think these are the qualities that we all want in a leader, and these
are the things we want to cultivate in ourselves. This is why I think I should
be the leader of the animals of the forest."
The animals thought a little and some conferred with each other. They
decided that if every animal were to be kind and benevolent, they would all
strive to help each other. Plus if everyone were wise and courageous, they
would all think well and choose good things, and have the courage to follow
through with them.
8. So the animals unanimously voted that since these were the
qualities that they wanted to see in themselves and in their
leaders, they should elect the lion as their leader. This is
how the lion came to be the king of the jungle.
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
The lion is the only true social
cat and lives in groups
called prides. These prides
are made up of a single
male or a coalition of
males (up to 7) and up to
20 females and their
offspring. The males
defend the females and
the territory from strange
males, and competition
among
the males
is fierce.
A male’s
average
tenure
over a pride is only 2-3
years, but can increase
depending on the size and
strength of the coalition.
Groups of males do better
than a lone male. Lions
use a variety of
vocalizations, most
notably the roar. It can be
heard over a distance of
5-6 miles, and serves to
let other members of the
pride know where they
9. are, and as a signal to
strange males to stay
away. The Africans believe
that the lions are speaking
and saying "he inchi ya
nani – yangu, yangu,
yangu" or "whose land is
this? It’s mine, mine,
mine!"
Lions think of life as a great adventure, with risks to be taken and glory to be
won. They are naturally enthusiastic, energetic, flamboyant and, at times,
tactless – all typical characteristics of a fire sign. As a fixed type, Lions are
determined and persistent, but they also possess the qualities of positivity
and optimism,
Lions are ambitious people, yet they are rarely ruthless or cunning in their
pursuit of a goal. They think in grand terms, with a disregard for the tiny
details.
Lions have a tendency to organize the lives of others, which can lead to
arguments and disagreements. It is often out of genuine caring for others
that Lions offer solutions, but they sometimes fail to realize that their help is
neither sought nor needed.
When angered, Lions are inclined to put their noses in the air and treat the
offender with condescension. They can be outspoken when out of temper,
revealing an arrogant side that is both abrasive and intolerant. However, their
anger usually does not last long and their positivity and good humors returns
swiftly. Lions quickly forget past arguments, but those they were arguing with
may not be so quick to forget, especially after some of the things the Leo has
said.
10. Where money is concerned, it is as though Lions possess a diploma in
spending. They seem to believe that there is ‘plenty more where that came
from’, and spend it as they please. They believe that tomorrow will provide
for today’s purchases, so happily live on credit. Lions have bold plans and
dreams, and take risks which lead either to riches or to poverty. They can
often find others who will fund or support their dreams, enabling their dreams
to become reality.
Lions believe that quality lasts long after price has been forgotten. Even
poverty-stricken Lions have one good outfit or possession.
When financial problems loom, Lions are more likely to increase their incomes
than decrease their expenses. Essentially spontaneous, they will risk
overextending themselves financially from time to time.
Lions can be very generous, but sometimes their generosity is simply a show
to attract the admiration of others. They tend to see themselves in terms of
how they want to be seen by others, and this can lead to self-compromise.
With their natural flair for socialising, Lions are a boon to almost any
gathering, and are unafraid of being the centre of attention. Even shy Lions
are happy to be in the limelight when it suits them. Lions thrive on attention,
praise and recognition from others, and these things are likely to motivate
the typical Leo to work tirelessly towards a goal. They respond well to praise
and even an occasional positive comment can rekindle their commitment and
enthusiasm.
Lions are loyal and courageous, and, in their later years, when their outer
pride has softened, they often reveal themselves to be big-hearted, softcentred
people, with a sense of playfulness and fairness. They enjoy strong
leadership abilities and a natural creativity. When these skills are harnessed,
11. Lions can achieve great success, especially as they also possess an inborn
vitality and a confidence in their own abilities.
Lions may stubbornly resist change when shown a new idea or method but,
given time to think it over privately, they are able to appreciate the other
viewpoints. However, if pressed to change their beliefs or accept a new
concept, they will often be loud in their condemnation, as they would rather
dismiss something outright than admit they lack knowledge.
Lions make wonderful teachers as they are enthusiastic and can easily inspire
their students. They love to talk and thrive on an audience, which suits them
for sales and leadership positions. Their innate need to express themselves
suits them to creative careers, provided they can find the inner strength to
pursue their goals.
Relationships:
In love, Lions are incredibly romantic, but sometimes they are more in love
with the idea of being in love than with the person they are courting.
Sometimes Lions can irritate their partners by forgetting that their partners
are not merely an extension of themselves. A Leo’s partner may find it
necessary to assert themselves from time to time, especially when Leo orders
dinner for them, tells them what to wear or offers advice which is uninvited.
Generally, Lions are loyal in relationships and although they may seek the
attention of others to feed their egos, they prefer one partner at a time.
Health:
The heart is a main area of concern to the Leo, as is the spine. As their bodies
are quite flexible, they can sometimes suffer from back problems.
When under emotional stress, Lions can experience occasional muscle
cramps or spasms. When depleted of energy, fevers can be a common
