Last month I was in Kenya. Most of the time I spent conducting a leadership conference or distributing food to the poorest of the poor.
At the end of the almost 3 week trip, I had the opportunity to go on a safari for a few days. On the last day, a lioness and her four pups walked across the road. These pups were very small, like a newborn puppy. At first, all of us in the safari jeep looked and at the darling young pups. For some reason I was drawn to the mother. She was very protective of her young pups. Only upon close observation did you notice the mothers scared face, torn ears and fresh wound by her nose.
While we were watching another young lioness came by. This young lioness started to “play” with the four pups. The older lioness started snarling with bared teeth, letting the younger lioness know who was boss and not to harm her pups. The two lionesses were each bearing their teeth and we were not sure if a fight was going to take place between these two lionesses. However, after a few minutes the younger lioness relented, put her head on the ground, and then proceeded to gently play with the pups. According to lions facts the younger lioness, clearly was part of the same pride but did not give the correct socially acceptable greeting when she approached them.
After a few minutes, the older lioness took a stand on a small hill, watching with a glaring stare. With a low noise she called her pups to her. She sat…watching… staring,….but not at us. Behind our jeep, was a large group of six more, mature lionesses. Our lioness was watching the group of six approaching female lions. The four young pups were very close to her and not moving. I thought it interesting that just a few moments earlier these four youngsters were tumbling and playing and now were so still. What an experience to have twelve lions in front and behind our open sided jeep.
It was near dusk and our driver said that there were way too many lionesses and we needed to leave…he informed us that lions hunt at dusk, at night and in groups. It didn’t dawn on me that we could have been their dinner. Though we were told that human attacks by lions were rare in that part of Kenya. We were also informed that it is usually rhinos and elephants that will charge and attack the jeeps, not lions. I guess that was comforting on some level… as we drove off.
It made me realize that upon first glace you saw only a lioness with her four very young pups. However, this lioness had been in some real fights that left her scared. I couldn’t help but think how this situation had two important lessons for us to remember.
First: Be Aware
How often do we blindly see only what is evident right in front of us. Or how often do we get distracted? I for one didn’t bother to look around us. I was distracted by the four little pups and not see the six lions approaching the rear of our van. How many times do we ignore what is going on around us. Those of us in business need to keep a pulse on business trends. Look how fast the i-pad has changed how we do work. In three short years, many business people now use an i-pad or tablet for presentations, making sales transactions, and business communication. I’m not saying that the lions (8 adult and 4 pups) could have attacked our van…however that was a possibility. The lesson for me was don’t be distracted. Be aware. As in business I need to keep a pulse on business trends, customer trends, and not get caught up in my own little world of doing business as usual.
Second: Chose your Battles.
Upon close examination, our mother lioness had battle scars. One fairly fresh wound was by her nose, a long scar by her eye, and her ears were missing chunks of flesh. Clearly this lioness sometimes had to do battle. As with the approaching young lioness she demonstrated her position, showed her determination, but realized this was not a battle to continue, and let the younger lioness play with the pups. In life we also need to chose our battles. How many times do people sometimes annoy and aggravate us? Sometimes people say inappropriate things that make us defensive.
This lioness also quickly realized things may quickly change, and took a watchful stand. She was determined to protect her young pups, and was ready to act. In business we need to keep this watchful eye, be determined to to succeed, and be ready to act if market conditions change.
