Sacrifice over smartness... a corporate message from cockroaches

Success needs smartness or sacrifice. The question is very tricky. If we ask the same question to the corporate people, they may be either find it to hard to answer the question or may say either of the above. Some may argue that the smartness only will take one to the pinnacle of success. Some may argue in favour of sacrifice.

Whenever a boss communicates to his subordinates, they say that only the smartness ensures success. They always assume that they are much smarter than their subordinates. While the most subordinates speak the language of 'sacrifice' and stress that only sacrifice enables one to become successful.

The subordinates have the reason to speak so. Most of the subordinates in the corporate assume that they are more intelligent and smarter than their bosses. Despite them being highly intelligent and smart, they have to work under an 'inferior' boss. This situation states nothing but sacrifice is essential for success. Both the boss and the subordinates are right and they operate from the domain of their personal experiences.

If we mix our personal reasons, prejudices and emotions in our observation or understanding, we may not see the truth as truth. We will see them only as an extension or offspring of our own 'personalized feelings or thinking'.

If the corporate world patiently asks the above question as whether smartness or sacrifice is essential for success to nature, nature would give the best example and that would answer the doubts of everyone in the corporate.

Look at the most common crawling insect in your kitchen, the cockroach. Most people treat it to be nuisance and would try to destroy them immediately. But listen to them carefully, and learn the wonderful management message they share. The success of cockroach had already made the man feel too small and ashamed. How they have become so successful?

Can we ever call 'a cockroach' very smart? Beyond smartness, sacrifice only has enabled them to surpass the world. Look at the dwelling place of these insects. They live, reproduce and grow in the space of gutter, septic tanks and other waste material storage or treatment areas. Such areas offer extreme living conditions to any living being.

The Cockroaches have identified and chosen such areas to live. Cockroaches do come to our bed, inside the drawing room and wardrobe. After visiting and knowing about these 'posh' areas, why the cockroaches have preferred to live in such extreme conditions? Perhaps they would have understood that instead of searching success in 'posh' places, making sacrifice by living in most uncongenial areas would be wise.

Only such sacrifice by the cockroaches has ensured their success beyond limits.

The best place to live is when known to the cockroaches; they preferred the worst place to live. Were they foolish or intelligent? They preferred 'sacrifice' over smartness and become unsurpassable.

The message of these insects is very loud and clear. It is for everyone in the corporate to think how they want to ensure their success, by being just smart or being sacrificial or by employing the combination of both.

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 Rangnathan

2. Nature – The Entrepreneur by Dr S Ranganathan