Cassowary leadership -- a corporate message

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Are they, the male Cassowaries ‘innocent’ or are they highly ‘committed’?  Or in other word, are they committed because they are innocent or committed because they are committed to the cause?  Every employee in the corporate must find the answer of the above question. 

 

Unlike other birds in the avian kingdom, the male Cassowary is the one that incubate and rear the chicks.  Patriarchal parental care is what seen in this group of birds.  The interesting point is that in many occasions the male birds that incubate and rear the chicks to whom, he may not be the biological father. 

 

The female birds used to pair with male birds during breeding season and lays eggs.   Once she had laid eggs, she used to leave the male partner in search of a new. In most instances, she may stay with the same partner for a short while.  During this short period, she may get mated again by the same male.  Once the male becomes busy incubating the eggs, she moves away in search of a new male.  The second set of eggs she will leave with her new partner to rear and nurse. 

 

The male Cassowary birds without enquiring the antecedents or paternity of the eggs selflessly do the job of 50 days of incubating the eggs and then nurse the chicks.  During this period, the male birds are known to loose their body weight as they eat less.    During incubating the eggs, they can forage only in a limited area as they have to guard the eggs. 

 

Look at the commitment and responsibility of a male Cassowary.  What is there in it for me is not the way the male cassowaries work.   They are too focused in discharging their responsibility and hence never wish to pollute or muddle the situation by asking who the real father of the eggs. 

 

The corporate people need to show such commitment in taking up responsibilities.  The total success and welfare at large should be the focus and not some silly self centered quest for ‘truth’.

 

In the corporate life, people often needs the approach a male Cassowary.   At least at the senior level leadership, ensure that the people have the traits of a male Cassowary.  Unfortunately, many corporate bosses once they join an organization love to behave like a new entrant male lion in a pride.  The new lion always kills the cubs of the previous head of the pride to make the lioness to accept him for mating so that he can have his cubs. 

 

The corporate HR must teach the employees about ‘Cassowary-ism’ and how important it is for the growth and welfare of the organization.  Several amazing management principles the corporate can learn from nature, but the HR must show the way first. 

Dr S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai 

 

   

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