Play the role and do not become the role

Sexual cannibalism among animals has a strong management message for the corporate employees.  It may be truly surprising and witty as how an important message or learning the corporate can draw from the above?

The message is simple and subtle, but a strong one and indeed beneficial for the overall growth of both employees and the corporate as well.

Sexual cannibalism is an act where the female spider and scorpion (may be some other animals too, belong to some species) kill and eat the males after mating.  Once mating is over, the male not only looses its role or relevance, but also its life.

Whenever a project is taken up by the organization, diverse talents and experience are involved in executing or commissioning the same.  Naturally, some will be play a crucial role in the beginning of the project – viz., Planning and designing, some during the execution phase and some at the end.  Once the role of some employees is over, they will have to move from the scene or will not have any significant role thereafter.

When the project becomes a success, many would rush to the stage to claim their share.  Unfortunately, those who are in the completion stage of the project are the one naturally galvanize loud applause and appreciation for the success of the project.  Contrary to that, those who were in the early phase of the project are usually less recognized as their role in the project may not be known to many.  

If the project fails, everyone would compete to leave the stage so they need not take the blame.  More often than not, everyone smartly recall and remember those who played some role in the early phase of the project as they can be made responsible for the failure. 

The blame game would continue in its peak.  The reason for the entire commotion is people attaching importance to the role than playing the role.  If one had played his or her role to the best of their ability and expertise, they should move away from the role so that the next person will takeover from thereon.   When they fail do so, the role becomes more valuable to them than playing the role. 

Look at the nature, what a delightful example it has to offer to mankind as a whole.  In some species of spider and scorpion, the male and female do mate for the purpose of procreation.  Once the mating process is complete, the female would kill the male spider and eat.

The strong message the spider or scorpion communicate to the corporate is that employees should only play their role and should not become the role.  Once the assigned role is played or enacted, they should leave the scene by facilitating the play to continue and become a success.  For procreation or producing the next generation, the female and the male spider or scorpion mate.  Once the role of male is over, it submits to the female partner as a prey to get killed and eaten by her.  By doing so, it minimizes her labor of food gathering to ensure mating success, egg formation and safety of future generation. 

Success, its sustenance and its growth should be the sole objective and not the role, its significance and its recognition.   Execution of any project should be approached with the above mindset that is what the spiders and scorpions tell to the corporate.