The Nature Leadership (part 1)

Chapter 1 : Become a Leader, a Better Leader, a Great Leader

When I saw this book for the first time, I impressed on this cover, a lion and a lizard. I thought, maybe it’s another leadership on nature, maybe about something wild and so “jungle”. “Wild” leadership? Maybe I should try it! It is about Reptilian and Mammalian Characters of leadership. Well, of course I never heard about this before. Reptilian and Mammalian? It sounds interesting. The subtitle really makes me curious and challenges me. (I’m a girl who tries to be wild with my leadership, hehe :D) “Become a Leader, a Better Leader, a Great Leader”, yeah, of course, that’s so Ami! Hehe..

The writers told the reader that being a good leader, you have to be as though as nails (this is Reptilian excellence) and warm as toast (Mammalian excellence). So, it means that you need leadership skill and management skill. In this book, we can see the “leadership pyramid” and the writers challenge the reader to climb this pyramid. The writers also ask the reader to answer some challenging questions like this : “Ask yourself, can I develop myself to be a great leader? And will I have the chance to serve as one? Let me give you the answers, odds will say ‘yes’.” I think I’m the one who odds! It’s told that only few extraordinary leaders in this world, perhaps I could be the one. (Amen! -.-)

Chapter 2 : The Reptiles versus The Mammals

The reason why the writers only mention two of the major characteristics of a leader (reptilian and mammalian, don’t like the other writers of leadership experts who always expose a number of characteristics, 7, 8 or 13) was because in this world there were always any controversy of something, for example yin and yang, internal vs external, etc. This chapter explains the difference between those two characteristics of animal. The differences are like this:

Reptiles

Detached

Analytical

Quantitative

Independent

Adversarial

Focus on control

Faith in evidence

Rely on audits

Value contracts

Mammals

Engaged

Emotional

Qualitative

Interdependent

Cooperative

Emphasis on freedom

Faith in others

Rely on trust

Value community

Those characteristics couldn't be separated; they need each other to complete our ability. Those characters do not better, not worse, just different. The best leaders must be both reptilian and mammalian, for example, leaders must be reptilian because people need order and stability to perform productively and efficiently, leaders must be Mammalian because people need attention and someone to believe in them in order to do their best. The most interesting message that really stuck on my brain was : to be a good leader, you need ability and management skill. That’s why I rearrange my self so that everything doesn’t go in messy way. (I bought new simple note books to arrange my schedule and things I need. Hehe..

Chapter 3 : The Leadership Pyramid

This pyramid helps the reader to identify our natural strengths and weaknesses (we all have them!). It can help to develop our strengths, improve our weaknesses, and guide the reader to leadership excellence. This chapter told the reader deeply that we shall take step by step to the highest level of leadership itself. I know why, I was so curious to try those characters! And it really makes me shock with its effect. “leadership effect”, hehe.. actually, those characters are common, but I believe that naturally we were already have it, just how we develop and improve it. I believe that I have the foundations, “desire to be in charge”à I always thirsty in leading something, even others think I could not, “ability and strength” à after several times arranged and leaded something, I feel that my ability and strength to face challenge improved (I fell and got up so many times, and sacrificed many things too – dramatize myself.. hehe..) , “character”à hmm..I’m still training and trying to find my own characters, but I know two things, I’m strict and stubborn, haha..

I think I should improve many things, but I will not try to be someone else, I will try to be “Me”. Perhaps this song could be my identity, “I Am” from Hillary Duff, “I am special, I am beautiful, I am wonderful and powerful,….”. aha..that’s Am-I!
The leadership pyramid is like this :

Great leaders: innovative,risktaking, sparkle

Reptilian

Disciplined

Control

Cool

Analytical

Attention to detail

Economic sense

Financial man

Mammalian

Nurturing

Delegate

Warm

Developmental

Attention to context

People sense

Commnication

Foundation: Desire to be in charge, ability, strength, character

your journey in this pyramid will be like this :

you have the foundations first, then you develop the reptilian and mamalian characters. if you have already developed all, you could be a great leader with its all characteristic.

so, which one is you? who are you?

..to be continued..