Snakes are elongated, legless, carnivorous reptiles that have scared generation after generation. Living snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica, and on most smaller land masses, exceptions include some large islands, such as Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, the Hawaiian archipelago, and the islands of New Zealand, and many small islands of the Atlantic and central Pacific oceans.
Scary crawling wonders, the snakes have survived the ice age and are probably one of the oldest living species on earth. Yes, they are inspiring, and here are four leadership lessons you can learn from snakes.
- Shed your skin: The molting of the skin occurs regularly in snakes. This is when old skin is outgrown. In this process, snakes will rub against rough surfaces to shed their skin. Lessons that we learn? Move on from the old ideas. The 21st Century is moving at rocket fast speed. You have to move on, adapt to the subtle changes, and regularly shed your old mindset. Snakes shed their skin, not their eyes. Shed your old mindset, don’t drop your manners. They’re like eyes. They’re evergreen.
- Energies Communicate louder than words & action: Snakes are fascinating creatures. They cannot wag a tail, meow, or change visible facial expression. They cannot even blink their eyes. Their apparent forms of communication are strangely limited, yet they speak so loudly. The conversation happens almost entirely in the language of vibration- the language of energy. It is an essential lesson from snakes. Actions and words have a place in leadership, but vibes- the vibes attract enthusiasm.
- Aggressive when required: Snakes do not attack humans without a concrete reason. However, if humans step foot on snakes, or try to destroy their ecosystem, snakes will bite, and they attack ferociously. The world is not a happy ball of sunshine. Believe me. Backstabbers, frauds, and liars are everywhere. Leaders are forced to face them almost every day. We, however, fail to master the ‘art of timing.’ We get aggressive too soon (lack of patience), or we are always on defensive mode (lack of confidence). Finding the right balance and attacking when required/threatened can take us farther as a leader.
- Don’t limit yourself: Snakes are the most common reptiles in the whole of the earth. From the United States to Australia- they’re found almost everywhere. From desert dunes to trees to the ocean, snakes have their presence felt everywhere. This is again, a critical leadership lesson. Do not limit yourself. You have no boundaries. You are eternal. If you lead with this notion, you will absolutely find success and earn respect.
