LEADERSHIP STRATEGY: INNOVATE OR PERISH
We would not be here as a species if learning and change had not taken place at crucial points in our development. Our ancient ancestors faced real-time, real-world consequences (feedback) on a daily basis, and did everything they could to solve life-and-death challenges with a combination of improved technology and smarter teamwork.
by LSI Contributor DR. John Scherer
Imagine a group of Neanderthals, sitting around their fire in the cave, when ‘Karg’, the most free-thinking of the hunters, using whatever grunts and motions he had available, speaks to his fellows. ‘You know, guys, we got the mastodon today, but I wonder how we could kill them without losing so many of us in the process?!’ Imagine the group dynamics that might have ensued. Assuming that the leader (the fiercest hunter and warrior) allowed the discussion to continue, perhaps one of the hunters suggested using longer spears (technology).
Maybe ‘Marg’, one of the more courageous women listening in, suggested that a few hunters draw the mastodon’s attention in one direction while the best spear-throwers came at it from the other side (teamwork). Perhaps someone else said, ‘Let’s do both!’ (polarity management). Maybe the shaman suggested that they should all drink the animal’s blood to strengthen people’s ability to hunt (human resources). The result: the world’s first planned change intervention’.
Around 10,000 BCE, as humans began to multiply more rapidly and settle down – especially around The Fertile Crescent in what is now Iraq – the tribal social system, which served so well as long as people moved around, began to break down. When humans put down roots to live in one place because of climate, water supply, the presence of game, and the discovery of farming grains, a more complex social system was required.
New roles and new forms of organization had to be invented. Now some people had to not hunt or farm, but stay back to guard food that had been gathered. Someone needed to count quantities and weights and keep track of who got what. Someone had to make decisions and control the group’s effort and direction. Lots of major changes were required. (See Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel for a fascinating exploration of the rise of civilization and the changing role of leadership.)