Dr Peter Williams and Associate Professor Lisa Barnes have started working on a joint project with colleagues from the University of Newcastle and the Australian National University. Made possible by a grant from the Australian Government, this project continues to provide funding to support regional business innovation capabilities, particularly on the Central Coast.
The project has 2 key objectives:
1: To help business design and deliver a critical innovation project
2: To continue to develop business leaders personal leadership capabilities to successfully implement an innovation initiative.
This project is a continuation of research that has been done over several years, where participants are classified into an animal descriptor as part of the research to see how they differently approach the innovation task (within the business savanna). Some examples follow:
Hyena: reputed to be cowardly and timid, the hyena can be bold and dangerous, attacking animals and humans.
Rhinoceros: Brawny and self-assured, cantankerous, let nothing stand in their way. Mistrustful of stranger, they see themselves as being gentle and reasonable, but at times their rage needs to be brought under control.
Lion: Independent and logical thinkers who are also persuasive leaders, they are business-minded and ambitious. They refuse to allow any subjective emotion to enter into their decision-making process, and as a result they can be seen as callous and cold. But these fierce individuals tend to be highly effective, successful, and incredibly powerful. They are truly the kings of the proverbial jungle.
Owls: are analytical and thoughtful individuals who prefer to work alone and who are often ill at ease in social situations. They are impatient with hierarchies and politics and would prefer that leaders prove their worth with merit, rather than with charisma and influence. Although they are not particularly social, they do have razor sharp wit (and claws), and are often surprised to learn that people do enjoy their company.
Sloth: Peaceful and easy going, sloths take things at their own pace and live moment to moment. They are considerate, pleasant, caring, and mellow. Their values are important to them, but they are not ones who particularly care about defending or debating their views publicly. Don’t call them lazy — maybe they are just more relaxed than the rest of us.
Deer: are quiet, observant, and thoughtful. They are interested in maintaining order and harmony, avoiding fast-moving cars, and respecting everyone’s feelings. They are often described by the few people who know them deeply as being incredibly sensitive and trustworthy.
Meerkats are deeply ethical and idealistic, loyal to their family and closest friends, and guided by their desire to live a life according to their values. They are curious about those around them, but will not accept threats to the security of their adorable babies or their morals.
Elephants: are genuine and authentic, and they care deeply about those around them. These are the kind of individuals who bring out the best in those around them, and they are serious about loyalty and responsibility to their families, friends, and co-workers. They are generous and they love to bring joy to others, but they are also sensitive and easily hurt. Elephants are often blind to the flaws of those they love and they are incredibly trusting and full of love.
Giraffes are graceful, well-groomed individuals who move with confidence and elegance found only in the big game animals. Michael Jordan is a typical giraffe. Tall, good-looking, and successful, he stands heads and shoulders above the rest of the animal kingdom.
Turtle They are quiet, shy, and harmless yet display intelligence. They can identify their keepers and know when it’s feeding time. Turtles and tortoises are very sensitive to loud noises, vibrations, and sudden bright lights.
Wildebeest (gnu); There is no other antelope like the wildebeest. It looks like it was assembled from spare parts – the forequarters could have come from and ox, the hindquarters from an antelope and the mane and tail from a horse. The antics of the territorial bulls during breeding season have earned them the name “clowns of the savanna.
Which animal most likely represents you in business?
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