During my last 40+ years of work-life in the USA and India at 10+ hi-tech Companies, both Fortune 500 and startups, I have had the opportunity to work with and observe a multitude of work colleagues. The palette consisted of assorted Individual Contributors, mid-level Managers, Sr. Managers and Sr. Executives.

Looking back and thinking about the various work spaces I navigated in my professional life – I am drawn to the number of parallels I can see between Jungles and Workplaces. All comparisons are purely metaphorical and not intended to be judgmental… partially, tongue-in-cheek.

Like every jungle, ever workplace is also different. There are obvious physical differences, ambiance, etc. along with their residents who spend their awake hours, surviving. The common part is, denizens of both places are varied and follow an eco-system driven dos and don’ts, to co-exist and thrive.

Another thing common for the jungle and the workplace is, that in both cases it is the survival of the fittest. In a jungle, fitness implies brute power, strength, size, ferocity. In a workplace, fitness is a unique combination of special skills/expertise (often acquired by education and experience) along with strong empathy and people interaction skills. Like the jungle animals’ hierarchy, a similar one exists in all workplaces. The hierarchical domains are well separated, and each class/species generally respect their borders.

Every jungle has a well-defined species accepted by all as the ‘King of the jungle, a.k.a. Lions’. The Sr. Executives are their equivalents, at every workplace. They are pretty much are at the top of the workplace power pyramid. Among the Lion prides, typically the Alpha male is accepted as the undisputed King of the Jungle. In the workplace – this is an ‘appointed’ (vs. fought over) role played by the CEO, who is at the head of the Sr. Executive team. Just as the Alpha male lion at some point gets replaced, by the next more powerful Alpha lion – as per the laws of the jungle (survival of the fittest) – so does the appointed CEO, at every workplace. The difference is that the workplace transition occurs in a civilized manner, (without a physical fight 😊) with the next ‘more fit’ Sr. Executive replacing the current CEO.

In every jungle you will find the slow moving, far bigger and stronger Elephant species. Although well respected and feared by the Lions, the Elephants are still not the King of the Jungle. The lion has learned through evolution to respect the elephant and give them their space to co-exist. Similarly, in every workplace you will find the equivalent Elephants. These are the Inspirational/Thought Leaders who are the true behind-the-scenes mid-level/senior managers, who keep the wheels turning and the gears humming in every workplace. The King category in the workplace are aware of the Elephants in their midst. They are respected by the kings in the workplace – due to the thought/idea/relationships control they have over the rest of the workplace denizens. I would hazard to add that the Elephants may be respected more out of fear, by the Kings of the workplace.

In the jungles, the species are always hierarchical and well structured. Each species knows it’s bounds and has evolved sufficiently to survive and thrive, within it. They do not aspire to traverse to the next higher, stronger species levels. For example, no one expects that the tigers, the jaguars or the monkeys will ever strive to be the King of the Jungle. They will exist in their own compartments and evolve to survive. Natural laws demand this structure with no room for violation. Field mice will stay as field mice and the monkeys are happy in their own world. There is neither the desire nor the ability to even consider the kingship position.

Although we may have corresponding equivalents of Lions, Tigers, Elephants, Jaguars, Monkeys and Field mice for both the jungle/workplace domains; the similarities end there. Let’s look at some differences. Key differentiation between the workplace and the jungle arises due to fundamental differences between humans and animals. Humans with our innate ability to reason and think, with emotions and desires, are far more evolved. Unlike the jungle denizens, we in our workplaces are constantly attempting to improve ourselves and striving to rise to the next level. The jungle denizens are clearly different physical species, while the workplace just has humans – although their operational roles display the different, jungle found characteristics.

As I drive down memory lane, I can clearly visualize at all my past and current workplaces – the lions and the elephants, I have worked with. My belief is that either you have the wherewithal to be a lion or an elephant at your workplace, or you do not. Workplace lions and elephants are different. Elephants are unique, and one may admire them but cannot just become one at will. Elephants have ingrained native skills, which cannot be acquired. Some people just operate in this role, often w/o thinking about it. Compared to the elephants, there is some scope for one to aspire, evolve and become a lion. Of course, you will need some core leadership skills to become one. But that by itself is not enough. You will need to work very hard and have a passion for getting there. You must have (specific to your workplace) relevant skills and experience w/o which you cannot transition to a lion role. I for one, prefer the elephants to the lions in any workplace, anytime….

So, look around your jungle workplace. The lions are clearly visible, although the elephants (despite their size) are concealed by the foliage and prefer to quietly work behind the scenes. They do not seek recognition – just doing the right things, or doing things right

It is indeed a Jungle out there. Enough said, for now….