Hot Topic Friday: Dec. 13th

Happy Friday! Here are my Dec. 13 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership.

Hot Topic 1: Learning Leadership From Chimps and Bonobos.

Source: Inc.

What It’s About: It is both gratifying and humbling to remind ourselves what we can learn from animals (and plants). This engaging article summarizes fascinating research studying the leadership culture of chimps and bonobos:

“The most popular alpha males demonstrate high levels of empathy.

While it's been assumed that alpha males are those who use intimidation or physical dominance to rise to the top, the typical alpha male in a tribe is a peacemaker, unifier, chief consoler and overall has a very positive role. Ultimately, the best leaders are the ones that stand for the tribe's well-being, not just their own.

Bully alpha male's tenure is short and often ends badly.

Often, when a primate exhibits bullying behavior, the others work together to oust him. He may be in power for a while, but the rest will band together at the first chance they get to support another brave primate who dares challenge this figure.

When two males don't back down, only a senior female can break up the fight.

During conflict, often, it'll be a senior female who will grab the arm of one male and drag him toward the other in hopes of sparking reconciliation.”

Why It’s Important: Primates learn culturally. For astute animal lovers, this article is likely a “duh.” We learn so much from our beloved non-human creatures. What is very humbling regarding these primates, is that standing up for the well-being of the tribe first, defines sustainable leadership. The bully doesn’t last very long. Hmm.

One Millennial Response: While I personally believe that chimpanzee sanctuaries are among the most terrifying places on the planet, I’m happy to agree with the lessons from these “beloved” non-human creatures.

Hot Topic 2: Choo Choo! How Being on Board the Gender Equality Train Will Help Best Run Your Business.

Source: Forbes, Karen Greenbaum.

What It’s About: Every organization is scrambling for more innovation, and Greenbaum emphasizes that a step toward the goal is right “under our noses.” She underscores the exponential value of diverse views through inclusion, and this article focuses on gender equality. To that end, she promotes three major initiatives to make material progress regarding this objective. 1. A serious commitment to becoming inclusive 2. Awareness and action to overcome unconscious bias in hiring and promoting. 3. Flexible workplaces. I absolutely agree with her.

Why It’s Important: Greenbaum is articulate in promoting more innovation as the primary value. It’s also much more. There are no longer acceptable excuses regarding gender equality. If you are predominantly an engineering company, stop with “there are no women.” B.S. Find them. If you are a teaching and nursing organization, get more men in the mix. We simply need both genders to optimize. We complete ourselves. How and why have we made it so hard? Our individual and collective mindset needs to change to make this shift. It is about the long-term, sustainable bottom line, not the quarterly stock price. Full equality everywhere possible, nothing less or more. Let’s make it so, and stop hoping for it.

One Millennial Response: Dang, things take so long to culturally shift, because this subject is far from new, right? Apparently not, if Forbes is still publishing about it. If you’re possibly being gender biased at this point, you are so embarrassingly late to the party, you might as well just stay home. Can we fix this already?

My Weekly Wine Recommendation.

Perfect for the Holidays! Rubis Pinot Noir from Tightrope Winery from our vineyard in Naramata, B.C.

Screen Shot 2019-11-28 at 3.09.05 PM.png

And finally! Here’s Cecil’s Bleat of the Week!

Screen-Shot-2019-03-21-at-3.11.14-PM-4-300x177.png

“Everyone needs emotional intelligence and opportunities to be brave and kind.” - Marc Brackett.

Bye for now!

— Lorne Rubis

Incase you Missed It:

My latest Lead In podcast.

My latest blog.

Season 3 of Culture Cast.

Also don’t forget to subscribe to our site, and follow Lorne Rubis on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter for the latest from our podcasts, blogs, and all things offered on LorneRubis.com.

Happy Friday! Here are my Dec. 13 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership.

Hot Topic 1: Learning Leadership From Chimps and Bonobos.

Hot Topic 2: Choo Choo! How Being on Board the Gender Equality Train Will Help Best Run Your Business.

Search Blog Posts:

Follow Us: