There was a Swedish TV show that showed all the different acts similar to the Ed Sullivan show years ago and they had a trainer and his orangutans. The orangutans were an incredible success because they would have their trainer do all these silly tricks while acting like smart, clever performers. When the trainer was asked how he trained the new orangutans to do all these amazing tasks, he said he just showed them love and followed them for a few weeks and figured out what they liked to do and incorporated what they liked to do into an act.
Stuart Lichtman, a brilliant entrepreneur, has been asked by many venture capital clients to bail out companies. He has always carried out the orangutan handling method with fantastic results.
He intuitively observed what people in the company liked to do, and then structured things so that they did what they liked to do in a way that was aligned with his vision for the company.
As managers, leaders or entrepreneurs, we oppose the natural only at our peril. The case books are full of examples.
When we flow with what is natural and pleasurable and also fits the right vision for our business, our businesses are productive, engaged, and energized. When we do the opposite, we get procrastination, lots of illnesses, late deliveries, high turnover, negative conversations, and other forms of avoidance.
Which one works better? The answer seems obvious. Why not create a business that involves your employees doing what they love to do?
Whether within an organization or within ourselves, these techniques bring together inventiveness to bridge the gap between what makes us happy and what is required.
It’s easy, exciting, involving and the results are satisfying.