Lessons from the Wild #7

flex·i·ble (adjective)

1. capable of being bent, usually without breaking; easily bent: a flexible ruler.
2. susceptible of modification or adaptation; adaptable: a flexible schedule.
3. willing or disposed to yield; pliable: a flexible personality.

 

 

Resistance to change is found at the heart of all conflicts, both internal and external.  Yet in nature things seem to evolve without any attachment to what was.  Nature has many lessons to teach us, and one of them is about flexibility in the midst of change.  The basic principle of the universe we live in is evolution – change with growth.  So if change and growth are in harmony with nature, it explains why resistance is painful.  When it come to growth, flexibility is a much better strategy than resistance.

 

"Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it."  - Lao Tzu 

We are often faced with situations where things don’t turn out quite the way we want. The best way to survive these unwanted variations is to be flexible. Adapt to the change. Be creative. A flexible person will be conscious enough to know when they need to be rigid, but a rigid person will probably not be conscious enough to know when they need to be flexible. 

 

Learn to know when a situation requires flexibility. Once again, nature is a great teacher.

 

At work - Be like a hummingbird.  Hummingbirds build nests with specific material to allow them to be both flexible and stable, which allows the nest to expand as the babies grow.  They  also need to be strong enough to weather storms.  Likewise, a leader has to pay attention to building and leading an organization that is flexible enough to “go with the flow” when needed and stable enough to withstand the storms that come their way.

 

At home - Be like a tree.  Trees combines both strength and flexibility.  Because trees bend with the wind, instead of trying to resist it, they can weather a storm without breaking. So too, we don’t need to get bent out of shape about conflict or change. Use the situation as an opportunity to learn, and grow.

 

Remember to be one with the nature of change. Be flexible. Don’t stick to something that doesn’t work.   

 

“Planning is helpful. If you don’t know what you want, you’ll seldom get it. But, no matter how well you plan, you will fare better if you expect the unexpected. The unexpected, by nature, comes unseen, unthought, unenvisioned. All you can do is plan to go unplanned, prepare to be unprepared, make going with the flow part of your agenda, for the most successful among us envision, plan, and prepare, but cast all aside as needed, while those who are unable to go with the flow often suffer, if they survive.”   - David W. Jones, Moses and Mickey Mouse: How to Find Holy Ground in the Magic Kingdom and Other Unusual Places