One of my favourite anecdotes of all time, and one that I believe is tailor-made for our times.
Tells the story of the Stephens Island wren.
This was a flightless bird that lived on one island off New Zealand.
The species thrived in its isolation for eons.
It had no predators and so no need to learn to fly.
Then in the 1890s, a lighthouse was built on the island.
In those days, there were no automatic lighting systems, so a lighthouse keeper moved in.
For company, he brought a cat, a single domestic household cat.
This cat immediately took to doing what cats had done since the dawn of time.
Unfortunately, the wrens were sitting ducks, so to speak.
They had no experience of such an enemy and consequently no adaptive ability.
Within a few short years, the Stephens Island wren achieved the dubious distinction of being the only species ever driven into extinction by a single housecat.
What a great metaphor for not adapting to change!
What is common between evolutionary science and being a successful leader?
It is not the strongest who survive, nor the most intelligent, but those who are most responsive to change.
Warning, if you are standing still, you may get run over!
Recent Comments