What (good) things can we learn from… pygmies

And not without reason: Manfred Kets De Vries lived for some time in the Pygmy tribes in the rainforests of Cameroon and studied the principles on which life in the tribe is built.

Today he shares with us seven lessons that, in his opinion, it is important for the representatives of Western civilization to learn.

Lesson 1: Group members respect and trust each other

In the difficult conditions of the forest, only together can we survive. Food is not always enough, hunting can be dangerous. The forest is inhabited by ferocious buffaloes, hot-tempered forest elephants, swift-footed leopards, deadly snakes, frightening army ants. All these dangers are faced almost every day. And here, mutual trust and mutual assistance are simply necessary. Where there is trust, many problems solve themselves, whether in the rainforest or in the office of a Western firm.

In the society of the Pygmies, unlike other African peoples, there is no discrimination against women. Relations between men and women are exclusively equal. Women hunt with men, get a significant share of food and are actively involved in the distribution and exchange of food. Men not only do hard work, but they can pick mushrooms and nuts, cook, wash, bathe children… Women participate in discussions on an equal basis with men and, if necessary, also do hard work.

Lesson 2: Group members support and protect each other

Despite mutual support, the pygmies still have conflicts. However, there is practically no physical violence against women. Quarrels are usually resolved through dialogue, meditation, jokes, or through “conflict rethinking”. For clarification, Kets de Vries gives an example. During the quarrel, the wife, expressing her displeasure, methodically tore off the leaves covering the hut. Her husband (by tribal rules) should have stopped her. But he didn’t even flinch. The wife had no choice but to continue. In the end, all the leaves were stripped from the hut. But since the wife did not get the desired reaction from her husband, which could end the quarrel, she, with obvious reluctance, began to pull out the wooden sticks – the frame of the hut. By this time, the village, which had been watching the quarrel from the very beginning, became indignant: the matter had gone too far, the principle of caring for each other had been violated. Then the husband came up with an idea how to “rethink” the conflict. He told his wife that there was no point in pulling out the sticks because only the leaves were… dirty. After a moment of confusion, she realized what he was getting at, and asked for help to carry the leaves to the stream. Then they both pretended to wash the leaves in order to take them back later. And although the village knew what really happened, everyone was glad that the quarrel was over. And some women even removed and washed a few leaves from their huts as a sign of solidarity.

Conflict is inevitable, it’s part of human nature. But when something threatens the entire organization, every member of the team must be ready to help and protect the rest. In effective teams, people spend a lot of time discussing disagreements while maintaining self-respect. Whenever possible, the reasons for the conflict must be “rethought”, turning them into a reason for cooperation.

Lesson 3: Group members are open to dialogue and communication

Disputes among the pygmies are resolved by informal methods. And although each person is personally responsible for resolving the conflict, he, in case of failure, has the right to seek help from others to resolve the conflict.

For example, if a male pygmy had an argument with his wife and was so upset that he could not sleep, he should loudly call for help (all the huts are nearby) friends and relatives. The wife will do the same, and the whole village will become involved in resolving the conflict until it is settled. Important: among the pygmies, the resolution of disputes is not delayed for a long time. Thus, the tribe tries to minimize negative emotions, and not drive them underground.

Conflict resolution techniques used by pygmies are also suitable for work teams. One of the typical methods is jokes and laughter. A distraction tactic can also help: make people simply forget what caused the quarrel. An important role in resolving disputes is played by the so-called “emotion management”. Pygmies are not at all shy about expressing what they feel. It is better for them to “make noise” than “not make noise”. Due to the fact that all members of the group openly express emotions, defensive reactions are less manifested, which leads to more honest communication.

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Lesson 4: All group members strive for a common goal

The extraction of meat for the pygmies is largely a matter of survival. Of course, each of them can independently shoot a bird or a monkey, but the most effective way of prey is group hunting, during which animals are driven into nets. Successful net hunting requires cooperation and a common goal among all participants – men, women and children. A common goal gives motivation to work in a team. During the hunt, all participants bring their nets and connect them in a long semicircle. Usually, children and women drive the animals into the nets, and the men stand behind the nets and kill the victim. After the hunt, the meat is divided among the participants according to well-defined rules.

In any organization, teamwork is ineffective without common goals, which, on the one hand, must be realistic, and, on the other hand, enable team members to expand their limits. When a team manages to complete a difficult task, it feels especially proud.

Lesson 5: Group members should share common values ​​and beliefs

The life of the pygmies may seem cheerful and carefree to an outside observer, but this impression is deceptive. Under the seeming chaos hides order. All pygmies from early childhood absorb the rules of conduct passed down orally from generation to generation. They are based on cultural values ​​and beliefs and allow small communities to function successfully. Willingness to share, cooperate, independence and autonomy are the basic values ​​of the pygmy society. Another important value is the maintenance of peace among group members.

Any work team must clearly demonstrate its core values ​​and principles and clearly define what attitudes and behaviors are appropriate for employees. It is important to reinforce these rules with stories and traditions, which in turn reinforce group identity. And finally, sanctions are needed if suddenly someone wants to take a step away from the accepted rules.

Lesson 6: The interests of the group take precedence over the interests of its individual members

Once, during a hunt, one of the pygmies, dissatisfied with the fact that he had not been able to catch a single animal in a day, broke away from the group, ran ahead and put his net ahead of the others. He was caught red-handed for committing a serious crime: he put his own interests ahead of the interests of the group. The punishment for his behavior was humiliation and ridicule. Women and children laughed at him, they declared a boycott on him … However, it was temporary: pygmies do not keep evil for a long time. In a small community, people cannot afford to ignore others.

This example from the life of the pygmies shows that good team players follow the rules of teamwork. They understand individual and team roles. Don’t allow you to put your interests on your team’s interests. Teamwork can only be successful in an atmosphere that welcomes personal freedom and creativity, but within the overall goals of the organization. In order to maintain this balance, each member of the group must still be aware of where the boundaries of his personal freedom lie.

Lesson 7: Group members are equal in decision making

Unlike other African societies, the Pygmies do not have “important people”, a leader or a supreme council, leadership does not belong to one person. Perhaps, equality among the pygmies reaches its maximum: all members of the group have the right to make decisions. Elders are respected, but not because of wealth or status, but because of their knowledge and skills. If the opinion of some member of the group is more important in making a decision, it is because he has some valuable skills such as making bows, hunting, or playing a musical instrument. And even so, any member of the group is always ready to oppose any authority if he feels that his decisions will harm the group. As a result, everyone considers the decisions of the group their own.

A look behind the scenes of any effective organization reveals a similar approach to leadership. Successful leaders motivate subordinates to contribute fully to teamwork, explain shared goals in detail, avoid any secrecy, and organize work so that all points of view are heard.

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