The Habits of Bees
I have a book about bees that I like to pull off the shelf every now and then for some night-time reading. It’s called The Wisdom of Bees: What the Hive Can Teach Business About Leadership, Efficiency, and Growth, by Michael O’Malley. I realized that the behavior of bees teaches us not only about business circles, but about daily routines, habits, relationships and more. Take a peek into the beehive and see what lessons you can apply to your own life:
- Everything the bee does is in anticipation for the future. They don’t simply buzz over to the most lucrative nectar location. They make sure there’s enough of a long-term supply.
- The information that bees exchange with each other is always relevant. They only signal important information to the hive. For example, rather than spend time pointing out all the patches to stay away from, they use their wiggle dances to express enthusiasm for the new location of quality nectar.
- When bees are in trouble, they ask for help. If they need to be “cleaned” of dust, they perform their grooming dance, and their friends fly over to help.