Albatross and Orca – a new HR and corporate leadership dimension

Scientific studies have proved the unique relationship between one of the biggest sea birds – Albatross and the giant Orca or otherwise called as killer whale in the sea.

Albatross is one of the biggest flying birds with very long wings span. The bird is also recorded to live for about 60 years. Interestingly they are always seen either flying or soaring in the sky above the sea or in the sea waters. The bird visits land, especially the seashore only during its breeding season. Once the young ones hatches out from egg and fully grown, leave the breeding ground and would return the breeding ground only when they are ready for reproduction.

Findings of the scientific studies are that these birds follow the killer whales in the deep sea to eat the leftovers of the hunt of the killer whale. This has been photographed through the collar micro camera attached in the neck of the bird.

The interesting point is that why the giant albatross have preferred to settle with the leftovers of an Orca? They are indeed strong birds with strong bill. They do hunt also.

Catching the fishes from the deep see for an aerial bird is not easy. That is why most of the fish eating birds hover near the beaches as water in the seashore is shallow. In shallow waters, sighting the fishes or other marine animals is relatively easy. Perhaps the giant albatross would not wants to compete with the birds in the seashore hence would have decided to develop friendship with orca. Albatross being a very big bird, association with another giant – Orca only is right thing from the angle of its prestige or ego. Competing with other birds in the shore might affect their self esteem. Further the fishes that likely to come near the sea shore will be relatively small in size.

The success of albatross therefore depends exclusively on the success of Orca. Only when Orca becomes successful in its hunt and only when the hunt is big enough, sufficient leftovers will be available for the albatross as meal. Albatross, in fact does nothing for Orca either in detecting the hunt or hunting it. They also do not compete or snatch the food of the Orca. Simply settles with the leftovers.

The corporate world has many such albatrosses hovering around the top leaders and does or contributes nothing for the success of the corporate. They in fact also do not compete with the people in the corporate.

Orca does not ask or bother about why the albatross needs them or follow them. But the corporate must ask what the corporate albatrosses do for the organization. Mostly the corporate leaders should ask this question. Having several albatrosses in the corporate will never add any value in achieving any of the objectives of the organization.

The corporate albatross also must ask that by not proving their real worth, they are only ending up with the leftovers and nothing else.

When the corporate albatross have big wings to fly and strong bill to hunt, why should they shy to fight and compete their way to success? Do not squarely the corporate albatross but also blame Orca leaders.

Dr S Ranganathan