Only when snail grow, the shell grow – HR message of dessert snail

Desert snails can remain in the same shell for longer period of time. It means the snail doesn’t grow and so is the shell. Only when the snail grows, the shell will grow (physical means). It is estimated that only 17-26 days in a year, the desert snails are active and otherwise they remain dormant for rest of the year. All their biological activities (eating, mating, egg lying etc.,) occur during this short active period of the year.

They live in desert, where the conditions are extreme. Due to extreme conditions, they undergoes long period of dormancy. This is not same with other species of snails. The corporate message is that when people adapts to dormancy phase in their corporate, they might able to survive for longer period but will never grow.

Many people in corporate prefers dormancy over active life. They believe that to be active means, taking up responsibilities and executing the responsibilities. Both responsibilities demand extra efforts, commitment and competency. Such situations would also never allow people to remain lazy, irresponsible & indifferent and as a result the people in the corporate cannot engage in praising and flattering the bosses which is quite common in most organization.

Be less visible, be less loud or less noisy, gets less discussed, participate the least in the discussions, interact the least and do the job that is assigned are the philosophy most people often wish to follow in corporate. Many people prefer such dormancy state. Dormancy is one of the evolutionary adaptations always ensures survival but not the success.

The question desert snails pose to the corporate people is that whether people are adapting and evolving just to ‘survive’ or to be ‘successful’. If one is busy with the former act, then the one would turns to be a desert snail. Such people can feel happy that they are working with the same corporate for many years. But remember such people would not have grown enough in the corporate.

The question is that when the effort of people in corporate are more towards ‘survival’ how such efforts will provide ‘success’. Reason for the grief of most of the people in corporate is only due to the mismatch in ‘effort versus expectations’.

Only the extreme desert conditions had compelled the desert snails to remain dormant for 11 months a year. Because they remain dormant, they grow the least and hence could remain in the same shell for longer period of time.

Corporate people must wakeup from their dormancy and must verify whether they are working for survival or success? Never assume that you could remain in the same corporate for longer period of time as an achievement. If you think so, you are no way different from a desert snail as it could remain in the same shell for longer period of time.

HR also must realize that only when people grow, the corporate can grow, like only when the snail grows its shell grows.