What Ants Can Teach Business Owners

Business ecosystems and natural ecosystems have a lot in common. In the What Animals Can Teach series Diana L Guerrero shares business lessons learned from ants!

Ants are adaptable social insects that have been around in some form or another for millions of years. They live in groups called colonies and communicate a variety of ways.

In fact, you might find that they are invading your business or household now as they search for resources (food, water, etc.,). Although they may be considered pests, they play an important role in eco-system health when things are in balance.

Part of what we call the web of life, studying ants illustrates and illuminates different lessons. They are of such interest that a lot of people other than entomologists study them!

Not too long ago, the University of Exeter conducted a study and called them them ecosystem engineers. How they work, communicate, the roles they play and more surprising discoveries come to light as more professionals pay attention to the lessons that come from nature.

Todd Herman’s Ant Video

My business mentor, Todd Herman recently shared a video of an ant wandering around a piece of paper as an illustration of a concept he wanted to convey. When he drew a circle around it, the ant would not cross out of it–and then when a smaller circle was drawn within the first–the ant failed to cross the barrier again.

The teaching analogy is related to business performance and mindset but when get into the nuances, it provides a more comprehensive lesson about focus and mastery. However, it could also be about limitations caused by perception–things I have been pondering over the last six months.

Most creatures communicate a variety of ways, and ants have a complex system of communication. The leave pheromones trails for other ants to follow. Although Todd used a marker, there are other ant tricks around that get the same result where the ant won’t cross the disruptive line when it breaks the scent trail–but it will eventually find a work around.

BTW if you are having trouble with ants, you can use an eco-friendly method to keep them out of your house or business by using vinegar and other spices, citrus sprays can work as well.

So what can ants teach business owners?

What ants can teach business owners and entrepreneurs is only limited by your imagination. I’ll share a few now and get into them in subsequent posts and I’ll hope you’ll share your lessons from ants with me on social media.

9 Lessons Ants Can Teach Business Owners

1. Focus on what is in your immediate surroundings and the strategies to accomplish goals.
2. Don’t get distracted off the path on the way to your long-term vision.
3. Avoid going around in circles, find a way to break free.
4. Be open to other paths, ways of navigating or tackling a problem.
5. Communicate with each other for best results.
6. Learn from each other and find a mentor.
7. Allocate and partition tasks to specific team members.
8. Create a team with diverse skills.
9. Network and brainstorm with others for better results.

I’d love to know what other lessons you think ants can teach business owners and entrepreneurs please pop over and join me on Facebook.

P.S. On a side note, Todd Herman has released a new series of business training videos for entrepreneurs and business owners as he gets ready to open up his 90 Day Year program again. If you haven’t worked with him, or had the opportunity to watch him before, I would urge you to do so–it could change your life, and I speak from experience—read my review here.