Welcome to Merge's Monthly Mega Minute - a bite-sized, yet substantial and practical, nugget of information that you can use immediately to enhance your professional and personal success.

Why does the buffalo look so bizarre?

Last month, I had the opportunity to converse with an indigenous elder in Alberta, Canada.  He spoke about the American bison, more colloquially referred to as the American buffalo, or just buffalo.  If you’ve never seen an American bison before, they are ungainly-looking animals.  Their thick shaggy coats and massive musculature are concentrated on the front half of their bodies, leaving the back half looking scrawny and awkward.  Their front-heavy profile is further exaggerated by a huge hump and lethal horns.  Viewed from the front, they are formidable animals.  But from behind them, you might be deceived as to their size and strength.

The elder asked if I knew why the bison’s body was the way it was.  When I replied “no” with a shake of my head, he continued.  “It’s because the buffalo are built to survive winter storms.  When there is a storm, the buffalo meets it head-on,” he said.  “It faces the storm, and it walks through it.  Because it knows and trusts that it will come out the other side.  Perhaps a little worse for wear, but come through it, it does.”

This thought resonated with me so much, that since then, I have taken it as an internal refrain.  Some of you know that I have faced significant challenges in the last five months on the personal front.  So much so that it has shaken me to the core.  This metaphor of the buffalo has helped.  I now see myself as the buffalo, no longer trying to avoid the storm, but choosing instead to face it head-on, and make my way through it.  I am trying my best to trust that I will come out on the other side, perhaps a little worn down and weary, but still in one piece.  My journey is still ongoing, so time will pronounce the final verdict.

I share this metaphor of the buffalo with all of you because as I travel this path, it has occurred to me repeatedly that there is a lesson here for leaders as well.  A lesson about strength, tenacity, dealing with adversity, trust, and probably some other stuff.  I haven’t formulated it completely myself, but I’d love to know what you think.  Does this metaphor resonate with you as well?  How?  Can we use this in our leadership journeys?  Please share by adding your comment directly on the blog at www.turningmanagersintoleaders.com/blog.

P.S. There is great picture of the American bison on the blog as well, in case you want a(nother) look at what I mean when I say that they are awkward-looking.

Tools to be a more compassionate leader – A new video series for 2023!

For several years now, Merge has produced an annual video series focusing on a single topic, always one that is highly relevant to leaders everywhere.  Last year, she offered a series of useful, practical strategies on how to create a more resilient workplace.  And in 2021, it was tips to lead virtual and hybrid teams.  This year, she will be producing a series of videos, all focusing on specific, relevant, easy-to-implement strategies to be a more compassionate leader.  Why should you care about becoming a more compassionate leader?  Because organizations in which compassion prevails have employees with reduced stress and more job satisfaction!  Additionally, workplace compassion also invites more loyalty, dedication, and employee engagement.  So stay tuned for this new series, starting later this month.

Turning Managers Into Leaders

• Video: One final idea to help your employees become more resilient. This is the final video in our year-long series on tools to help you help your employees become more resilient.
  

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Merge is privileged to have helped people become exceptional leaders and better communicators in over 300 client organizations. She has worked with sales managers, service managers, and government managers; C-suite executives, association executives and not-for-profit executives; franchise owners; academic leaders, student leaders, armed forces leaders, and healthcare leaders; in just about every industry in countries all over the world. If you'd like to see a list of just some of Merge's satisfied (and in many cases repeat) clients in nine different industry categories, then visit this link. We’ve worked with organizations just like yours, please contact us if you think we can add value to your current initiatives.