As a child, I remember lying in the grass at my grandparents watching ants keep house. I remember distinctly watching them scurry in and out of their magnificent granular 
anthill while pausing, only for a second, to rest on dandelions. For lunch, my grandmother would get out the paper plates and serve up tuna sandwiches on soft, white bread that would stick to the roof of my mouth with every bite. She tossed some potato chips on the side, poured each one of us a cup of cherry Kool-Aid and sent us kids on our way, out to the back porch to eat.
We were a rambunctious lot and having us eat outside saved her, at least, an hour of clean up time. I remember walking to the back porch and plopping down on the concrete steps, and as time passed, to my delight, the ants would suddenly appear in a curvy line, marching over to the bread and potato chip crumbs to carry them off, disappearing into a crack in the sidewalk.
I still think about the ants to this day; their teamwork fascinates me. I’ve probably seen every National Geographic feature about the tiny insects. I believe this lifelong curiosity for ants is a thread, a part of the fabric of JOY in my work, which explains why I’m so passionate about helping others succeed. Teamwork in the office setting is critical to success, and ants teach us much about the subject of teamwork and leadership.
Here’s what I learned about ants:
- They aggravated my grandmother!
- Ants build pretty anthills – as seen through the eyes of my youth
- Ants are speedy
- Ants are well organized
- Ants share
- Ants are disciplined – they march in a line
- Ants keep busy
- Each ant is of value and importance
- Ants help each other
- Ants are tireless
- Ants never give up
- Ants are strong
- Ants work together when disaster strikes
- If the queen is in danger, ants work selflessly to save their colony
- Ants work towards the same goal: the good and the unity of the colony
Spring is around the corner. On a sunny day, take a moment to recharge. Go outside, lie on the grass and watch the ants. Draw inspiration from them. What we learn from them helps grow our character and leadership strengths. The ants will teach you a thing or two about how to work. Do you and your team have any of these ant traits?
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