Wild Metaphors: What animals teach us about transformation
🌍🐾 Designing Transformation with the Wisdom of the Wild
The Wild Wisdom of Transformation: Lessons from the Animal Kingdom
Transformation is not merely a process; it is a (r)evolution. A shedding, a reimagining, a rebirth. Nature has perfected the art of transformation, and in the animal kingdom, we find astonishing examples of resilience, adaptation, reinvention, regeneration and redesign.
If transformation design seeks to shape systems, behaviors, and organizations for the better, then we have a lot to learn from our animal counterparts and their adaptive capacities as they morph with change.
Oftentimes, transformation feels like an abstract thing. It is the result of many transformational actions and decisions, but along the way we get lost in the journey and question what we’re doing it all for. But giving up is not really an option when dealing with change. So here are a few metaphors to help us journey through the stages of transformation, guided by creatures that embody metamorphosis and adaptation. The bear, the caterpillar, the beaver, the phoenix and the monarch butterfly are transformational role models. Each with a different capacity, and thus a different lesson of what it takes to transform in a deep and lasting way.
Love of predictability: the dormant bear
Deep in the winter forest, the bear slumbers, unbothered by thoughts of the shift that will awaken it when all of nature revives in Spring. In the dormant stage, individuals, systems, and organizations are like hibernating bears: oblivious to the need for change, comfortable in the familiarity of their "normal" state. We do not recognize the problem, or if we do, we defend the ways things have always been done.
Like bears curled up in our den, transformation is not yet on their horizon. Yet, beneath the surface, metabolism slows, energy reserves are tapped, and things cannot go on like this forever.... as the inevitable awakening driven by a changing context looms in the horizon. Predictability and comfort are the preconditions for transformation, they are its triggers as the world as we know it becomes unpredictable and uncomfortable. But they are also what we long for as a species and once change sets in…it is this longing for a new equilibrium, a future stability, that keeps us going. They build our resilience through the belief in a possible, better future.
“Winter teaches us what bears have always known: that stillness is not stagnation, but preparation for what comes next." Unknown
Between instinct and uncertainty: the hesitant caterpillar
Caterpillars spend their days nibbling away, yet instinctively sensing something is about to shift. The same goes for us, when a time comes in which we instinctively acknowledge the need for change but hesitate to put it into action. This is not so much laziness as it is a fear of uncertainty.
Like the caterpillar, we can get caught between worlds: one that is known and another that is uncertain. The caterpillar cannot fathom what it might be to fly as it doesn’t have wings, just as individuals may doubt whether embracing their talents and potential will even be worth the struggle in the face of business-as-usual. But soon, instinct takes over, and the caterpillar weaves itself into a cocoon, ready for the metamorphosis to come. Interestingly, butterflies cannot see their own wings. To them, flight remains as mysterious and wondrous as it was when they were caterpillars. Yet, unlike the hesitant caterpillar, the butterfly embraces its transformation, trusting its newfound ability to soar.
"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly." Anonymous
Blueprints for transformation: the engineering beaver
Beavers do not build dams overnight. They scout their terrain, gather wood, and construct with precision. As we are ready to transform, we recognize that change must happen and begin laying the groundwork. Teams map out strategies, individuals seek knowledge, and systems are analyzed for redesign.
Just as the beaver prepares for the rising waters, we also equip ourselves with the tools, skills, and mindset required for meaningful transformation. Without planning, the project collapses, and the transformation remains unfinished. While the blueprint serves as an initial hypothesis, it’s the ingenuity and adaptability of designerly talent that bring transformation to life.
Like the beaver, that is resourceful in using available materials to shape a structure that may diverge from the original plan, we need to stay flexible in the execution of our ideas. The goal is not flawless replication of the strategy but meaningful transformation. In this journey, the ability to iterate, zoom in and out, and balance action with moments of rest and reflection becomes essential.
"The beaver teaches us that true wisdom lies not in resisting the current, but in shaping the world with patience and purpose." Unknown
Trial by fire: the phoenix in flames
In the moment of transformation, the old goes up in symbolical flames to make room for the emergent. The mythical phoenix also bursts into flames as it transforms, reducing itself to ashes before rising anew. This tipping point is where the old self, the outdated system, or the stagnant organization undergoes a transformational shift. This is the hardest part, requiring willpower, resilience, and faith. The phoenix trusts the process, embracing destruction as a necessary step toward rebirth. The same is true for us: shedding old habits, structures, and limitations to emerge transformed.
We are witnessing tragedy all around us: climate change, the loss of the commons, the crumbling of democratic structures, economic and social instability… The phoenix is a reminder for us to stay strong and stay the course. As we let go of what no longer works, the new and transformed can arise.
"Out of the ashes of tragedy, the phoenix rises." – Jodi Picoult, in "The Storyteller"
The unwavering journey: the migrating monarch
Transformation is not a one-time event; it is a cycle. Monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles, generation after generation, maintaining their ancestral path. They do not question whether they should continue: they simply do.
To sustain transformation we need to ensure that systems, behaviors, and organizations do not revert to their previous forms. Like the monarch, we must develop mechanisms to stay the new, transformed course, reinforcing habits, adapting to challenges, and recognizing that the journey of transformation is ongoing. Until it is time to change again.
"A butterfly doesn’t fear change—it knows that transformation is the key to its freedom." – Anonymous
Wild transformation
Each of these creatures teaches us a crucial lesson about transformation design. The bear reminds us that awakening is inevitable. The caterpillar teaches us to embrace the unknown. The beaver shows the power of preparation. The phoenix proves that destruction can lead to creation. And the monarch butterfly demonstrates the endurance required to maintain transformation.
By channeling the wisdom of these creatures, we can design transformation that is not only effective but also organic, sustainable, and beautifully wild.
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This recent article I wrote on Culture Vultures and other Transformational Animals.
