Big Fish Little Fish: Creative Business Strategy Inspired by Sir David Attenborough
At Innovate 2017 yesterday I was listening to Juergen Maier CEO of Siemens and Josh Hardie of the CBI talk about business and Brexit. Both these leaders would obviously rather that Brexit had not happened, but expressed the view they would just like to get on with it now and explore possibilities. The CEO of Siemens in particular explained that his organisation faces difficult trading conditions all around the world and they find ways to adjust if they want to trade there, so Brexit is not that different. Britain for Siemens is a country they want to trade in because of our experience in innovation.
I can understand Siemens’ perspective. They are a Big Fish in a Big Pond and have much more flexibility about how they choose to do business in different countries around the world. They can probably absorb more things like currency fluctuations, supply chain costs. They are more able to distribute the impact of market change. But what about the Little Fish? What if you are an SME only a few years into business and exporting to Europe is part of your plan?
Because I’m an avid Sir David Attenborough fan, I was thinking about the most recent Blue Planet episode, The Deep. Many of the small creatures of the deep have different and unusual strategies for survival in an incredibly hostile environment. The crab who carries coral in his hind legs as a disguise. The shrimp that lives inside a coral structure, protected and able to thrive. The fish that swim upright instead of horizontally and so catch prey more easily. The fish with the see-through head so that it could see predators above. The 6 gill shark (admittedly not a small fish) who only eats once a year. The fish that grew feet. What might these strategies look like for businesses? Is there anything we can learn from the creatures of the Deep?
There are many more species of coral in the deep than in the shallows in which we snorkel. They feed only on whatever drifts past them in the current and grow only millimetres every year. But many live for thousands of years using this strategy. They provide homes for many other kinds of creatures. How could that re-define our notion of constant growth?
Sponges, like the beautiful Venus Flowerbasket, have lodgers like shrimps. There are plenty of predators looking for shrimp (us included). As tiny larvae, many shrimps are swept into the structures of a venue flower basket, find a mate and grow fully. They produce young which swim out through the walls. But the adults never leave the protection of the flower basket as they have grown too big to get out of the holes. But they live longer and thrive nevertheless. What could that teach us about building collaborations with larger ‘protectors’?
The sponge, which is one of the simplest organic structures in the deep ocean, constructs shapes which can offer protection to other lives. How could that help us re-imagine organisational structure?
The fish who lives on the bottom of the ocean floor has developed new tools which help him survive. An extra large mouth to capture passing prey. Endless stillness and patience to wait. And feet to anchor him into the organic matter that coats the ocean floor. What additional ‘feet’ could SMEs grow to anchor themselves in times of Brexit disruption? What additional tools for client ‘capture’?
The crab which carries coral on its back. What could we borrow from our near neighbours which might help protect us from unseen economic shocks?
The snailfish which lives at depths that would crush a titanium space shuttle. Who would have thought complex life like a fish could survive in the depths of the Mariana Trench in which even Mount Everest could hide? What additional resilience could you build into your business to enable it to survive unexpected pressures? I know several new innovative startups based in the UK that are taking simple steps and registering their businesses in other locations in the EU right now — either Berlin or Amsterdam. Other ecosystems with entrepreneurial commitment and resources that mirror London.
If you are feeling a little low on inspiration or creative thinking, why not take a look at how nature does business. A little biomimicry thinking might brighten up your working week!
Or alternatively, do get in touch. We’ld be happy to run a Creative Thinking workshop for you to help you explore innovative solutions to your thorny problems. Check us out HERE.
