5 Leadership Lessons We Can Learn From Nature
Happy Earth Month! At The51, we’re proud to connect progressive women-led ventures with investors who are putting their money towards the future they want to see. That includes supporting businesses that are ethically impactful, that are committed to integrating and reporting on environmental sustainability.
Women are leading the charge in both creating and supporting ventures that are making our planet a top priority, and we couldn’t be more proud to stand with them. In celebration of Earth Month and the women leaders who are driving environmental and sustainable progress, we’re breaking down five leadership lessons we can all take from nature.
Embrace Change and Adaptability
Just like nature's seasons embody change and adaptability, the ability to pivot in light of new developments is one of the greatest strengths a leader can possess.
That could mean adopting new technologies to stay ahead in a competitive landscape, restructuring an organization to prioritize efficiency, responding to shifting market dynamics, and revisiting your business strategy or pitch by incorporating constructive feedback.
Just like how we respond to different seasons, the best leaders are ready to respond to the different challenges and benefits they face.
Prioritize Growth and Development
The age-old saying “whatever you water will grow” is just as true in business as it is in nature. Investing in continuous development is critical to staying agile and informed as a leader and will help you respond to any hurdles that present themselves.
Consider enrolling in a course to help you master a new skill that aligns with your strengths, seeking a mentor who can share their knowledge with you, and assessing what opportunities you can present to your team. No matter how you choose to keep growing—just don’t stop!
Communicate with Clarity and Purpose
Like birds, wolves, and most creatures always maintaining sophisticated communication with one another, make sure you keep your team, partners, and collaborators in the loop. This will prevent misalignments, build rapport, and ensure all team members and stakeholders can understand, communicate, and work towards your vision.
Clarity is made possible by providing regular updates, giving context, and being transparent, but it’s equally important to actively listen and seek feedback.
Read this to see how women founders can communicate their business visions in pitching rooms.
Foster Collaboration and Inclusion
Nature thrives through unification, where diversity is a necessity in sustaining ecosystems. Like our planet is strengthened through diversity and collaboration, so are businesses.
In fact, a 2023 McKinsey & Company report states that “Companies with representation of women exceeding 30% (and thus in the top quartile) are significantly more likely to financially outperform those with 30% or fewer,” and that companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity “show an average 27% financial advantage over others.”
By prioritizing diversity and ensuring that all team members have the opportunity to share their unique and valuable perspectives, leaders can foster a truly positive and collaborative workplace while driving innovation.
Read this to see why DEI efforts fail, and how leaders can help their companies strive towards success.
Keep Leading with Resilience and Determination
The mighty oak tree and upstream-swimming salmon embody nature’s resilience and determination, and we can attest that we have the pleasure of standing by inspiring women leaders who carry the same traits.
With women receiving just 4% of available venture capital funding and representing less than 20% of partners at VC firms in Canada, they continue to face stark inequalities when it comes to building and supporting businesses that align with their visions of a better future. Even so, Canada’s rate of women’s entrepreneurship has continued to grow, and more women are investing than ever.
The resilience and determination of women leaders is what’s enabled us all to create, scale, and support ventures that align with our values, and our unrelenting drive is showing the next generation of women exactly how much we’re capable of as a collective.
Keep pushing forward and demanding better. We’ll be here to support you along the way.