The Parable of the Elephants

There are 34 countries which have herds of African Elephants. In only four of those countries are the elephant herds expanding and becoming stronger. What do these four countries have in common? They each permit hunting of elephants!

The countries which do not allow hunting do not have money or resources to buy habitat, to hire game wardens to prevent poaching or to repay citizens who may have had property destroyed by elephants. The elephants are actually an economic burden on these countries.

Four countries allow permitted hunting of elephants. These permits allow hunting over a specific period of time and do not guarantee the hunter a trophy. The revenues that come from hunters allows these countries to manage and protect their elephant herds. They have resources to purchase land, regularly enlarging the preserves through which their herds range. These countries are able to provide buffers between the herds and people's habitats and to provide wardens to prevent poaching.

But even more significantly, when hunters come, they want to "bag" the trophy elephants, the big bulls. This is actually not an easy task. A hunter may track a herd for days and weeks and never get a trophy shot. However, if the hunter is successful in killing a big bull, it permits the younger males to divide up his harem. This action serves to broaden and diversify the gene pool for the herd, resulting in stronger, healthier calves. So the process of culling out the old bulls contributes to creating better, more genetically diverse elephants.

What do elephants have to do with your business? I am sure you have heard the expression, "the elephant in the corner" which refers that obvious thing about which everyone knows but no one speaks. Every business has at least one and usually a whole herd of elephants. Situations which it is understood are not to be discussed. The owner is unwilling or unable to face these elephants so they stand in the corner, unmentioned.

Let me share another fact about elephants in Africa. Many of the people there grow maize as their primary food source. The maize is stored in their grass huts. A single elephant can consume a family's year supply of grain in about 20 minutes. The elephant in your business is just as capable of "eating your lunch".

You can choose to ignore the elephant in the corner. You will always be wondering when it will get hungry. Or, you can harness the economic potential of your elephants by recognizing them, and developing strategies to permit harvesting their economic benefits. Four countries which allow permitted hunting have taken an economic liability and converted it to a major element of their economic success. There are 30 nations that still have elephants in their corners. Are you ready to discuss your elephant? Let's chat.