The Wisdom of Bees: What the hive can teach business about leadership, efficiency and growth, Michael O’Malley,Penguin Books Ltd, Pp 214 (PB), £9.99.
WHO could have imagined that the bees that nonchalantly fly about are management pros! If they knew this, they would charge a hefty fee from humans. According to Michael O’Malley, the bees run a highly organised industry, with focus, plan and strategy that works to precision. In his book The Wisdom of Bees: What the hive can teach business about leadership, efficiency and growth, O’Malley lists 25 lessons that humans can learn from the insect.
He describes how the bees divide the labour for maximum efficiency and benefit, i. e maximising honey collection. There are such lessons as ‘Protect the future,’ ‘Let merit be your guide,’ ‘Preserve a positive workplace,’ ‘Develop your team,’ ‘Bring in new blood for new life’ and ‘Do good by doing well.’
The author has been bee-keeping for nearly ten years now. He has closely watched them and learnt from them. O’Malley is a social psychologist and management consultant. -VN
(Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R ORI, England)
