If you go to the Zoo one day, take a moment to watch the animals interact amongst their own. You’ll see the roles and hierarchies within each species and the clear, un spoken rules that keep each “pack” running smoothly. As you walk along, you’ll also notice a very important aspect of the Zoo Design: The staff are very mindful of which animals can or cannot be placed with or near each other. It’s easy to understand the reasoning behind this Design consideration! If we place the Lion’s with the Gazelles, there’s a very good chance that the Gazelle will become prey. We humans know this for our animal friends; so we plan accordingly. In our Human World, though, we are not nearly as discerning,
As Humans seek connection and build relationships with others, we tend to roll along, naively assuming that other people are just like us. Those assumptions can work fine, until we hit a speedbump or topic that clearly shows us that we are not aligned in our thinking! Those are the moments that we tend to say to ourselves, “Oh Sh**! I thought we were PERFECT together! What are we going to do now??” . A first step is to pause, step back , and have a look at what type of “animal” you are. Here are some examples:
The Lion: Self assured in their position and perspective. Tends to be forthright in stating their point of view. Not well practiced in listening to other perspectives. Used to getting what they want , when they want it. Can be aggressive in getting what they want.
The Rhino: They tend to keep away from other animals but WILL react if provoked. Can reactively charge if feeling threatened or attacked. Tends to use strength or size to intimidate but prefer not to fight and would rather have the threat just go away.
The Monkey: The Monkey tends to jabber and jabber, often annoying animals around them and putting nervous animals on high alert. They don’t tend to read “body language” well and will continue jabbering and annoying until others’ near them blow up and possible attack.
The Turtle: These guys tend to be slow and methodical. They don’t seek out issues with other species and would prefer to slowly meander through life. If challenged aggressively, however, the turtle will tend to pull into its shell to hide behind the thick, armour of safety that it provides.
When you have an idea of your animal type, and the types of those close to you, it can help you understand and be planful with how you communicate. A Monkey can build a life with a Rhino; but, each of you need to be aware of, and respect, your different ways and needs.
