The Human Zoo

The way people set their priorities and act at work can be classified by reference to two sets of bipolar extremes, represented here in terms of ‘the Human Zoo’:

The vertical axis refers to relationships. At the bottom of the axis, maintaining relationships with others is not important. At the top, building and maintaining relationships is all-important.

The horizontal axis is related to tasks and urgency of completion. Thus, at the bottom left the task is unimportant. At the top right the task and its completion are highly important.

There are four extreme positions and a central, compromise position. Each is appropriate at some time and in some situations, but most of us have a preference for one or another, which we may well use at both appropriate and inappropriate times.

Teddy bear (high relationship, low task): fine for being liked and it is often useful to be liked. Difficult to maintain when in disagreement, and may lead to a ‘flip’ into the opposite mode. Can also, if overused, lead to too great submission to others.

Turtle / tortoise (low relationship, low task): ‘turtle’ because it involves withdrawal from both social and working life. Rarely appropriate, but we all know of times when it’s best to keep our heads down! In extreme regimes, whether just at work or in generals life, this is very much the survivor’s position.

Shark (high task, low relationship): the job is paramount and relationships are at best irrelevant to the shark. If people stand in the way of the task, they are likely to be beaten down. Feelings will be brushed aside. Appropriate behaviour when something must be done urgently. Inappropriate when getting the job done involves the voluntary co-operation of others, as most jobs do.

Owl (high relationship, high task): in the ‘owl’ situation, relationships and the task have an equally high priority. This is often the best position to adopt in working life, and the most admired leaders tend to adopt it, but there are times when all the others – even the fifth, compromise, position – are useful and more appropriate to success, or at least survival.

(We know of at least one owl who lost his very senior job because he failed to realize that the sharks were after blood. The turtles kept their heads down, the teddy bears accommodated, the foxes joined the sharks. He become isolated and was eventually forced into a position where the choice was resign or submit. He resigned.)

Fox (midway on relationships, midway on tasks): in effect this is a compromise position in which one indulges in give-and-take in relationships, and in tasks (‘I’ll help you only if you help me…I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine…’). Often used to pragmatically overcome deeply entrenched positions. Politicians often use foxiness to unravel such insoluble problems as Middle East peace. Human relations people (on both sides) sometimes need to adopt this position in solving industrial disputes. The danger of over-use is that one would be seen to be untrustworthy and pragmatic.