Animal Leadership: Dictatorship Rules in Baboon Societies
Stumble It!About 18 months ago I listened to Andrew King give a fascinating lecture in London about his unpublished research into Baboon societies. Andrew explained how in the harsh environment of the Namib Desert dictatorship sometimes works better than democracy. Andrew's ground-breaking work has now been widely published and he kindly sent me some excellent links. There are many parallels with human teams, groups and communities!
When the going gets tough for the baboons, their leaders get tougher.
BBC Wildlife Article - Dictators of the Desert
Current Biology Article
Dispatch Article
New Scientist
Tags: baboons, bioteams, leadership
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Bioteams Books Reviews
Seven team decision-making methods
The way a team decides to decide is one of the most important decisions it makes. In the excellent book, “Why Teams Don’t Work” the authors, Harvey Robbins and Michael Finley, identify seven key decision-making methods for teams.
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I not an ethnologist but this doesn't quite hold true for chickens.
There are cocks who can run their flocks from across the garden. They use sharp retorts to break up fights between their sons. They protect weaker males (from humans too - get in our hair and kick). They protect their hens and chicks while they eat.
There are others which are loud and noisy who fight with the other cocks and grab the food first. Pecking order is to be believed.
Hi Jo
Thats excellent - thanks
"The 7 habits of highly effective chickens"
Perhaps the phrase "being chicken" does them a great disservice?
Ken
Uga uga :)
Nice photo.