It was June 15^th and snow laminated the Yellowstone landscape. That’s right June 15^th!

The park was a lonely place as the winds whispered. The unexpected snow storm had swept the crowds away.

In Griswoldian fashion, we packed up the rented family truckster and headed out to explore the wilds of Yellowstone Park.

I had lived in the Pacific Northwest for 12 years in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington and had only seen one grizzly bear and had never seen a wolf. Today, I would see both in the same spot!

We drove over a switch-backed melting hillside and there on the opposite bluff were 8 wolves on the move. They were members of the Gibbon pack which resides in the northwestern quadrant of the park.

We stopped to admire this once in a lifetime site, the sun reflected blindly off of the snow and I squinted with my left hand forming a bill over my eyes. Wolves, well fed and well drilled were in the pursuit of food. They appeared to be gathered together for what I thought would be a hunt of the elk in the valley below.

Instead, the wolves’ huddle broke just as a large lonely grizzly bear bounded over the ridge and down the hillside. The wolves immediately took notice and trailed this huge silver tipped male. One wolf darted at the grizzly’s backside with a nip. The others seemed to laugh in unison. This took place over and over again as the grizzly reacted each time but was completely powerless to stop the harassment.

I watched tails raise, wag, tuck and run. Each time the wolf dodged the grizzly’s half-hearted swipe or lunge, just then another wolf would enter the fray like a tag team wrestler jumping into the ring for more theatrical stalking, teasing and trash talking.

The scene was comical in a Harlem Globetrotter way and the comedy was just as well timed and coordinated.

Once the bear mercifully hit the bottom of the hill the wolves spread out and left him alone. They had other games to play, serious games. Young elk had recently been calved and young elk mean good times for wolves. This day was indeed a good time for the wolves.

They were graceful, aggressive, intelligent, disciplined and well drilled. As they turned their total attention to capturing their next meal it was obvious that this was a well-coordinated plan that was flawlessly executed!

The wolves won! And, it wasn’t even close!

I still remember walking away and thinking that I had just seen the best team on the planet! Why?

Communication:

Wolves do indeed communicate! They nuzzle, bite, howl and bark. All of it means something to the rest of the pack. They communicate constantly and their collective survival is reliant on this constant communication.

Gallup has researched for decades the value of regular communication. In one study, only 17% of employees worldwide reported that they got to do what they do best at work every day. If a supervisor took the time to meet and communicate for at least 15 minutes one time per quarter, 40% reported that they got to do what they do best every day! 

Regular communication does improve team results. Wolves understand this basic concept; do you and your pack?

Teamwork:

Would you rather sit and win the game or play in the game and lose?

Not all wolves aspire to be the alpha (the alpha is the leader of the pack). The betas and omegas have roles to fill and they fill these roles based on the needs of the pack and based on their individual strengths.

Wolves are willing to sit out some pack related tasks for survival if it is good for the pack. Are you?

Patience:

This might be the most admirable trait of a wolf. Wolves hunt in all different ways which shows their ability to adapt but they are experts at guerilla warfare. While wolves hunt in large packs they are better hunters in smaller groups, usually as mated pairs. They like to lay in wait upwind and in camouflage along known wildlife trails. While we often see wolves on nature shows hunting in open spaces as a pack, they like to lay in wait and surprise their prey in order to conserve energy, especially during the harsh winter months.

Is your strategic plan based on patience and common sense strategies or on quick fix, fast buck gimmicks?

Loyalty and Responsibility:

Wolves are completely loyal when it comes to long-term survival of the pack. Pups are fiercely protected by the mother and the pack. Pups rely on the mother for food and warmth so the rest of the pack members take it upon themselves to feed the mother. The pack shows a feeling of loyalty and responsibility for the long term good of the pack.

Is your organization willing to pay the price necessary to protect, educate and develop your younger team members? Do you show loyalty to them? Are you showing them responsible behavior for long term success?

Today, I hear how young people are not loyal and jump for the next job. Some of that is certainly true but are we as a team teaching them those values?

Play and Have Fun:

Wolves play, flirt, tease and make time for fun. Their culture and community requires play as it builds the pack pecking order, familial relationships, hunting skills, fitness levels and leadership skills.

I recently spoke to an organization that became so obsessed with results that they drove their team to near exhaustion without ever celebrating their individual and collective accomplishments. I watched good team members leave in search of a more fun and appreciative environment.

Does your professional pack value and embrace fun as a pivotal ingredient to team success? 

I am now howling to the masses to implement The Wolf Pack Strategy with your family and professional team!

For more information on The Wolf Pack Strategy contact Mark Adams today at: enthusiadams@earthlink.net or call 937-743-6381.