The Teamwork of Beavers

Aside from humans, beavers are the only known animal that drastically alters its environment. They build dams across small streams or rivers and flood areas, creating ponds, or they build canals, creating waterways between bodies of water so that they can swim between two regions. As they build dams and dig canals, they also develop wetlands. These wetlands irrigate the forests, create biodiversity, reduce erosion, and reduce the impact of forest fires. If you have ever lived near beavers, you probably know all too well the impact they can have on the environment, especially if you have found yourself in a flooded basement. But, due to their impact, they are considered a keystone species- a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment, similar to wolves, jaguars, and elephants.

If you have ever seen a man-made dam, you have witnessed firsthand the complexity and engineering required to stop the water. When a beaver builds a dam, the same understanding of hydrodynamics and problem-solving is necessary. So, it would be safe to assume that beavers are brilliant animals, but the reality is a bit different.

Beavers are considered smart, but they are definitely not geniuses. If they were in a classroom, they wouldn't be sitting with the nerds. They would probably be chilling with the hippie kids. They are smart but definitely just chilling. 

So, how do they create such incredible structures?

Beavers organize themselves through a process called stigmergy. Stigmergy is a type of coordination where no one animal is the leader, but all the animals work together through other cues. For example, termites are stigmergic--they build complex mounds by one termite gathering a mud ball, infusing it with pheromones, and placing it on the ground in a seemingly random spot. Then, another termite will come along and add more mud to the spot. Over time, pillars, arches, and tunnels are all added on and built. No termite tells the other what to do. They are all just working together to create.

Beavers act in the same manner. No one beaver commands the others, telling them where to place the next branch or what tree to cut down next. Beavers work together to alter their environment and build a better habitat for themselves. The beavers leave cues to the others who come along about what needs to happen next. They don't need committee meetings, they don't need daily huddles, and they don't need regular check-ins to accomplish the project. 

Most projects we work on have a central authority figure who dictates some aspect of the project (usually, they are the ones who sign the paycheck), but many projects can be done that allows the team to work close to a state of stigmergy. 

When you are on a team doing important work, you may not be entering a primal state of stigmergy, but you can feel a difference. Important work creates an energy, a buzz, and a sense of excitement as you work towards a common goal. It allows everyone to feel a sense of accomplishment as they contribute their own unique talents when and where they are needed. When you are doing important work, the goal becomes more important than the credit.

The entire premise of stigmergic behavior is that there is no central leader. However, most of the organizations we are in have a leader, or you are the leader. 

If you are leading teams to do work that matters, here are five things to consider:

1. Are you creating environments where everyone can contribute their own unique talents?

2. Are you getting out of the way and allowing others to do their best work?

3. Does everyone know what is next, or is the map and timeline a mystery?

4. Is the team getting credit, or is it you?

5. If you weren't there, would the project continue?

The beauty of stigmergy is that the whole is greater than the individual. Great structures can be built, not because anyone is incredibly smart but because together we are.