Business Survival of the Friendliest
At work, are you a dog or a wolf? What evolution teaches us about business and technology.
Our planet is home to over 470 million dogs — they’ve nosed their way into every part of our lives.1 But what do you know about where dogs come from? New clues in their DNA may point to ways we can be more effective in business.
Dogs are an evolutionary triumph. Over 130,000 years ago, some wolves were attracted to humans and began to evolve into what we know today as domesticated dogs. Their friendliness gave them an advantage. No longer hunting for food, shelter, and safety like their wolf ancestors, dogs thrived and now outnumber wolves by almost 2,000 to one.
The evolutionary tale of dogs debunks the myth of “survival of the fittest.” Duke University researchers led by Brian Hare suggest it’s more like survival of the friendliest.
A new Netflix series, Quarterback, illustrates a surprising source of friendliness. Over and over, a mic-ed up Patrick Mahomes, the best quarterback in American football, is heard complementing 300-pound, muscled, menacing lineman out to smash him.
“Great hit, dog.”
“Phew, great rush.”
“Damn! Nice play!”
Over and over, Mahomes complements his adversaries. “I figure if I’m nice to them, they might hold back a little bit on the next hit. That extra push, elbow, or twist might be the difference on a big play or avoiding injury.”
He certainly isn’t a pushover — he works hard to outhustle, outthink, and outcompete his foes. But Mahomes seems to know what dogs know — being friendly can be an advantage.
How can you apply the principle of survival of the friendliest at work? Can being more dog or Mahomes-like lead to an edge at work?
Consider these five ways to wag more, bark less, and win more at work.
As you build your products, don’t denigrate your competitors. Acknowledge and respect your competitors rather than dismissing them as feeble, incapable, or unworthy. Use their strengths to motivate you to find ways to overcome them.
Acknowledge and work on your weaknesses. Mahomes can’t outmuscle 300-pound linemen. His constant stream of compliments is a tactic that shaves one edge off his most significant disadvantage.
When you disagree with coworkers, wag your tail first. Conflict is inevitable at work. Seek first to understand and appreciate opposing points of view before running at them. Dog-like enthusiasm will take you farther.
Embrace new ideas and technologies (like AI.) When faced with new technologies, channel the unbridled enthusiasm of a dog with a new bone or toy. Focus on it. Use it. Play with it. Toss it in the air.
Explore like a hunting dog. Most dogs enthusiastically explore their terrain. Their enthusiasm is magnetic. At work, the same holds true. Intellectual curiosity, a willingness to learn, and a sense of wonder are contagious. So follow your nose wherever it leads.
Dogs won the evolutionary lottery by being friendly. Patrick Mahomes gains an edge by complementing intimating foes. Business success can be had by being friendly, too.
Like Mahomes, respect your opponents, acknowledge your weaknesses, and find ways to counteract them. Like a dog, embrace new toys, explore like a hunter, and be enthusiastic.
Science confirms what dogs already know: wag more, bark less, and thrive.
Great post, dog.
Thanks, Mark. There's a viral video that stuck with me – it opened with a cat walking through the house thinking "Day 621 of my captivity", while nearby, the dog is thinking "I went to the dog park. Best day of my life!" – and then thinking the same thing the next day. There's a lot to learn from dogs about optimism, and my friend Marlowe schools me on this subject every day.