By Manyara Chigunduru, Founder & Managing Partner of Marianhill Chartered Accountants
Ever wondered why an eagle is such a unique bird when it comes to the flock of the air? An eagle was created in a very unique way which makes it one of the most used examples when it comes to entrepreneurship and leadership. An eagle has some fascinating characteristics, which when applied in our everyday lives as business women, we find ourselves soaring in high places which we never thought we would venture into.
Eagles fly alone and at high altitudes: They do not fly low with other small birds at lower altitudes. An entrepreneur should be prepared to venture into unchartered territories with people of the same mind set, people who have the same vision and beliefs as you. Just like water and oil do not mix, so people endowed with greatness should not waste time with mediocre people; they derail your progress. You should be prepared to associate with people whom you can learn from, people who will help you to unleash your greatness and people who are better than you. So be like an eagle!
Eagles have great vision: These birds are able to see and focus on objects that are as far away as 5km. When eagles spot their prey at that distance, they do not lose focus of their target, but they fly towards their prey, and will not allow obstacles to hinder their mission. As entrepreneurs we have our long term plans for our businesses. It may be small today, but if we keep focused on those long term strategic goals, without allowing obstacles on our way to hinder our progress, we will get that which we desire for our businesses. So be like an eagle!
Eagles only feed on fresh prey, not dead ones: Eagles can only catch their prey alive, kill it and eat it raw; meaning eagles hunt for their prey and sometimes it entails chasing for that prey and move to catch it at the speed of lightning. True entrepreneurs spend their time with vibrant people; the movers and the shakers in business; they make decisions and are very active in their businesses. Like an eagle, a good business woman thinks about her next opportunity and not just about scavenging for leftovers. Be a person who is able to think outside the box and put your thoughts into action. As entrepreneurs we should not dwell on ‘dead things,’ but rather on lively things, ‘now’ and see how we can change the future of our businesses. The past cannot bring us future glory, but the present can. So be like an eagle!
Eagles love the storm and take advantage of the storm winds to soar: Whenever it is about to rain or a storm is imminent, unlike other birds which run for shelter, eagles get so excited and stay outdoors. When they get into the storm winds, eagles use the force of the wind to soar high above the clouds and use less energy to fly. As entrepreneurs and business women, we should take advantage of problems around us and use our business acumen to soar high above these problems. When others retreat, we should advance towards the problems, meet them head on as we provide lasting solutions. If we do that, we are on the right path to create our own sustainable brands, the rest becomes automatic. Achievers use challenges to soar to greater heights. So be like an eagle!
Female eagles test the strengths of their mate: When a female eagle is about to mate it chooses its partner wisely. It takes a twig from the ground and flies high up into the sky, throws the twig down for the male eagle to retrieve and bring it back to her. This game can go on for some hours, but the height from which the twig will be thrown increases. If the male eagle fails this test, then the female eagle will not mate with him. The female eagle only mates with the one that passes the test of altitude in flying after the twig. When searching for business partners, test their commitment to see if they are committed to the business. As an entrepreneur, sometimes you need people who believe in your vision and are prepared to sacrifice and endure for the sake of that business. So be like an eagle!
Eagles prepare for training: When eagles are about to teach their young ones to fly they remove the soft interior of the nest so that the young ones are exposed to thorns. When that happens the young ones get out of the nest and learn to fly. Real business people understand that there is time for everything, time to be in the comfort zone and time to get out. Hence forth let’s get out of our comfort zones and look for new opportunities. Opportunities will not visit us in our nests, but those who go out of the comfort zone get them. So be like an eagle!
When eagles grow weak and old they rejuvenate themselves: Eagles go into a hiding place, far away from family and predators, pluck off all their feathers, and let new feathers grow then come out rejuvenated. Entrepreneurs need to shed off their old habits of doing business and embrace new ways to grow the business. So be like an eagle!
Manyara Chigunduru is the Founder and Managing Partner of Marianhill Capital (Pvt) Ltd & Marianhill Chartered Accountants in Zimbabwe, offering financial advisory services, corporate finance, entrepreneurship development, and project finance to companies and individuals. Manyara, who is a Chartered Accountant (Zimbabwe) and a Registered Public Auditor has over 15 years’ experience in financial management, accounting, auditing and taxation. For views and comments send emails to info@marianhillca.com or visit www.marianhillca.com
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It is my pleasure to embark on this profitability series which will touch on so many aspects of an organisation’s growth and sustainability. In these series, we shall deal with all issues around company profitability, from merely having an appreciation of what it means to understanding how a failing company can return to profitability.