Living on the Edge of Challenge
It amazes me, and may be you too the reader of this buzz, that we tend to go the extremes and swing from one extreme to the other. Is this the call of nature? We find many trees living in arid zones, or water logging areas, but very few trees living in areas where land and water are close by. Trees living in water flooding areas adapt well to the flood of water. In contrast, trees living in arid zones adapt well to the scarcity of water. In areas where land and water are neighboring to each other and adaptations to living in the border areas are challenging, far less number of trees exists. Is it easier for businesses to adapt to extreme conditions than it is for varying conditions of flooding business and for businesses thirsty for the waters of survival than adapting to both scarcity of water and being flooded with customers, demands and showering orders?
Trees living in one extreme condition of drought or flooding waters have developed strategies which are variant from those strategies developed by trees living in areas where in one side there is plenty of water and on the other side there is arid land. Understanding how trees adapt may suggest a huge number of different strategies for businesses to consider.
Strategies for Scarcity
Trees combine different strategies to combat the extreme condition of water scarcity. These include:
· Dispensing off leaves or having small leaves to minimize water loss. Avoidance of loss is the core point. Businesses may also consider avoidance of losses when exposed to sunny days- loss of cash flows, customers and talents are among the main losses businesses should thrive to minimize.
· Trees try to keep water in reservoirs of their own. Tree store water in specialized tissues such as in leaves and trunks. So, the strategy is minimize water losses and maximizes water storage. In arid businesses climates each business should consider what makes its "waters" and maximize their storage and minimize their losses. It is balancing the opposites of losing water and storing it that tree excel at.
Trees in arid zones develop long roots to reach the maximum amounts of available water resources. Desert trees remain dormant during scarcity of water and germinate only when trees sense water availability. So, the combined strategy is reduce water losses + store as much water as possible for difficult times + reach the scarce water to the maximum degree possible + reduce germination till trees sense water availability. How about businesses in drought environments? Shouldn't they consider the same strategies?
These are scare example of strategies adopted by trees in arid zones. How about growth and adaptation in rain logged environments?
Strategies for Over-Supplies
Trees living in excessive water availability have other problems to cope with. Trees accept what they sense and adapt to it. Trees know that controlling the environment is beyond their capacity.
Honestly, I could write more than twenty buzzes on how trees adapt and strategize with water flooding environments. For brevity, trees may do the following:
· The flooding of roots deprives them from oxygen as oxygen diffuses less in water and microorganisms competing for the scarce oxygen. This is a prime concern for trees. Flooding stress has resulted in a wide range of biochemical, molecular and morphological adaptations that sanction growth and reproductive success under episodic or permanently flooded conditions that are highly damaging to the majority of plant species. Tolerance adaptations and/or avoidance adaptations have been the two main strategies to adapt to flooding.
· Some plants do their photosynthesis under water to produce their own oxygen.
· The primary morphological plant strategy in response to flooding is the development of air spaces in the roots and stems which allow diffusion of oxygen from the aerial portions of the plant into the roots. These plants find an alternative route for the supply of oxygen.
· There are so many other strategies and I may dedicate a buzz to focus on them.
How about trees that live on borderline between land and water? Surprisingly, very few plants can do that. The challenges to adapt are huge.
Trees Living on the Borderline, or Edge of Challenge
Trees living on the borderline have to adapt to salty water and wave action. To cope with these stringent challenges, trees have evolved different strategies:
· Trees living in borderline areas have complex salt filtration system and complex root system to cope with salt water immersion. They either have the capacity to store salts or throw them out using innovative technologies.
· Trees limit loss of scarce fresh water in salty mud trees change the direction of their leaves to avoid exposure to sun. Trees use avoidance strategy.
· A creative strategy trees in borderline areas adapted is to germinate their seeds while still on the trees.
· Trees such as mangroves have developed very long pods for their seeds.
There is a great video on mangrove trees and their adaptations. This video is a must see.
Sara Jacobovici has written a great buzz on "Sorry, you can’t blame it on politics or politicians". She wrote in this buzz "We are a part of this dynamic existence we call life, not passive receivers or observers. It is within the tension of what is and isn’t in our control, fighting for our individuality while living in a community and the choices we make, that moves us on our chosen paths". Trees teach us how exactly to do that.
We live on the edge of challenges and trees have so much to teach us on how to grow and adapt in these challenging environments.
""
مقالات من Ali Anani
عرض المدونةThe Golden Circle of asking questions is well-known. This circle consists of asking three basic ques ...
Organizations are like plants and forests- they all share initial growth, conservation, release and ...
It is amazing how ideas emerge! I was researching for the different plant metaphors that people sugg ...
المتخصصون ذوو الصلة
قد تكون مهتمًا بهذه الوظائف
-
Senior Partnerships Manager DACH CEE
تم العثور عليها في: DrJobEn JO A2 - منذ 4 أيام
Deel Amman, الأردنAbout the job · Who We Are And What We Do · Deel is a global team that helps businesses hire anyone, anywhere, easily. Deel consists of more than three thousand self-driven individuals spanning over 100 countries. Our unified yet diverse culture keeps us continually learning and ...
-
Associate Director Go-to-Market Strategic Operations
تم العثور عليها في: DrJobEn JO A2 - منذ 5 أيام
Deel Madaba, الأردنAssociate Director, Go-to-Market Strategic Operations · Duties · Partner with sales and success leadership to drive the development, execution and continuous improvement of Deel's global post sales expansion strategy, specifically focused on developing and maintaining a scalable ...
-
Project Administration Assistant
تم العثور عليها في: DrJobEn JO A2 - منذ يومين
DEUTSCHE GESELLSCHAFT FÜR INTERNATIONALE ZUSAMMENARBEIT GIZ Amman, الأردنfluency in Arabic and English languages (both oral and written); knowledge of German language would be an asset; · excellent communication and organizational skills and ability to work very precisely; · previous working experience in EU / international projects or organizations w ...
التعليقات
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #31
You never make useless comments and even if we differ sometimes you always prove you have a solid point. Thank you David Navarro L\u00f3pez for the comment and the link to your buzz. I repeat the link here as this buzz is so rewarding to read: https://www.bebee.com/producer/@david-navarro-lopez/businesses-living-in-the-edge-of-challenge
David Navarro López
منذ 7 سنوات #30
You read my mind, dear Ali. Will do. Just read it, and "ruminating" about it. As you well know, I dislike to make useless comments........
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #29
Dear David Navarro L\u00f3pez- I will do now I wish also your time would allow you to read my last buzz as it is inviting for many great discussions. I need your view on there. https://www.bebee.com/producer/@ali-anani/the-positive-side-of-negative-emotions
David Navarro López
منذ 7 سنوات #28
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #27
mohammed khalaf- what a wise comment! I enjoyed it tremendously. Yes, we need watering distinctions. Your metaphor is brilliant.
mohammed khalaf
منذ 7 سنوات #26
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #25
You honor me Joris Plaatstaal. Thank you
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #24
I love drinking from your "wisdom well" CityVP Manjit. The more I drink, I more thirsty I become for more.
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #23
CityVP Manjit
منذ 7 سنوات #22
Yes! Dear Ali Anani for what is transformation other than the love of learning and to know fully what it is we then have learned, and this knowing becoming the core contribution to our collective act of living.
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #21
Thanks Federico \u00c1lvarez San Mart\u00edn
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #20
Franci Eugenia Hoffman- loved the way you associated the roots of trees to huan roots which enable humans to connect and communicate. Lovely thoughts
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #19
I am here mostly for what you wrote towards the end "I need to learn. I will learn". Conformity is not learning @Joris Plaatstaal
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #18
No question I am going to spend this evening pondering on this idea "Our barter system of time/intelligence for money should act like the grove of trees. Learn, stabilize and grow.......But for some reason the need for volatility is strong in the human psyche". This is sheer brilliance Harvey Lloyd. I shall be back with more elaboration of my understanding of this great and provoking idea.
Harvey Lloyd
منذ 7 سنوات #17
The hurricane within the metaphor is our current political climate to humans or the opportunity for the sapling to grow is when the grove becomes damaged and the canopy opens. Our economic system benifits from volatility, it shakes the leaves of money lose from one group and allows another to flourish. The system can be played, but to what end? Our barter system of time/intelligence for money should act like the grove of trees. Learn, stabilize and grow.......But for some reason the need for volatility is strong in the human psyche. We have to shake things up. We call this our best system to satisfy the masses the best way possible. Trees show us a different path. But the path is not special, exciting or glorifying. Humans have to make that part work.
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #16
You are a gift dear . I appreciate your comment. Believe me, I find the exchange of comments with commentators a rich source of knowledge. I am deeply grateful to you and every commentator. Have a great day my friend.
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #15
I just wonder why you don't write more buzzes dear Harvey Lloyd with such deep thinking that you have. Living humans and living trees have so much in common and also their differences as you pointed out in your comment. I want to elaborate more, but would love first to read your explanation of your writing "A hurricane within the grove represents volatility". I don't want to make guesses, but feel you have a deep meaning in saying this.
Mohammed Abdul Jawad
منذ 7 سنوات #14
Harvey Lloyd
منذ 7 سنوات #13
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #12
Mohammed Sultan- this is my gem of the day your writing " just a group of people working together to a group of people thinking together,mixing their soils ,mating their ideas, and those who can use one another's resources in the right way and for the right purpose". I am on the same wavelength and no question asked.
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #11
Mohammed Sultan- tis is my gem of the day your writing " just a group of people working together to a group of people thinking together,mixing their soils ,mating their ideas, and those who can use one another's resources in the right way and for the right purpose". I am on the same wavelength and no question asked.
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #10
The first step is asking the right questions and so my sister Irene Hackett you are on the right path. I am sure you shall illuminate us with your findings and answers to these very relevant questions.
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #9
@Joris Plaatstaal- yes, we humans have choices, but do we select carefully? Having choices is one thing; selecting the right ones is another. I love the experiments you are doing and may be you shall be able to elaborate more on it. My answer is definitely yes to your question "I think you are saying that life will prevail. I agree. Life is wonderful. Life is inevitable".
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #8
Mohammed Sultan- imagine a soccer match in which each player tries to score himself and deny passing to other well-positioned teammates. What would happen? When self-interest precedes team interest and individualism prevails we ose. It is he same with any other "game" in life.
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #7
I- interesting is your linking this buzz with the US elections and the swing in predictions. Yes, this is a powerful example and you remind me of Julius Cesar who became powerless in no time. History repeats itself. I also very much like your other point "there's always activity inside trees during the barren winter months when they shed leaves and might appear dead". ACting deas to survive is a strategy that trees do. I thank you for sharing this buzz my friend
David B. Grinberg
منذ 7 سنوات #6
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #5
Superb comment by the beautiful mind Sara Jacobovici suggested gradual adaptation. Combining the two ideas then we have many possibilities or varieties of adaptations. I am mesmerized by your writing, Sara, "This, like any other human trait, can work to our advantage through innovation and development, or against us, that we detach from the norm and fail to thrive"This is a great example of choices and what choice humans make- a topic that you covered extensively. More than that, is the embedded paradox that we have two opposite choices and fail to see of what benefits us more between the two. Even when we have two choices only we fail miserably sometimes to take the right one. Your exammle of the tomato is spot on of what I mean. .
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #4
Very comprehensive your comment is dear debasish majumder. I love it all and find it worthy of responding to in a dedicated buzz I liked this "due course it may gradually learn to adapt. however, we cannot rule out, sometimes policy paralysis occur owing to such abrupt natural invasion and unlike plants, human, though having capacity to innovate, may ceases to act, resulting them to face ruinous impact". I like your concept of "gradual adaptation" and this is a worthy topic on its own and how gradual adaptation-growth unfold in the spacetime. Surely, lots to ponder on.
Sara Jacobovici
منذ 7 سنوات #3
Ali Anani
منذ 7 سنوات #2
This comment of yours CityVP Manjit moved me because it relates this buzz with my previous buzz on "Trees Development as Metaphors for Business Development". In particular I mean the segment of your comment in which you stated "There is plenty of water for employees where the job of sales is delegated to a particular group and the arid strategies of entrepreneurs can see them innovate and adapt to harsh environments but essentially engage a labour of love that accompanies much higher reward/payback". Sales as part of development, but always must incorporate the balance that we "that made the home reality valuable - but a famine cannot be allowed to ruin things - for all things including family and work are a part of a life giving network". I couldn't agree more with this great elaboration.
CityVP Manjit
منذ 7 سنوات #1