Buffalo Culture Leadership Lessons: Running into the Storm Together

By: Ricky Harper, C12 Northwest Florida Principal Chairman

You can learn a lot about leadership by studying the difference in the way cattle and buffalo respond to storms.

When a storm is building on the horizon, cows do a very natural thing: They run away from it as quickly as possible. On the surface, this makes perfect sense. It is logical behavior for the cattle to continue running away from the storm as it approaches and overtakes them. 

On the other hand, buffalo are unique in the animal kingdom. When a storm develops on the horizon, buffalo turn and they charge directly into it together.  By running at the storm, they run straight through it. Whereas cattle maximize their exposure to the elements and danger, bison minimize their exposure.  They experience less discomfort, exert themselves less, and simply are not in harm’s way as long as cattle are. This behavior may seem counter-intuitive, and it is. It is also brilliant! 

GOOD LEADERS RUN INTO THE STORM

Cows do what many leaders do when faced with a storm: They run or hide. Rather than confront their storms, they use tactics such as optimism and wishful thinking, or they hide to avoid danger and confrontation.

Whether on the plains of the western US or in the crucible of corporate office suites, our reactions to the storms we face dictate our exposure to their dangers.  

Today, American businesses face storms of unprecedented proportions.  We live in a VUCA environment (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) and we must confront the storms our businesses face with courage, aggressiveness, clarity and without hesitation. In 2024 the storms are not getting smaller. They are larger and have become more difficult to navigate than ever.

Facing the storm of loneliness

One of the most difficult storms that CEOs and business owners face is the storm of loneliness. It is rightfully said that being at the top is a lonely place. That is not just cliché! The storm of loneliness creates indecisiveness that limits your ability to innovate and pivot. Further, the burden of leadership and the loneliness that comes with it not only causes emotional and spiritual harm, but it also causes physical harm such as cardiovascular issues. How many times have you sat in your office wondering what to do, who to turn to, where to go next, where to get wisdom, or how you were going to make it? Worry is like a tornado spun off a large storm that will bore a hole in your heart and your soul.

You do not have to be alone.

Right now, throughout the panhandle, there are groups of your peers running into the storm together. These groups are called “Peer Learning Groups” and they serve as each other’s sounding board. C12 builds Peer Learning Groups of up to twelve non-competing, like-minded, Christian CEOs.  In a Peer Learning Group, leadership is developed by studying MBA-accredited content together, challenging each other to think and then challenging each other’s thinking. We share best business and leadership practices, and we hold each other accountable to excellence as defined in God’s word.  C12 has been around for more than 30 years and is built on a strong foundation of biblical principles and a stewardship mindset.

We are a “Buffalo Culture.” We run into the storms, and we do it together!