Lessons from a Master Tracker - The curious “Why?”
White Rhino track. Photo: James Linnett
Last time I shone a light on Renias’s flexibility in his approach to helping me learn. Today I’m sharing one of his habits that anyone who spends time with Renias will begin to embrace.
Renias: “And tell me, James, how do I tell the difference between a White Rhino and Black Rhino track?”
James: “Well, the White Rhino has a square pad, a broad front toe and side toes relatively far forward on the foot. It also has two large lobes or a ‘W’ shape on the back of the foot. The Black Rhino has a much more oval pad, the inner and outer toes sit much further back on the sides of the foot, and there are no lobes on the back of the foot.”
Renias: “And why is it this way, James? There must be a reason.”
Sat in our makeshift classroom, this felt like the thousandth time I’d heard this question. It was the first thing out of Renias’s mouth each time we saw or reviewed something new.
I’d sigh heavily every time he asked, assuming I was being tested to see if I fell short. After more than thirty years in the corporate world, I’ve got used to “why?” questions being challenging and interrogative. Already struggling to absorb everything I was seeing, hearing, and smelling, was I now also expected to understand the fundamental basis of all these things?
As we talked, Renias emphasized that knowledge is where facts and understanding meet. Facts alone don’t help unless you can combine them to create a bigger picture. The better you understand the whole environment, the better you can grasp how any one creature moves through it.
Additionally, having a really good understanding of the basis of what you are seeing really reinforces the learning process. Our curious minds retain information so much better when we understand the “why?”.
This insatiable desire to understand lies behind everything Renias does. It helps him piece together how all the parts of his environment interact. He has integrated all of these “Whys” into a rich picture of his brilliant world and everything in it.
And as teacher, Renias’s curious, non-judgemental “Why is it this way?” creates a rich learning experience both for himself and his students. It's also made me ask myself these questions about how we take the lead in our own organizations.
How are we using the “Why?” question ourselves. Is it used as a weapon, or with a genuine curiosity to learn and understand? How might we change this?
As leaders, how much are we trying to truly understand the full landscape around us - do we really have an objective understanding on why the things around us are the way they are? Can we say we truly understand the way every person moves through our environment?
Renias’s earnest curiosity provided me with a richer context for what I was learning, and a set of deeper principles that reinforced my ability to put my lessons into practice in the field.
As for why the White Rhino has two large lobes on the rear of its foot—well, we made up a story that certainly seems sensible to us. Whether it is true or not, who knows, but I know I’ll never mistake a White Rhino track for a Black Rhino track again.
As always, I’d love to see your thoughts and comments.
Lesson 3 in a few days!