The Mantis Shrimp — Seeing What Others Can’t
Continuing our Fishy Friday series, we meet one of the ocean’s most extraordinary overachievers: the mantis shrimp.
Despite being only a few inches long, the mantis shrimp experiences the world in ways that are almost unimaginable to us. Its eyes are the most complex in the animal kingdom, with 16 colour receptors compared to our three. They can see ultraviolet and polarised light, and each eye moves independently with its own depth perception effectively giving them trinocular vision.
Then there’s the punch. Some mantis shrimp are “smashers”, equipped with club-like fists that strike at speeds of up to 50 mph, with the acceleration of a bullet. The force is so extreme it creates cavitation bubbles that collapse with a flash of light and a shockwave, meaning prey is hit twice. Others are “spearers”, using sharp, spiked appendages to impale their targets with precision. For their size, they’re astonishingly powerful, capable of cracking shells, breaking aquarium glass, and deterring predators many times larger.
Beyond raw power, mantis shrimp are surprisingly sophisticated. Some species form monogamous partnerships, recognise individual neighbours, and communicate using fluorescent body patterns visible only to others of their kind. They are strategic, perceptive, and decisive, a rare combination.
💡 What we can learn:
The mantis shrimp reminds us that different perspectives reveal entirely different worlds. Our way of seeing isn’t the only one and often not the most complete. Seeking out radically different viewpoints can uncover insights we’d never reach alone. And when clarity arrives and opportunity presents itself, act decisively and with confidence.
Whose perspective might show you colours in your work or business that you’ve never seen before?
#FishyFriday #LearningFromNature #DifferentPerspectives #DecisiveAction #LeadershipLessons
With the help of my brilliant friend and colleague Allison Ross, AI-Powered Learning & Transformation Architect (aka the Geek Goddess), I’ve created a short quiz to reveal your inner marine creature.
Give it a try here Which Marine Creature do you embody?