π Fishy Friday: The Harbour Seal β Mastering the Shift
Next in our Fishy Friday series is the harbour seal, one of the most adaptable marine mammals in our oceans.
Harbour seals can dive to depths of around 1,500 feet and hold their breath for up to 30 minutes. To do this, they slow their heart rate from 75β120 beats per minute to as few as 3 or 4 while diving, conserving oxygen for extended underwater hunts.
On land they appear awkward, pulling themselves along the shore with a slow shuffling motion because they cannot rotate their hind flippers forward like sea lions. However, in water they become graceful and efficient swimmers.
Their whiskers are incredibly sensitive, detecting the wake of a fish that passed by 30 seconds earlier. They are intelligent and social, with mothers recognising pups by smell and vocalisations. One fascinating behaviour is βbottlingβ, where they rest vertically with just their heads above water, napping while staying alert.
π‘ What we can learn:
The harbour seal reminds us that success often depends on moving between different environments. Strategy and execution. Big picture thinking and practical delivery. Focus and recovery. Knowing how and when to shift gears, and adapt your energy to each situation, is key to sustainable high performance.
How well do you transition between the different demands of your role?
With the help of my brilliant friend and colleague Allison Ross, Β ππ-π’π΄-ππ°π―π΅π¦π―π΅ ππ³π€π©πͺπ΅π¦π€π΅, ππ΅π³π’π΅π¦π¨πͺπ΄π΅, π’π―π₯ ππ°πΆπ―π₯π¦π³ at The 4 Percent, Iβve created a short quiz to reveal your inner marine creature.
Give it a try here- Which Marine Creature do you embody?
#FishyFriday #LearningFromNature #LeadershipLessons #Adaptability #SustainablePerformance