Eleven years ago when The Culture Coaches was conceived a close friend had just returned from Safari. The one creature he kept talking about over and over again was the Giraffe. “I never realized how magnificent these creatures really are! I just can’t get them out of my head. They are so amazing” It got us thinking and researching more about The Giraffe. We soon discovered The Giraffe is the perfect mascot for the work we do in creating more positive and productive work places where people love their work and people love their lives. Here are a few lessons we as humans can learn from these phenomenal animals full of grace, poise, quirkiness and magnificence.

Have a Presence, Stand Tall These magnificent creatures have a way of leaving people in awe. People love being around charismatic people as well. Like Giraffe’s we can create an experience for people by being memorable and leaving a legacy in people’s hearts and minds.

Look Beyond the Now and Into the Future Giraffes are the tallest of all living land mammals allowing them to look to the horizon, seeing beyond whats in front and comprehending what’s ahead. Like the Giraffe we need to look ahead and plan for our future.

Balance Heart with Edge Giraffe’s have the largest heart of all land mammals, are non-territorial, social and do not eat meat so they don’t not hunt or hurt other animals in order to survive. The giraffe can, however, protect itself and its calves when it needs to It can be a difficult and dangerous adversary even to the Lion the King of the Jungle. Just like Giraffes we can learn to balance being gentle with being strong.

Embrace Uniqueness The giraffe is quite an interesting mix of a camel’s body and a leopard’s spots. No Giraffe’s spot pattern are ever the same. Giraffe’s even walk a little different than most four-legged animals. As humans, each one of us has a unique set of gifts and talents that we must not only accept but also embrace and develop to make our special mark on the world.

Reach for Good Leaves The incredible height of the Giraffe allows them to reach higher up on trees where leaves are rarely eaten. This means the leaves are better quality with more nutrients. Giraffe’s can inspire us to reach higher and higher in all aspects of life and work. We must set high standards to yourself to have the best, be the best and expect the best in yourself and others.

Push Your Young A baby Giraffe is walking within hours of its birth. Even though the calf is scared, the mother isn’t afraid to push and challenge the calf because she knows what is inside that calf and what the potential is. She cares enough to push. Giraffe’s teach us to stretch ourselves and others around us beyond our comfort zones because only there is where real growth happens.