DISRUPTIVE CAMOUFLAGE--WHY TEAMWORK MATTERS
On one of the early morning game drives of our Zambian safari this past week, our guide explained to us the various capabilities that animals on the savannah possess to elude their predators, such as speed, kicking strength, the ability to climb trees, and so forth.
As we rolled past a group of zebras, I asked, musingly, “How do zebras defend themselves against predators?”
The guide answered immediately: “Disruptive camouflage.”
Disruptive camouflage, he went on to explain, works by breaking up the outlines of an individual animal by disrupting those outlines with strong, contrasting colors and patterns—such as zebra stripes. This is effective because, when a group of zebras (called, interestingly enough, a “dazzle”) senses a threat, they often gather into a tight band. They press together and move in unison. Instead of seeing prey, the predator sees a riot of patterns and colors, all blending together. The dazzle of zebras looks like one huge and intimidating object. (Photo 1)
(This, by the way, is the same principle that explains why animals can usually get incredibly close to safari vehicles without reacting aggressively. As long as we stay in the vehicle, we look like one big, rolling mass.)
It is not until the zebras begin to pull away from each other that danger strikes.
Fear, confusion, and the instinct to flee can sometimes break the tightly knit group apart. And as the distance between the zebras widens, suddenly the predator can see the gaps, and each zebra becomes an individual target. (Photo 2)
This explanation reinforced an important principle about human nature and the importance of teamwork. Like zebras, good people teams work together, too. In strong teams, we find the strength and ability to face risk and overcome challenges. We have each other’s backs. We all bring our unique skills to fill in the gaps. We move in unison towards a common goal. And the diverse uniqueness of each one of us—our individual stripes, if you will—strengthens and expands all of us.
When teams work this way, the result is, in a word…dazzling.
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Photo 1: Disruptive camouflage
Photo 2: When a zebra leaves the group, it creates a gap and exposes the zebra.
