<a href="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/monarch-butterfly-on-flowers.jpg"><img style="border-width:0;margin:5px 5px 5px 10px;" src="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/monarch-butterfly-on-flowers_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="monarch-butterfly-on-flowers" width="244" height="184" align="right" /></a> What's the deal with a video about butterflies on a business blog?  Simply said, the butterfly is is thing of beauty and so are the right people in a great business.  It emerges from its cocoon, moves from place to place, does it's duty, and fosters growth in the most inspiring of ways.  The same can be said when you have the right people in the right roles.

At least that's what came to mind this morning as I watched <a href="http://everydayexplorers.nationalgeographic.com/individual-video.php?mediaid=263607">this video from National Geographic about the simple butterfly</a>.
<h4>We all need more butterflies in our businesses and in our lives.  Think of it like this:</h4>
<h4>The Butterfly is a creature that is committed to change.</h4>
Few creatures provide a better analogy for change than the butterfly as they move from stage to stage.  (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkiU9uFwqmw&amp;feature=channel" target="_blank">You can see a great time lapse series here</a>)   People also go through many stages.  It takes time for them to develop from an early stage to into voraciously absorbing the resources and knowledge around them.  Then its time to rest, use what they have consumed, and then emerge into something - or someone - pretty special.  It is that point that they spread their wings and fly. 
<h4>The  Butterfly moves from place to place enabling growth.</h4>
As a well developed butterfly spreads its wings, it moves from flower to flower, taking precious pollen with it.  This brings new growth, fresh blooms, and new colors to the world.  As a well developed person spreads their wings, they bring new businesses, new leadership, new opportunities, and new innovations. 
<h4>Butterflies like bees have a job to do. But Butterflies don't sting.</h4>
Now you might say that we do not need the butterfly since we have the bee.  It too moves from flower to flower spreading growth.  The BIG difference is that butterflies never sting!  On the people side, I bet you've met both butterflies and bees.  The butterfly gets the job done with elegance and finesse.  The bee is awfully busy in getting the job done, but don't cross it or it just might make you sorry.  That's why we tend to squash bees and treasure butterflies.
<h4>Butterflies are a wonder to watch</h4>
A fully developed butterfly is a wonder to watch.  We can learn so much from them.  Butterflies, like people, must stretch their wings and explore new boundaries.  NASA even took butterflies with them <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sliceofscifi.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/monarch-butterfly-on-flowers.jpg&amp;imgrefurl=http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2009/11/12/butterflies-going-to-international-space-station/&amp;usg=___4TmvHrttmRe5lFq0iSrqwz8KOA=&amp;h=375&amp;w=500&amp;sz=152&amp;hl=en&amp;start=15&amp;sig2=syH3iyVK2GRwzjsCA4OWsA&amp;um=1&amp;itbs=1&amp;tbnid=apV1l7Abt7YZrM:&amp;tbnh=98&amp;tbnw=130&amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbutterflies%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4DKUS_enUS288US288%26tbs%3Disch:1&amp;ei=vWXUS7nmDqW2tAPLj9nECQ" target="_blank">into space in 2009</a>.  The same is true of human butterflies.  If you give them time to develop, the resources they need to grow, and let them spread their wings, they will help your business garden grow and it's a joy to watch them do it.

Thanks for stopping by.  Stay Tuned...
<blockquote>Joan Koerber-Walker</blockquote>
<div id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:d654e80b-3d6e-4c36-bdf0-8741d06a3df6" class="wlWriterSmartContent" style="display:inline;margin:0;padding:0;">Technorati Tags: <a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/growth">growth</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/growth%20analogies">growth analogies</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/people%20skills">people skills</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/leadership">leadership</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/professional%20development">professional development</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/business">business</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Joan%20Koerber-Walker">Joan Koerber-Walker</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/CorePurpose">CorePurpose</a></div>