Remember....You're a Magpie
Thomas Sproston • 5 March 2021
Business Owners as Magpies, Surely Not?
Bit of a complex subject to open with, but hear me out on this one....
Magpies are wonderful birds -
they're constantly busy investigating and dealing with the stuff that interests them the most and the shiny stuff that looks even more interesting than that whilst playfully paying near complete ignorance to the stuff that doesn't matter to them at that very moment.
They've also got a lot more going on plumage and colouration wise than you'd expect - the Eurasian Magpie looks black and white from a distance but the black is actually various shades of blue and green when inspected closely and it changes significantly in different lighting.
It's important to see also how these birds defend their own - ask any Australian about 'Swooping Season', where the birds will swoop aggressively on humans to protect their young against the threat they perceive - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma_5QppCuyI - they do it quickly, angrily, without remorse and for as long as required to get the issue addressed!
That's without discussing intelligence or their social desire to any huge degree - it's well known these birds are remarkably intelligent and can be trained to do tasks and thrive hugely off each other socially.
Which brings me nicely on to business owners... we have more than a few similarities than you'd expect to Magpies!
Your average business owner has a particular area or two they're really interested in and they're varying levels of motivated or even near useless at the rest - Mine is technical safety and safety management...but draw me into accounting and business strategy and you've lost me. The clever magpie owner will recognise this and outsource to another competent
business magpie who finds these problems particularly shiny and interesting.
The allegory can be pushed further still - most business magpies have far greater ideas under their initial plumage that just need further help to get out and/or optimise and will defend their interests to the hilt where appropriate.
It's little wonder really why I took inspiration from the wonderful little bird for the logo...
In summary, as a business owner - like it or not - you're a Magpie. Embrace it and remember to find others to deal with the stuff that's not shiny to you!
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