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By “survival of the fittest” Darwin did not mean that the toughest will survive, the swiftest will win, the smartest will succeed, or the biggest will dominate. What Darwin meant was something far different. Darwin said that the organism that best “fits” its environment had the best chance of survival; hence, the term “survival of the fittest.” The plant or animal best “fitted” to its natural environment, according to Darwin, would be the most likely to survive and thrive. The tough West Texas shrubs and bushes thrived because they were best “fitted” (i.e., best adapted) to the harsh, dry climate of West Texas. These same plants transplanted to East Texas (a forested, high-rainfall area) would quickly succumb to competition from the rapidly growing pines and oaks of East Texas. The slow-growing, dwarf desert species of West Texas would not have a chance.

taken from: Survival Of The Fittest
By
Jerry W. Thomas

http://www.decisionanalyst.com/publ_art/Survival.asp

:)

Posted by jens at May 23, 2005 10:29 AM

HE WHO CAN HANDLE THE QUICKEST RATE OF CHANGE SURVIVES... John Boyd, Patterns of Confict.

I think Tom has written about Boyd in one of earlier books... Thriving on Chaos(?). Fast Company did an article. Coram wrote a nice book. Chet Richards runs a Boyd site at belisarius.com.

Posted by Mike Smock at May 23, 2005 11:41 AM

'You know I went to a school re-union 40 years on and the only person there who had not changed was me' ...Anon

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 23, 2005 11:52 AM

To some the more radical your PLAY - extreme tennis, weight lifting, running, etc. - the easier it is to master the disCOMFORT of "change" in career and lifestyle?

Posted by Sean at May 23, 2005 12:04 PM

Here here from England Sean! - keep rattling the cage!

We are just back from a gym session and yesterday our second 5 KM run - let's have more radical play I say

Change? - who cares? - bring it on my friend!

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 23, 2005 12:10 PM

What's interesting is that Darwin never actually used the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’; perhaps he was even more acute in his observations than people give him credit for.

Posted by Noel Guinane at May 23, 2005 2:00 PM

Is it being "Responsive" to change? Or is it rather the person who knows how to use change as an asset.

This requires self-knowledge, a strategic vision, and almost a spiritual immediacy. It is learning how to quickly turn ideas into action that produce results. It requires a confidence that exhibits no hesitancy, except when necessary. And when the wrong action is taken, knowing how to turn that decision around quickly.

Posted by Ed Brenegar at May 23, 2005 3:42 PM

Over the years I've made a number of changes in both lifestyle and careers. I started out in retail then embraced journalism for a while and managed a couple of rock bands too.

I was laid off by my company and subsequently became a full-time writer and a part-time outdoor instructor for four years. When three magazines went under in the same month, I changed direction again and went to university as an allegedly mature student.

Starting a degree course at 36 wasn't easy, but I did it and kept on writing at the same time. The course I did wasn't a fashionable one - Media Studies with Business Studies (I was the only one on this particular course), but I graduated three years later, having been probably the only Media Studies student in the UK with a national magazine column to my name.

When I graduated, I went full-time as a journalist, did some PR on the side for a while and even the odd bit of being a guest speaker at my old university's business school.

The writing took over my life for a long time and whilst I was very prolific, things had to change once more. So I cut back on the writing, took a five hours a week job in an outdoor store and then moved up the chain to a full-time role three months later.

That was two years ago now. Since then I've been promoted to manager, moved to a different area in the UK, had a life-changing illness and have gone back to work full time in the shop, albeit at a slightly slower pace than it once was - although we did make #3 in our company's listings recently.

Many people that I know just don't get the concept of change or how or why I've changed direction so many times in my working life. They're happy to plough the same old furrow day in, day out and quite simply haven't lived.

I've enjoyed the changes, even on those days and months when I've wondered why the hell I made them, but over the years I've gained a lot of different experiences that have stood me in good stead when I've been working or conversing with colleagues and customers.

I'm 47 years old, but I know that there will be more changes over the next few years. Being carted off to hospital because of a stroke (anyuerism) six months ago wasn't expected (I'd had a medical three days beforehand...), but it forced changes upon me in both my working and personal lives.

I do have challenges that I want to meet. I want to be the #1 store on my company at least once over the next year and I want the batch of articles that I'm writing tomorrow for a second magazine to be successful and lead to yet more work. I want to go climbing again once my hand and arm start working properly again and I want to take my girlfriend off to Norway next year to let her see what I've been on about for the last year or so....

As you may have gathered by now, I do change things and embrace changes quite regularly and grow stronger because of those changes. Some of the changes haven't been for the better, but I've taken the chance, gone into freefall for a while and have simply seen where I've ended up. It's been hard work, but it's also been fun too!!!

Cheers

Keith

Posted by Keith Rickaby at May 23, 2005 6:03 PM

Flexibility is the key, zigging when you were asked to zag, its innovation folks, being responsive to the challenges, knowing when (or not) if its time to stand up and be counted or sit back and watch.

I use the thought EM - NM Meaning there are times when EM - Everything Matters and times when NM - Nothing Matters. Even though major things happen during nothing matters times, hard but useful. (After all what are you able to change as an accident of major proportions happens in front of you, its all just happened, anything on from this is a response to an event, not to create an event, as you have no ability to slip back in time and alter things to create a less 'impactful' situation.)

Posted by Steve Gray at May 23, 2005 9:27 PM

I have recently had to lead my team through a lot of change some of the things I learned were:

1) Human beings can only deal with so much change at once. But never underestimate how much that is

2) Change impacts different people in different ways. I have seen people who were totally cool about massive change (a company take over situation) get upset with the smallest change in procedure. Change is often more about values being encroached or threatened than positions or skills.

3) winning the intellectual battle is usually short - the emotional battle can take years (guess which is the most important)

4) Not all change is for the better. Snr management is very good at post rationalisation - but the people ain't fooled!

5) Having good values will see you through a lot of bad times - without this foundation you are doomed.

Posted by PaulH at May 24, 2005 3:46 AM

And yes there is another quote that says something like:

"Tomorrow will belong to people who can learn, un-learn and re-learn"

Don't remember who said that, but puts jargon like "change management" and "responsiveness to change" in a different everyday lingo perspective

regards
Gautam

Posted by Gautam at May 24, 2005 3:52 AM

Fabulous Keith - keep on rocking my friend.

The changes you have undergone are real - you sound determined to rise to any challenge you are faced with - more power to you!

Good luck with your writing and enjoy the trip to Norway.

We have things in common in our careers and it is inspiring to see how you have adapted to circumstances thrust upon you through your illness - good luck.

Trevor

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 24, 2005 4:20 AM

Hi Folks,

"Change is the only thing that is constant". If u dont change along with times u dont live and ur life would be akin to sitting in a dark room and looking for a black cat that doesnt exist!

Cheers!

Sriram

Posted by Sriram Kannan at May 27, 2005 2:15 AM