Which one are you: Hyena, Giraffe or Eagle?

I was reading a post this morning on Manta.com about companies wanting employees to take responsibility for social posts mentioning the company they work for, even off the clock. What they are asking, it seems, is for employees to have an entrepreneur mentality. Unfortunately, there seems to be a huge gap between entrepreneur mentality and employee mentality, and not all people are cut out to be entrepreneurs. You see, I've found that there are three types of animals in the world. Hyena's, Giraffe's, and Eagles.

The Hyena:
These are the one's with an 'Employee' mentality. They say "That's not my job". They know what needs to be done, but would rather let someone else do it. They don't bother to take ownership of anything, responsibility for anything, and expect recognition and reward for everything. They put themselves first, customers second, and the company last. They are usually late to work, early to leave, and wish for a 3 day work week. They want the most reward for the least amount of time and effort, and usually want it now. They laugh, deride and belittle others, often gossiping and spreading a general unhappiness and uneasiness amongst the herd.


The Giraffe:
There is another animal, however, usually mistaken for an employee, but they are really entrepreneurs in disguise. These are the employees who go above and beyond the call of duty. They take responsibility for things without being asked, and just take care of it, with no expectation of recognition or reward. They provide excellent customer service, because they enjoy it. They treat customers the way they should be treated. They treat others as they would like to be treated. They go the extra mile. They are perfectly content and comfortable in their position. They are the reason their company receives good reviews. If they were to leave the company, the customers would go with them. They are like Giraffe's because their thoughts are higher up than those of the employee, rising above the office politics, backstabbing, complaining and belittling their coworkers and bosses. Their efforts and benefit to the company usually go unrecognized and unrewarded (sadly). If they had the desire to become entrepreneurs, their company would undoubtedly flourish, as they possess all the qualities of a successful entrepreneur. 



The Eagle:
Entrepreneurs say "If it is to be, it is up to me". They see what needs to be done, take responsibility for it, then take action on it, with no expectation of reward. They do what's right, do it because it's right, and do it right...the first time. To the entrepreneur, the customer comes first, employees second, and the company third. They don't care how long it takes and will keep at it til it's done, and usually wish for more hours in the day so they can accomplish more in a day. To them everything is an investment which will pay off in the long run.



Which animal are you? The Hyena, Giraffe, or Eagle? Since you're reading this, you're probably either a Giraffe or an Eagle, since Hyena's don't read.


Are you unhappy with your job? Do you want something better? Do you continually say to yourself "There has to be more to life than this"? If so, there may be an Eagle inside of you trying to get out. Should you take the leap? Perhaps, but first, I recommend becoming a Giraffe. After that, entrepreneurship will come naturally.