Be a Corporate Tiger!

The Tiger’s Roar: Lessons from Forests and Teams
“Do not cut down that forest with its tigers! Let not the tigers be driven from that forest! There can be no forest without tigers, and no tigers without a forest. The forest shelters the tigers, and the tigers guard the forest!” — Mahabharata
This ancient wisdom reflects the symbiotic relationship between tigers and their natural habitats. Just as forests thrive with the presence of tigers, organisations too can harness the metaphorical strength of these majestic creatures by forming “tiger teams”—small, specialised groups that deliver swift, strategic solutions to complex challenges.
India’s Tigers: A Legacy of Growth
India’s tiger population has been a beacon of conservation success. Rising from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, this growth speaks to the resilience of our ecosystems and the collaborative efforts to preserve them. These apex predators have roamed Indian forests for over 12,000 years, showcasing strength, adaptability, and an unyielding spirit—qualities that tiger teams embody in organisations today.
What is a Tiger Team?
A tiger team is a task force of experts from various fields, brought together to solve critical problems or seize high-impact opportunities. These teams, much like their namesake, are agile, powerful, and focussed. They operate outside the constraints of traditional hierarchies, fostering innovation through crossfunctional collaboration.
The Tiger in Action: Real-World Examples
Several organisations have successfully deployed tiger teams to navigate challenges:
NASA’s Apollo 13 Mission: Experts swiftly designed solutions to save astronauts in a life-threatening crisis.
Google’s Project Aristotle: Tiger teams identified key factors for successful teamwork, enhancing collaboration across the company.
Apple’s Product Development: Agile tiger teams consistently deliver cutting-edge innovations.
Ford’s GT Supercar Project: A focussed team of engineers and designers rapidly developed a high-performance vehicle.
These examples demonstrate how tiger teams can combine expertise, speed, and creativity to achieve exceptional results.
Harnessing the Tiger Team’s Strength
Drawing parallels to the tiger’s attributes, tiger teams thrive on:
• Strength and Power: Members bring robust skills to tackle challenges head-on.
• Agility: Just as tigers adapt to their environment, these teams pivot strategies to meet evolving needs.
• Focussed Teamwork: Small and purpose-driven, they ensure efficient problemsolving.
• Strategic Leadership: Like a tiger leading its territory, effective leaders guide these teams to success.
The Forest and the Tiger: A Call to Action
The lesson from the Mahabharata is timeless:
Balance and interdependence drive sustainability. For organisations, this means nurturing innovation (the forest) while empowering their people (the tigers). Forming tiger teams can be a transformative approach to navigating today’s fast-paced, complex challenges.
When we unleash the power of a tiger team, we channel the essence of the tiger—bold, agile, and purposeful—into our pursuits. Let us guard our forests, both literal and metaphorical, ensuring that our tigers, whether in nature or in organisations, continue to roar.
Saurabh Kekre
Deputy Manager – Domestic Sales,
P&ES MPP, Sai Chambers, Pune

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