Game of Numbers? Ask the Ants! (13)

You think numbers don’t matter? Tell that to a presidential candidate who wants to win votes. Tell that to a business person who needs more sales. Tell that to an entertainer who wants views and likes on social media. Tell that to a reality TV show contestant who needs votes to stay in the show. Tell that to a nation that needs to protect its sovereignty through military might from hostile neighbours. No one understands the power of numbers than the ants because of these:

1. Unimaginable results: number is a major asset to ants. Researchers describe them as the most efficient predators on earth because they consume more meat than lions, tigers and wolves combined. In a single year, a colony of ants consume over 10million insects. This statistics doesn’t refer to a single ant but a multitude of them. You never consider a single ant a pest but if your home is infested, you may need professional assistance to regain control. People have even relocated because of persistent infestation. You stand a better chance of achieving your goals faster if you can mobilize a mass of committed persons.
2. Focus on joint efforts:  the life of an ant is not as important as the survival of the colony. It takes one person to spark a revolution but a multitude to sustain it. A person may start a movement but its success and survival depend on a multitude. If the Civil Rights Movement was entirely dependent on Rev. Martin Luther King, it would have collapsed after his death in 1968. However, Rev. King had ignited a fire in the hearts of multitudes that grew into a raging fire after his demise. If you think you can singlehandedly achieve your vision, think again. If you trust yourself alone and you fail to entrust responsibilities to subordinates, you have failed as a leader. If your followers don’t see what you see or feel what you feel, they will never go where you go or do what you do.
3. True division of labour: in ants’ communities, there is division of labour. See here for article on the subject. The number of ants involved makes the work process more efficient. Unfortunately in the human community, while division of labour is claimed, few staff are recruited to do the work of several others. In a case where five people do the work of 10 people, not only will there be fatigue, quality will drop. Division of labour means no body is overburdened so that productivity and quality can be at the peak.