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In each our personal and skilled lives, we regularly encounter the proverbial “elephant in the room”—obvious, glaring issues that no one dares to address. These unspoken problems can solid long shadows over progress, stifling innovation and growth.
There is, nonetheless, one other kind of “elephant”. This Other The elephant represents deeper truths about people, situations, and organizations that are easy to miss when we focus only on the obvious. For entrepreneurs and business leaders, recognizing and addressing this hidden elephant is key to building successful and resilient organizations.
Surface vs. Depth
The term “elephant in the room” normally refers to something obvious but ignored—something that is too uncomfortable to talk about. In a business context, it is perhaps a toxic work environment, financial instability, or a flawed strategy that no one wants to confront. These issues, if left unaddressed, might be the downfall of a company because they have a tendency to get worse and worse over time. But the second “elephant in the room” is different. It’s not about what’s visible and ignored; it’s about what’s invisible and ignored.
This second elephant represents the hidden layers inside every person and organization. These are the unexpressed emotions and anecdotal experiences that shape behaviors, decisions, and outcomes. In entrepreneurship, these hidden aspects are often the key to understanding why things occur the way they do—why a promising business idea fails, why a team struggles to work together, or why a leader makes seemingly irrational decisions. By looking beyond the surface, entrepreneurs can uncover insights that lead to simpler strategies and stronger relationships.
Eviatar Zerubavel in her book “The Elephant in the Room: Silence and Denial in Everyday Life, examines how individuals and organizations often ignore or deny uncomfortable truths, leading to a culture of silence that may undermine effectiveness. In business, this silence around the second elephant—those unseen and unspoken truths—can prevent leaders from addressing the critical issues that are essential to growth and innovation.
A Lesson from Elephants
I recently had the privilege of visiting an elephant sanctuary in Thailand where elephants rescued from abuse and neglect are given shelter so they’ll get better and thrive. Standing next to these magnificent creatures, feeding them, and mud bathing with them was a transformative experience. Elephants are known for their incredible memories; they remember each the kindness and cruelty they have experienced. Despite memories of past abuse, they proceed to invite humans into their space and allow themselves to be cared for.
It was a useful lesson in resilience and empathy—key traits that are not only essential for personal growth but also essential for business leadership. The elephants’ ability to forgive and trust despite their traumatic pasts is a powerful reminder of the hidden stories that every human carries.
Building meaningful connections
In entrepreneurship, success is often built on relationships—whether with customers, employees, investors, or partners. Meaningful connections are the foundation of these relationships and require greater than a superficial understanding of the other party. Building meaningful connections requires taking the time to understand the deeper truths that drive people’s decisions and behaviors.
For example, when negotiating with a potential business partner, it’s easy to focus solely on the terms of the deal. However, understanding the other elephant in the room—their hidden motivations, fears, and desires—can lead to a more successful and mutually helpful agreement. Similarly, when working to resolve a conflict in a team, acknowledging the unspoken emotions and experiences of those involved can lead to a simpler and lasting solution.
Just as elephants in a sanctuary learned to trust and connect with people despite their previous experiences, entrepreneurs and business leaders must learn to look beyond the surface and connect with deeper layers of the people they work with.
The importance of empathy in leadership
Ability to recognize and solve problems Other elephant in the room is a key skill for entrepreneurs and business leaders. It requires empathy and the ability to look beyond the surface. Look for the unspoken dynamics in your organization, resembling power struggles, unresolved grievances, and unspoken fears.
Empathetic leaders create environments where people feel seen, heard, and valued. They recognize that an worker’s performance is not only a reflection of their skills and knowledge, but also their mental and emotional state. In this manner, by addressing the hidden aspects that affect team members, empathetic leaders can foster a more positive and productive work environment. This might mean providing additional support to an worker going through a difficult time, or it’d mean addressing hidden tensions in the team that are affecting collaboration.
The Hidden Elephant in Organizational Culture
The concept of the other elephant applies particularly to organizational culture. Every company has a culture, whether it is consciously cultivated or allowed to develop on its own. At first glance, organizational culture is often defined by visible elements resembling mission statements, values, and behaviors. But the real essence of a company’s culture lies beneath the surface, in the unspoken norms, beliefs, and assumptions that guide how people interact and make decisions.
For entrepreneurs building a company from the ground up, it’s essential to bear in mind of the hidden elephant in the room in their culture. This means not only articulating clear values and expectations, but also actively shaping the underlying dynamics that influence behavior. For example, a company may publicly promote a culture of innovation, but if employees fear taking risks because of unspoken repercussions, the real culture could also be one of caution and conformity. By addressing these hidden dynamics, entrepreneurs can create a culture that actually reflects their vision and supports the success of their company.
Turning to the second elephant
For entrepreneurs and business leaders, recognizing this hidden elephant is key to building resilient organizations and meaningful connections. It requires a commitment to looking beyond the obvious, understanding the deeper truths that drive behavior, and leading with empathy and compassion.
I imagine that by integrating these practices—recognizing hidden layers in our teams, fostering empathy in leadership, and addressing the unspoken elements of our organizational culture—we are able to create environments where people feel valued and understood.
Take a moment to consider the other elephants in your online business or organization. What unspoken truths is perhaps impacting your team’s performance or your organization’s culture? How are you able to address these hidden dynamics and cultivate a culture of openness and empathy? By adopting this approach, you not only increase your possibilities of business success, but you furthermore may contribute to creating a more humane, connected, and resilient organization.