“A fox knows many smaller things, but a hedgehog knows one big thing.”
–Archilochus, Ancient Greek poet
Hedgehogs view the world through the lens of a single defining idea; foxes draw on a wide variety of experiences and do not boil it down into a single idea. As I show in my book Time to Lead, the distinction is highly useful for the study of leadership, particularly when examined as part of four Aesopian possibilities that include eagles (both a hedgehog and a fox) and ostriches (neither a hedgehog or a fox).
What are you? Are you a hedgehog, fox, eagle, or (dare to face the truth) an ostrich? Fill out the Hedgefox Scale. You might even be different than you think.
Instructions: There are no right or wrong answers and your first reaction is important. While you may not always behave in the same manner in every situation, give the dominant response. Answer truthfully. Remember, according to the renowned psychologist Daniel Goleman, realistic self-awareness is a hallmark of emotional intelligence.