Are you a hunter or farmer?
Theresa M. Szczurek //November 12, 2017//
Are you a hunter or farmer?
Theresa M. Szczurek //November 12, 2017//
A colleague asked me: Are you a hunter or a farmer? This is a question that sages since antiquity have pondered and answered with the advice to "Know thyself." It's not surprising that passionate pursuers — those who find and go after their passionate purpose — know themselves. But how can you become familiar with and understand yourself better?
Understanding has two critical elements:
You personal characteristics allow you to effectively use your values and gifts. People in my research study shared the nine SUNFLOWER traits found in effective passionate pursuers:
To learn more about these traits, see p. 51 in Pursuit of Passionate Purpose or read my newsletters on this subject.
HUNTER OR FARMER?
When I was asked this question I paused. While often used to describe sales people, this question has broader implications for all members of a business team.
SalesLoft gives these definitions:
HUNTER: Typically thought of as the doers, hunters aim to close as many deals as fast as possible. They often focus on deal quantity and love to explore new areas.
FARMER: Farmers focus on developing long-term customer relationships and working with others. Sales people with this attitude are happy working with a few customers to create a lasting impact.
I'm a hunter. I love picking up the phone to call someone or meeting a person at a conference and having a conversation to determine their needs. Can our solution help solve your challenges? Yet, I'm also a farmer. I am committed for the long-term to improving business communications with 'voice with visuals.' So I'm really a hybrid who follows the 'Never Quit' trait for both hunting and farming. What about you?
Know thyself. Do a personal inventory. What traits do you possess? How are you nurturing them? Are you a hunter, farmer or hybrid? Regardless of the answer, to thine own self be true.