I had an illuminating call this week with a company. After sharing hello’s, we got to the heart of the matter.
“We have a lot of farmers on our team and we’d like to find ways to challenge them to become hunters.”
I checked my notes. The company was in the Midwest.
It was possible they had farmers on staff. It wouldn’t be the first time we’d run a workshop for employees in the field, pun intended.
“We want our people to be out there looking for business, not only tending to the clients they have.”
“Makes sense,” I said. So no one was tilling soil. Farmers and Hunters in business, it's a thing!
“We can definitely help!" I added with newfound enthusiasm. "We’re all about inspiring people and getting them thinking creatively. I’ll send you a proposal.” I got off the call proud to have figured out the lingo and curious about the analogy.
I typed Hunter-Farmer in to Google. "ADHD and the Neolithic Revolution," were mentioned in the first 10 listings. There’s no way these folks were referencing any of that.
Then I got to number 11. The Hunter vs. Farmer Methodology. It’s a methodology!
The way it breaks down is pretty obvious. One likes the chase, the other likes to nurture. The longer I read about it the more I thought of that song from Oklahoma, "The Farmer and The Cowman."
“One man likes to push a plow, the other likes to milk a cow, but that’s no reason why they cain’t be friends!”
The song is actually a mid-20th Century bid for collaboration. Getting these two groups working together is better for the whole town! Much like what Hunter-Farmer methodology where it is proven that “running a synchronized hunter-farmer sales model, results in significant growth with new customers while retaining the ones you’ve already closed.” Whether it’s a town or a company, hunters, farmers or even cowmen – cowpeople in 2023! - the key to unlocking a thriving culture is this kind of synchronization. People contributing their individual talents, trusting each other and working together. How do you achieve this without a Rodgers and Hammerstein score?
By creating real human connection. In a musical the shortcut to this by singing together. In 21st C. business, studies show one of the most efficient ways to achieve this is by getting people laughing with each other. Not at each other, but engaging in structured play where people feel seen and heard and even silly. This is what we do best. Our unique programming allows everyone's talents to shine. Hunters, farmers and everyone in between are given the opportunity to be courageous, expressive and above all else authentic at the same time. Can't think of better synchronicity than that!
