Recently, I was told by my exercise coach to “be the buffalo” and not a cow and quite honestly, I had no idea why I would want to be either. I then learned the following about the habits of cows and buffalo.
When cows sense a storm coming, their natural-instinct is to outrun the storm. If you know anything about cows, they’re not very fast and the storm catches up with them. So, instead of outrunning the storm, they run right along WITH the storm, maximizing their time, pain and frustration from the storm.
The buffalo on the other hand, do the exact opposite. When a storm approaches, they turn and charge directly into the storm. By running at the storm, they run straight through it, minimizing the amount of time, pain and frustration they experience from the storm. The direction they take during a storm is much smarter.
The cow may appear to be “pretty stupid”, but human beings are guilty of trying to avoid “storms” all the time. People in debt, try to avoid paying their bills. People with medical or weight problems avoid seeing a doctor or changing their lifestyle. People in bad relationships, avoid the tough conversations, that could possibly reconcile their relationships. People who have no time for exercise, still take the elevator vs. the stairs. The examples are endless.
So, how does this relate to the Staffing and Recruiting Profession?
Where you are right now in your career is the result of choices you’ve made to date. What big billers and peak performers have learned is “When you procrastinate about solving a problem, the problem is only amplified! Waiting always makes things worse!
With people on both sides of our sale, we don’t get to choose whether or when we experience storms, and they will happen. The only choice we do get is HOW and WHEN we respond to them. Do we turn and charge into the storm or run the other way?
COMMON “STORMS” IN RECRUITING…
When your client hires someone else from your competitor – don’t get upset
• Figure out how to provide better talent on their next opening.
When you have more open jobs, contracts or assignments than people – don’t complain
• Make enough recruiting calls to surface the talent you need.
If your clients are not paying full fees or high margins – don’t get frustrated.
• Make sales calls to upgrade your client base.
When your candidate “no shows” on their first day of employment – don’t get depressed.
• Recruit someone better to replace them.
When what you are doing, is not producing the result you want – don’t quit
• Invest in training that can teach you technique to make you more successful.
I’ve always had a business coach, mastermind groups and now an exercise coach to help me attain my goals. What about you? You can’t keep doing things the same way and expect different results – that’s the definition of insanity.
So, I’m asking you the same question Kaira asked me, “Do you want to BE THE BUFFALO or BE THE COW?” What DIRECTION will you choose to take?
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