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Surviving Your Serengeti: Survival and the Nature of the Animal:

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605

Surviving your SerengetiHopefully, most of you have seen  Bob Stewarts Post on "Surviving Your Serengeti"   In case you haven't,   Stefan Swanepoel  has written a new book "Surviving Your Serengeti" which will be released on March 1. Stefan uses the characteristics of several species of animals as metaphors for the survival traits that are needed to prosper  in the shifting sands of our current business environment.  The first two chapters are available for downloading.   There is also a quiz that you can take "what animal are you?" which can give you insight into your strengths and potential weaknesses.   The quiz is short and worth the time.

I will confess that I took the quiz and the results didn't make that much sense to me.   Looking back on the process,  I have a feeling the dyslexic in me made more than one mistake.  I tend to make mistakes on multiple choice test when filling in  my choices and I took it when my energy was at a low ebb and I was distracted. Since the system wouldn't let me back in - I decided to address the quiz in another way.  By using each animal as a metaphor for understanding my strengths and weaknesses.

The Strategic Lion
   
One thing is certain - I don't just wing it.  Although there are times when you just have to plunge in - that is relatively rare for me.  For example, I was having difficulty promoting myself for listings.  Instead of running around just trying to find a way "in" I have taken a step back - calculated the costs and am now implementing a plan of action.   I plan first - then act and am good at the coordinated attack where several outcomes are possible.

Unlike that lion, I have not been that collaborative - at least not in the real estate industry and at least up to now.  Although collaborative efforts are very much a part of my past in my former field.  The problem here is that I have been burned by being too collaborative and need to create a balance between my fear of being on the short end and the advantages of a symbiotic collaboration.  

The Enterprising Corcodile:

This is what the quiz said I was.

Like the crocodile  - I do think outside the box and I definitely have a clear mission.  Although determined to succeed - that determination is tempered by recognizing the realities of the times.  I am not a "rah, rah" type that is eternally optimistic.   Though that seems to be the order of the day for most crocs.  In fact this is what leads me to believe that I made an error in taking the quiz. 

Like the crocodile,  I possess the ability to work alone - however I think some of that is more the product of my training as a Ph.D. than an inherent trait.  Doctoral candidates are competitive and you had better have the capacity to work on your own and figure things out for themselves.  That aspect of my former field was not something that came naturally.  I had a very hard time with it  but learned in time that no one was going to help me but me


The Enduring Wildebeest:

Tenacity is something I have in abundance.  When I was little I had a learning disability that was not identified during my school years.   When you have an unidentified LD as well as a desire to become a biomedical scientist - tenacity and endurance are essential.  It took longer than I would have liked and I got my doctorate - only to discover that there were no jobs that paid a living wage.

There are times when I need to know - not just how to hold them - but when to fold them.  Endurance without any insight as to what is on the other side of the tunnel is foolhardy.

The wildebeest teaches us to endure - but we need to know what the possible outcomes are and prepare for them.  I tend to go too far for too long hoping for a better outcome.

The Risk-Taking Mongoose:

Although I would not describe myself as much of a mongoose in the area of readily accepting risk with no reward.  This may be mindset that result from some tough life lessons rather than an ingrained trait.  I have a history of taking the road less traveled - but this trait has brought me more pain than success and limits my willingness to take risks - particularly financial risks.

On the other hand,  my real estate coach has said that I don't just work outside the box - but have kicked the box to the curb with respect to how I conduct my business.  So I tend to head towards uncharted waters - while at the same time being risk averse.  I try to limit those waters to expenditures in time and not money.  However, my unwillingness to invest with no guarantee of reward has held me back in tough times.

The Communicating Elephant:

One of my strong points is the ability absorb and retain information about my clients.  I seldom forget a detail about their needs and wants.  Its funny, my clients sometimes don't realize that I file away their responses and reactions until I hit the nail on the head about what their focal issues, needs and conflicts.  Most of my clients seem really surprised at the details that I do remember about them. 

And that's perhaps where I need the most work.  Perhaps my body language presents a remoteness as I take in their reactions and thoughts.  I have a feeling I concentrate too hard on how to fulfill their wishes than responding in the moment.    This is an area where I can really improve dramatically.


On the positive side, from the internet to the closing table I try to create a consistency that extends from my initial message to a satisfying conclusion for all parties.  I don't over promise and under deliver.

The Efficient Cheetah

I am least like the Cheetah - although I am good at prioratizing - I sometimes can get overwhelmed by a large looming task.

Where I could learn from the Cheetah - I tend not to recognize certain activities as a waste of time and effort until too much energy and expense has been wasted. I need to get in front of expensive time and money soakers. This is in direct conflict with my comments on the risk-taking mongoose.  But actually - in this case I tend to continue with things that worked in the past but are no longer working NOW.  Since they worked before, I don't want to jettison that security blanket - and that can be costly.

There is also a need to know when to set limits and call it a day.  I don't have that and can then suffer from burn-out.  When that happens, I tend to get sick.  I have always been like this and pacing myself is something I have to work on for the future.  I have been learning to heed the signs and step back when needed, but it does not come easily.

Graceful Giraffe

The way in which I do resemble the Giraffe  is by living up to a set of personal standards that goes above and beyond the usual.  The downside is that I can sound "preachy."  This is particularly true in the way I choose to market myself.  I won't do what I don't want done to me.  That eliminates cold-calling, becoming a pest  by snail mail, email or any other medium you can imaging.  It absolutely eliminates door knocking.   I know that this is sometimes not in my best interests.  But its a service industry - and who am I serving ?  Myself or the client? 

So there you have it - I aired perhaps more than I would generally like to admit in public, but this exercise has allowed me to pinpoint my strong points and given me areas to work on for the future.. 

I linked this blog to the AR page on Facebook and on the Suriviving your Serengeti fan page...

 

Comments (14)

Debbe Perry
Real Living Carolina Property - Morganton, NC
828.439.3084 Morganton/Lake James NC

Wow, Ruthmarie, what a thorough, deep review of who you are and how your character traits can help you survive the Serengeti! Though in some areas I am the opposite of you, and in some a continuation of the same theme, I could benefit from many of your skills. We're all here to use our skills to the best of our ability, and when we don't have skills in a certain area, we learn them or learn to let others complement our skills with their skills.

I read about you and your strengths as you compare yourself to the animals of the Serengeti and have the picture of a thorough advocate who cares so deeply for her clients that sometimes she forgets to tell them. Your true colors come out in writing about yourself - let them fly!!

Thank you so much for your post!

Feb 21, 2011 07:29 PM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Hi Ruthmarie. This is really insightful.  I think you're right - we each have aspects of each species and we all have elements we can learn.  Love this.  nice job.

Feb 21, 2011 08:22 PM
Ruthmarie Hicks
Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605 - White Plains, NY

Hi Debbe -- To be totally candid... the reason this turned into an in-depth study on myself was that I'm pretty sure I made a couple of mistakes on the test.  Multiple choice was always a serious issue for me in school. I got good scores because I had to practice DOING multiple choice for hours and hours.  I would fill in the wrong mark.  Do the opposite of the instructions. You name it.  Essays - not an issue.  Anyway, i couldn't check by taking the test again - so I decided to go through the species and find my strengths and weaknesses.

 

Hi Debbie - WOW -two Debbies (almost)   Thanks - what I said above applies - I just had to make it work since I couldn't go to my test results.

Feb 22, 2011 04:05 AM
Marie Graham
Owner, The Refreshed Home White Plains NY - White Plains, NY
Westchester County Interior Decorator, Home Stager

Hey Ruthmarie-thanks for the post and links. Have been reading about this in dribs and drabs, but kudos to you for taking that long look in the mirror-hard to do, but every day am finding AR community to be a safe place for it.

Feb 22, 2011 05:22 AM
Ruthmarie Hicks
Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605 - White Plains, NY

Hi Marie,

Did you take the test?  I found that messing up the test helped me look at ALL the species.  I think we have bits and pieces of each in us.  The question is where are we strong - and we should play to that...and where can we improve....

 

Feb 22, 2011 05:33 AM
J. Philip Faranda
Howard Hanna Rand Realty - Yorktown Heights, NY
Associate Broker / Office Manager

So that's what the references were about? I've been too busy grousing about a tsager in Alabama to be in the loop. I will have to read the book. 

Feb 23, 2011 01:28 AM
Joelle Embres
jsellhomes@live.com - Parkland, FL
Re/Max Advisors

Hi Ruthmarie, Thanks for the heads up .Im going to download this and check it out. Happy Wednesday!

Feb 23, 2011 04:44 AM
Stefan Swanepoel
New York Times Bestselling Author & International Speaker - Ladera Ranch, CA

Ruth, No wrong answers on the test!

It appears to me that you did very well. The fact that the fable and quiz nudge you to revisit yourself and cause renewed introspection, I am already humbled. You are right - we all have multiple skills and talents. "The question is where are we strong - and we should play to that...and where can we improve...."

Stfean Swanepoel
Author: Surviving Your Serengeti: 7 Skills to Master Business & Life

Feb 23, 2011 11:00 AM
Gail Robinson
William Raveis Real Estate - Southport, CT
CRS, GRI, e-PRO Fairfield County, CT

Ruthmarie,  I don't think you've ever revealed so much about yourself before.  Your analysis was far more in-depth than the analysis from the quiz.  What will you do differently as a result of this refleciton, if anything?

Feb 23, 2011 11:00 AM
Leslie Ebersole
Swanepoel T3 Group - Saint Charles, IL
I help brokers build businesses they love.

Wow, I am impressed by the detail you pulled from this. I have looked at so many personality tests over the years I was amused by my first read but not thoughtful.  I bought a half dozen copies right away to give to people, but really didn't use this as the learning experience that you did. I will follow your example and try again tomorrow.

Feb 24, 2011 02:29 PM
Ruthmarie Hicks
Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605 - White Plains, NY

Hi Phil - I didn't read the whole book, but they had a summary on the site.  I read those and worked with it.

Hi Joelie  - Have fun with it.

Hi Stefan - What an honor to have you on my blog! Thank you so much for visiting.  I've been a fan for a while.  The reason I don't actually think I'm a crocadile is that I am always the voice of doom (or reality ) on AR.  People who say you can psych yourself up to force the issue and be successful in this type of market are playing with fools gold - in my opinion that is.  The people who have been in business for years may have the database that they need to get through -but newer agents are having a very tough time and I may have to close my doors.  I started as the market was slowing and have only had one profitable year since 2006. But it wasn't for want of trying or hard work.  Being realitic is essential. So I don't see myself as a crocadile.

Hi Gail - I have to learn to jeteson things that are not working and to keep options open to do other things.  I will have to take more risk with resepect to getting my name out.  I'm running out of funds, but what I'm doing now is obviously not sufficieint. To that end I contacted the real estate Tomato.  My "outside blog" is pulling 4000 visitors a month and they ARE reading the real estate content  - like crazy.  At least according to analytics.  But it is NOT making the phone ring and that has to be fixed - even it if costs me.   That amount of activity should be giving me a good 40 leads a month for a 1% sign up.  Its nothing close to that.  Now only about 1 in 20 of those would lead to a sale - but there is no point to the blog if I don't get phone calls or emails.

Hi Leslie - I think getting it wrong made me think about it more than would have had the results made sense to me... But there is a lot to learn from each of these players....

Feb 25, 2011 08:37 PM
Emily Medvec
eXp Realty LLC - Santa Fe, NM
Broker | Realtor | Serving Santa Fe & Northern NM

Ruthmarie, I think you are right on target with looking at the skill sets of all of the them. After all, none of us at the moment are in the Serengeti. What I found useful was the way you connected each of the skill sets to each animal. Your post helped me re-think some things. Thank you!

Feb 27, 2011 01:03 PM
Lynn B. Friedman CRS Atlanta, GA 404-939-2727
Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty - Love our Great City - Love our Clients! Buckhead - Midtown - Westside - Atlanta, GA
Concierge Service for Our Atlanta Sellers & Buyers

Der Ruthmarie -

You said. "Looking back on the process, I have a feeling the dyslexic in me made more than one mistake."  Quizes like that always seem so confusing and superficial to me.

You , however, made the depth of the process very clear.  This book is like everything else, you get out what you have put in.

Thanks for your thorough thoughts.

Have a happy day-
Lynn

Feb 28, 2011 08:43 PM
Ruthmarie Hicks
Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605 - White Plains, NY

Hi Emily,

I read yours but had to dash out the door so I didn't get to comment - I'll go back again.   What happened was that i know I'm too risk averse to be a crocadile - I am probably somewhere between the wildebeest and the lion.  So I know I put in a wrong answer or two.  It simply didn't fit.  However it forced me to look at all the animals and I think we all have aspects of each within us.

 

Hi Lynn,

I think making the mistakes forced me to put more into this than I would have otherwise.  I'm not generally big into public introspection, but this was a good exercise - and of course it was wonderfully written by Stefan.

Mar 01, 2011 12:22 PM