Every once in a while I come across a new concept or idea that is worth sharing. Several months ago I purchased a copy of a new book called “Surviving Your Serengeti” by Stefan Swanepoel. Stefan is a real estate industry leader and one of the most influence people in our space. I thought perhaps this book would be another “how-to” regarding real estate trends, or “how to” survive the downturn, full of information, because those are things Stefan is knowledgeable about. I could not have been more wrong!
The book is a fable of a young couple who visits the Serengeti of Africa to explore and experience firsthand that beautiful land. More importantly, by observing the behavior and unique skills of several the animals of the Serengeti, they learn more about themselves and how those attributes relate to their own interaction with others. Further, they learn from the animals unique skills and strategies that, when understood, can change their own lives.
The book itself is a fascinating and informative read, but one of the best parts is that once you understand each of the seven animals, you are directed to go to www.WhatAnimalAmI.com where you can take a quick and easy 21-question quiz. After you complete the quiz you will be instantly notified which of the seven animals you most closely resemble, along with a detailed description of the character traits. I did it – and I am a mongoose!
A mongoose, you say? That’s what I said! Who wants to be a mongoose? I wanted to be a lion, the King of the Jungle, or possible the cheetah or even a crocodile. But a mongoose? Clearly the test was mistaken, so I thought I would take it again and get a different result. I really thought through each question, I even changed a few of my answers to not be so extreme, but the result was the same. I am a mongoose.
Now before you dismiss me as a trusted resource or un-friend me from Facebook, let me tell you a little about the mongoose. With Stefan’s permission here are the attributes of the mongoose:
- The ability to overcome the fear associated with the risk by evaluating potential pitfalls.
- Viewing the change that immobilizes others as simply another hurdle to overcome. Risk- takers don’t see how things are, but how they could be. They are willing to do whatever is necessary to achieve the desired goal.
- A readiness to break free from social and emotional boundaries, opinions, beliefs, and restrictions imposed by business and society. Unaffected by the opinions of others, they freely and openly express their ideas.
- Adeptness at finding ways to hedge against risk to take advantage of the upside of a given situation.
- A readiness to assess whether the reward is worth the cost required to take on the risk. They willingly invest hours of personal time on a project, while recognizing that it won’t necessarily be successful.
- An upbeat attitude that allows for potential losses and the refusal to be overwhelmed by the prospects.
- The courage to step out into uncharted waters to ensure that goals are achieved.
- Everyone has a different comfort level in terms of risk—but no matter how much is involved, a positive attitude is essential for success. If doubts and fears overrule hope and optimism, success is much less likely to occur. Small achievements bolster confidence, which leads to a willingness to take bigger risks and accomplish greater goals.
When I showed this to my wife her response was simply, “Oh, you are totally a mongoose!” Easy for her to say; she is a Communicating Elephant!
After spending two days at a recent Safari of Self Discovery workshop with Stefan and getting a much clearer understanding of each of the animals and their skills, I discovered that the test was right on, and that I do possess some special skills that have helped me be successful. It also helped me understand why it was so important to understand each of the other seven animals and the attributes they possess, so I could surround myself with people that had different skills than me.
The other animals/skills include:
- The Strategic Lion (my business partner Stan’s secondary trait)
- The Enterprising Crocodile (Stan and also my secondary trait)
- The Enduring Wildebeest (my amazing assistant Miriam)
- The Risk-taking Mongoose (yours truly)
- The Communicating Elephant (my dear wife)
- The Efficient Cheetah (my other business partner Brent)
- The Graceful Giraffe (Brent’s secondary trait)
Each of these animals have core values, instincts and skills that allow them to survive the most intense challenges experienced by animals anywhere in the world. It’s simply fascinating!
I have taken many different personality tests over the years and know the difference between Type A and Type B or DISC, or Red, Yellow, Blue and White and many others. They all have great value in teaching us how to deal with others and master building relationships. The Serengeti workshop opened my eyes that there are so many other skills than just four and that it makes sense for us to surround ourselves with people who possess skills where we may be weak. Having an Enterprising Crocodile and an Efficient Cheetah as business partners, and an Enduring Wildebeest for an assistant, makes for a very formidable team! And being married to a Communicating Elephant allows me to learn to become a better communicator.
This has been a very interesting journey of self-discovery for me. I encourage each of you to go online and buy the book (http://bit.ly/SerengetiBook) or download the audio version (http://bit.ly/SerengetiAudio) and one way or the other, be sure take the test (www.WhatAnimalAmI.com) and let me know what animal you are.
I look forward to hearing from each of you and sharing more information as new discoveries are made with how to really internalize and maximize this new discovery. Enjoy and have a great week!
Verl "The Mongoose" Workman
