Reflections From a Head Hunter

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who think the world is out to help them, and those who think the world is out to get them. I used to be the latter.

Yesterday one of my clients (let’s call him Mr. A) matter of factly said to me, “We’re not participating in this recession.” We’re not participating in this recession? Isn’t that a little pollyannish and naïve?
Stunned, I responded with some version of, “well that mindset will certainly help you skirt parasitic pessimism.” Empathetic yet vague. Yes, solid plan. Repeat back to the client some version of what they’ve articulated to you. If that’s what clients want to hear, then that’s what will catch their attention.

It later dawned on me (over my usual tall skim toffee nut latte), that Mr. A was right in his own right. Could he miss out on important modifications warranted by such an extensive financial crunch? Sure. Could he forgo essential strategic planning implications necessary for survival? Absolutely. Yet, Mr. A was opting to focus his energy on thriving (not surviving) despite the tight market.

The recession allows us (or forces us, depending on your state of mind) to reevaluate and start over. If you’ve been caught in a RIF, you’ve been pushed off the cliff. Please immediate go and thank the person who sent you your pink slip. If you’re sitting at your desk slaving away, thinking I’ll just keep my nose to the grindstone, please get up and go to the watercooler. Now. In today’s marketplace, nobody’s job is secure. And I don’t just mean in this economic climate. You always need a plan B.

So you say, ‘well I wouldn’t know where to start’. Everyone does. Just take the first step in faith. Without expectations and without a plan. Talk to your neighbor. And your neighbor’s neighbor. And your neighbor’s neighbor’s neighbor. Start a journal. Keep a list of those things that you want, but that you don’t have now. Assess what you do have now that you want to keep (and things you want to chuck – that’s the fun part!).

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who think the world is out to help them, and those who think the world is out to get them. I used to be the latter. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the notion that a complete stranger would lend a hand for nothing in return.

As someone who makes a living off of hunting heads, out of the 100 people I approach each day, how many do you think hang up on me? Go ahead, guess. I bet you’re thinking back to that telemarketer who called last night whom you abruptly cut off. 40% perhaps? 50% you say? In actuality, I think I could count on one hand the times I’ve been purposefully disconnected in the last year.

In today’s marketplace, everybody is chatting. Why? Because climates of uncertainty breed a need for stability. And we look for stability in our friends, colleagues, superiors, kids, neighbors, and maybe even the dry cleaner. We lean hard on our support network. But so does the guy down the hallway who’s made Presidents Club seven years running. And that is precisely why people are receptive to helping you. Because we all bond over the same need: the basic need to maintain (or improve) our balance and stability.

So go ahead, trust in others. Take that first step. Set the bar a little bit higher – and then go chase after it. Martin Luther King Jr. had it right when he said, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.”