Hunting vs Fishing

The (silly) metaphor that will lead to far better outcomes

Problem solving, negotiating, managing, selling and resolving conflict all have these things in common – interacting, working, and communicating with other people. Our lives, both personal and professional, are filled with working and communicating with others. There are typically two ways people try and solve problems with other people. First, some people see themselves as hunters. They stalk through the forest, rifle in hand, and when they see something they want from someone, they go directly after it – they “shoot”.

This Practice Guide is about another way, a different approach to successfully working with other people, one that always sends you home with a “catch”, i.e. with a constructive and positive outcome for everyone. There is another, and better, metaphor than hunters and prey. That metaphor is fishing. More specifically – BrainFishing.

Fishing is the metaphorical opposite of hunting in many ways. Fishing is about catching their attention, hooking their interest, luring them into a real dialogue where everyone gets what they need. It’s about using some of the most powerful bait there is – the possibility that interacting and working with you will get them what they need and what they want without being threatened, without being hunted or stalked.

BrainFishing is a simpler way to engage with everyone, one that feels more like a quiet day on the water enjoying the sun as you solve problems. Compare that to trudging through the woods, cold and wet, trying to force everyone into a solution that works for you but not for them. Most of us, I think, would prefer a quiet day of fishing!