Profits-In-Hand.com Blog

What does Building Online Business (BOB) have to do with Survivor? It is a great model to  learn lessons which can be positively applied to business building strategies.

When Survivor first came on the scene my thoughts, being a former soldier,  were it is about using basic skills necessary to survive in the wilds. I envisioned something along the lines of Man vs Wild, except competing against other players instead of just Mother Nature.

It took some time to finally realize that it was a game of social survival more than hunting, gathering, fire-building and shelter building skills. It turns out the sole survivor, who gains the ultimate prize, is someone who skillfully uses influence, persuasion, hypnosis and salesmanship. Sounds like business success to me as well.

To prepare for the experience you might want to read Cialdini, Hogan, Lakhani and Carnegie. Memorizing an SAS Survival Handbook might be handy but seems to have on effect on the final outcome.  Outwit, outlast, outplay it’s all a mental game. 

As you decide to join Survivor Building Online Business, keep in mind that everyone can be a winner. When your tribe has spoken then you will know the results.

You step out into a strange land. Nothing is recognizable. The terrain, vegetation and wildlife are totally new experiences.

All you have to quickly judge the strangers surrounding you are first impressions. Chose your team wisely, it can mean the difference between success and failure.

Your tribe is given an identity in an effort to form an instant cohesiveness. Is it possible for nine people from diverse economic, social, ethnic and geographical backgrounds work together as a single unit?

Are you ready for the challenge? In the distance you see a hill, the challenge is to get all tribe members to the top.  Want to know what you are playing for? (more on that later) The first tribe to get everyone on the peak will get food and fire. Also the first player of each team can claim an individual immunity idol.

One group helped each other out and was first. They went home with the food and fire. The other goup acted individually and paid for it with failure. They went home cold, hungry and thirsty. 

Things were good in the victorious camp. There was socializing and celebrating as they enjoyed a hot meal. Meanwhile, in the losers camp, there was bickering, finger pointing, labeling of faults with other members. All the while denying responsibility as a group. Disharmony reigned supreme.

Tree mail arrives, another day another challenge. Who will win the prize today? 

Six team members connected by rope must naviagate an obtacle course to a sand pit where three bags containing puzzle pieces are buried. The teams must collect the bags, deliver them back to the remaining team members who will assemble the puzzle. First team to complete the puzzle wins immunity and reward. Want to know what you are playing for? (more on that later)

It is said there is no “I” in team. But there is a “me” in team. A team is a system and each individual must contribute their part to perform well. An single member can’t do it all, ask Michael Jordan. Team members resisting the system will result in failure.

Things looked fairly even until they reached the pit. The individualist team had members taking breaks during the urgency of the challenge. Obvious reason they didn’t succeed. The other team won again and once again it was through cooperative teamwork. Seems like a good lesson.

Once again the cooperative team won immunity and also fishing gear. The losing team when back to camp still cold, hungry and thirsty.  They did manage to chose a leader but would you respect a leader who took off alone in a quest for individual immunity and then took a break in the middle of a challenge. He didn’t seem to lose any energy running up the hill to grab the idol.

Reward for the losing team, tribal council. Who would they send home? Would it be a weak member who couldn’t contribute much or would it be an strong member who is unsociable?

In the end, it was decided that the non-social member was unwanted. The tribe has spoken.

What lessons were learned this time?

• Pick a good team to work with in your business
• Make sure you build a relationship within your tribe
• Chose a team that is committed to being all they can be but also contributes to the overall success of the team
• Keep your attention focused on your goal

What were you playing for?

• If you feel you won individual immunity pick up reward here.
• If you feel you won group immunity/reward get it here

You saw how you can use Survivor to help you grown your online business.

See you next time on Survivor Build Online Business.