Our Advisor – The Elephant / Monkey split

With our next Knowledge Network event centred around our ‘animal – like’ communication style, we took the opportunity to quiz our Business Advisor team and discover which animals they are.

Our newest recruit Phil is a split between an Elephant and a Monkey.

Elephants are capable, analytical and often more sensitive and vulnerable than they let others see. They are extremely reliable and value clarity, gentleness and quiet. They have difficulty expressing themselves and people can see them as overly formal and fussy. When talking with Elephants, allow them to save face and be prepared for lots of questions about detail.

The fact Phil’s communication style is split between these two animals is particularly interesting, as, on the face of it, they seem to possess conflicting traits. On one hand, Phil will go through your business plan with a fine tooth comb and drill down on the details of your cash flow, but on the other, he will encourage you to think outside the box, enjoy a lively brainstorm session and be really hands on with your business support.

Whilst Monkeys are dynamic, creative and energetic. They can inject liveliness and humour into the dullest of situations. Because of this, others sometimes feel they don’t take things seriously enough. They often have trouble with timekeeping. When talking with Monkeys be enthusiastic, tap into their ideas and give them space to think flexibly and change their minds.

Phil’s thoughts: “I think being a split between these two animals is really the best of both worlds. I can be logical as well as creative and I value fun as well as reliability. I would say that generally, I consider myself to be cool, calm and collected, like an elephant although once my interest is peaked, I’m in monkey mode! Fortunately, I know when it’s appropriate to put my elephant head on and vice versa with my monkey head. Perhaps it’s because I’m a Gemini?”

Having an Elephant / Monkey as a Business Advisor means you will be working with a reliable and professional expert, who can also see the lighter side of life. Your business will be in steady and capable hands, although that’s not to say you won’t see real glimpses of dynamism and energy. Ultimately, Phil is flexible, making him an excellent Advisor for start-up businesses.

Book your tickets for our Knowledge Network with Nigel Risner here