Practicum: Are "Hunter" Skills Hardwired?

We recently acquired a kitten. He likes play and pounce, particularly at night. I did some research and his nocturnal hyper-activity coincides with his ancestor's need to hunt for food. Indeed, his "play" basically revolves around sneaking, pouncing, clawing, and biting various items. At 2 months, his hunter instincts are hardwired in.

This is not unlike what we can observe in the workplace. While many managers are comfortable within the sheltered walls of organizational hierarchies, budget lines, and positional power, some exhibit hunter instincts - constantly hungry for the next challenge. Working together on a project operating in the margin is often a frustrating experience for the hunter. The non-hunter answer to every suggestion begins with "no".

However, kids are natural margin managers. They are constantly exploring, creating, and testing the boundaries of what is possible. We, like our new kitten, are hardwired for hunting. As we grow up, we are rewarded for conformity, standardization, and institutional compliance. These are all needed to operate effectively as a group, but organizations and individuals should never lose the ability to work creatively outside the lines.