Herding Sheep

I often hear clients refer to “herding cats” meaning it’s nearly impossible to get everyone on the same page, which for anyone having a cat, is just too obvious. Or “herding sheep” as a reflection of how hard it is to get everyone moving at roughly the same pace. It occurs to me that many may not really understand the comment at the level needed to successfully address the issue.

I was raised on a ranch in Wyoming (I still own our brand, the /\7, the “open a seven”) and we had both sheep and cattle. Cattle were very independent and tended to roam at will, knowing where the food and the shelter was to be found, a t least right up to winter when we needed to bring them in to a central headquarters location where we could care for them during the worst weather when little or no food and surely no salt was available on the range.

Sheep were another issue. First there were three levels of “leadership” needed. The sheep dogs, indispensible, served to nip at their heels to get their attention and keep them moving together as a group, rather like many sales managers; then we has a lead goat, its job was to lead the flock to the next green pasture where feeding was plentiful; rather like the marketing manager who needs to discover and present new and innovative ways to help the salespeople thrive; and finally we had a sheepherder, who’s primary, really only job, was to protect the herd from predators. I’ve seen sheepherders walking for miles over difficult terrain carrying a new lamb on their shoulders, bringing it back to a willing nursing mother. I see this role rather like senior management, who can protect the sales people from those that would detract from their focus, causing them to become wayward and lost, well, less productive then they could and should be for sure.

It’s interesting to me how often life is imitated in different ways and different places. Perhaps we should re-think our sales management roles using the “herding sheep” example.

Hope you enjoyed another of my analogies!