Herding barn cats?

[cswilson]

I'm still waiting to learn how to herd barn cats-alll i hear is this cattle stuff-sorry guys just a little levity-if you want to read some real fiction go to ranchers.net and read the R-Calf posts.

[cakadu]

CS, Rusty's comment really isn't so far off. Several years ago Warren Bennis - the leadership guru - wrote a book called "Managing people is like herding cats". The gist of the book is that we are sorely short of leadership (even in 1997 this was seen to be a problem). His contention is that managers will not be able to command, order and predict in a world that demands teamwork, synergy and empowerment. What they try to do with people is akin to herding cats - it just can't be done because a cat won't herd.

What cats will let you do is coax, cajole, persuade and gently lead them to do what you want. To get people to do this requires leaders that are able to empower and inspire people. We need to find those leaders that are able to not only help and empower others, but to also "raise up" other leaders.

We are in serious need of new leadership in agriculture in a couple of areas - new blood, new eyes and new ways of doing things, but also to fill the void that is going to be created when some of the current leaders retire or otherwise move on. We need to encourage people to step into leadership roles and become the models for tomorrow's leaders as well.

We've heard some people thinking about taking more of a leadership role in various organizations. That is a good start. Who else wants to step up?

[cakadu]

CS, Rusty's comment really isn't so far off. Several years ago Warren Bennis - the leadership guru - wrote a book called "Managing people is like herding cats". The gist of the book is that we are sorely short of leadership (even in 1997 this was seen to be a problem). His contention is that managers will not be able to command, order and predict in a world that demands teamwork, synergy and empowerment. What they try to do with people is akin to herding cats - it just can't be done because a cat won't herd.

What cats will let you do is coax, cajole, persuade and gently lead them to do what you want. To get people to do this requires leaders that are able to empower and inspire people. We need to find those leaders that are able to not only help and empower others, but to also "raise up" other leaders.

We are in serious need of new leadership in agriculture in a couple of areas - new blood, new eyes and new ways of doing things, but also to fill the void that is going to be created when some of the current leaders retire or otherwise move on. We need to encourage people to step into leadership roles and become the models for tomorrow's leaders as well.

We've heard some people thinking about taking more of a leadership role in various organizations. That is a good start. Who else wants to step up?

[cowman]

Rpkaiser: That idea of "holding off" the American elections,due to terrorist threats, is pretty scary stuff? Shades of Hitler and the Nazis?
I will note that IBP/Tyson has always been a major cow killer? They run a cow deboning line and have always been in the cow beef business? Or at least they sure were a few years ago? Probably many of you have seen Bill Schultz, their cow buyer at the various marts?
You can't miss him with his big handlebar mustache and bright red suspenders? Actually a real nice guy?
But maybe you are right about Lakeside( I don't go to the market anymore) but it seemed like XL MooseJaw was basically buying all the cows the last time I went!
I still have trouble with this idea of one great big plant killing all the cows in western Canada. I can't see why we couldn't have several plants under one owner/manager? We'd still have economy of scale if they were all owned by the same group?

[rusty1]

Economy of scale is taking your capital cost and deviding it by the number of head per day. Any cow plant (exclusive) less than 800 to 1200 head per day won't make it. PERIOD. Nielsons will be standing over the brow of the hill
waiting to be first in line. The problem is we have so many "wana-be's" packing plant emotional thinkers we can't be objective.

[rusty1]

Cowman - IBP - US has been out of the cow business for a long time. Has anyone asertained wheather Canada could get rid of all the meat from the cull cattle if we had it slaughtered?