Herding Cats

Slide1: 

Save the Children US Team, Bhutan Mick Yates, Singapore, April 2000

Leaders …: 

are interdependent with followers Leaders … have a rock-solid value system which is congruent with their followers’ always accelerate change

4 e’s model to lead change: 

Envision Enable Empower Energize Set in a 100% congruent value system Fast Innovation - all levels Connect the knowledge Connect the people - interdependence Learning organization 4 e’s model to lead change

Eglantyne Jebb (1876-1928) : 

Eglantyne Jebb (1876-1928)

Leading is like herding cats: 

“I like the phrase herding cats not merely because cats [and people in general] have their own agendas … but because they will manipulate the herding process just to confound the herder … just to remind the herder that the herding process is not merely futile but also illusory.” Jeanne Simpson Leading is like herding cats

Why can’t you herd cats …?: 

Why can’t you herd cats …? They have 9 lives They jump, they fall, they land upright They always win They are psychic They are always in control They are all like Garfield …..

Cats are highly evolved … and perfectly suited to the environment: 

Every organization (or cat) is perfectly designed to get the results that it gets ….! Cats are highly evolved … and perfectly suited to the environment

Forget cats … what about people?: 

Forget cats … what about people? 20 million years of evolution as an ape 1.3 million years evolution as a hunter gatherer 8 thousand years as a farmer Only “a few minutes” as a farmer .. so .. do we still have a “hunter gatherer” mentality? Courtesy Bernard Harrison, Director Singapore Zoo, 1998

Hunter/Gatherer – 1.3mm years: 

Hunter/Gatherer – 1.3mm years 1.3 million years Groups of 30 to 50 Hunters & gatherers All share task of food-finding Year-round sex Large brain Long infancy

Hunter/Gatherer – 1.3mm years: 

Hunter/Gatherer – 1.3mm years Leadership by consensus No hierarchy Nomadic & few possessions Emotional intelligence?

Slide11: 

Emotional Intelligence - apologies, Mr. Goleman!

Farmer – 8000 years: 

8,000 years ago Farming - wheat, barley, goats & pigs Regular and surplus supply of food Free people for specialization Cities and societies Farmer – 8000 years

Farmer – 8000 years: 

Leadership by individuals Hierarchy Accumulation of objects & wealth Intellectual intelligence? Farmer – 8000 years

9 lives or 9 intelligences …..?: 

Physical: make good use of your body Introspective: understand own thoughts & feelings Interpersonal: relate well to others Verbal: use words well Mathematics: logic to systems & numbers Musical: understand & use music Visual: spatial awareness & visual arts Virtual: values driven in complex e-space Global: local and universal simultaneously 9 lives or 9 intelligences …..?

Do animals have leaders?: 

It varies .. A school of fish doesn’t have a leader Social insects (ants)have a leader for life Hunting dogs have group consensus Baboons compete for leadership We’ll come to cats later … Do animals have leaders?

Fish … no leaders … like birds?: 

Fish … no leaders … like birds?

Being a fish in plain English …: 

Being a fish in plain English … Leaders need to encourage and train themselves and others to ENVISION: Follow their best instincts … they are often right … so risk it! ENABLE: Be spatially & environmentally aware EMPOWER: Change who is leading depending on the task … forget the hierarchy

Ants - Social insects ….: 

Queen sets up the colony alone Males are for reproduction Different castes - workers, soldiers Very organized Complex Totally instinctive Fixed rules -no change Ants - Social insects ….

Being an ant in plain English …: 

Being an ant in plain English … Leaders need to encourage and train themselves and others to ENVISION: Perpetuate the enterprise ENABLE: Be specific about skills meeting roles EMPOWER: Keep others lives simple, whilst understanding and embracing complexity … more on this last point in part 2

Hunting dogs ….: 

Packs of 5 -30 individuals No dominance hierarchy Co-operative hunting party Share food equally, let pups eat first Hunting dogs ….

Being a dog in plain English …: 

Being a dog in plain English … Leaders need to encourage and train themselves and others to ENVISION: Be aggressive for the sake of the group not for the sake of the individual ENABLE: Have a cooperative hunting strategy EMPOWER:Be loyal - developing shared values

Baboons ….: 

Leadership by competition Equivalent to our kings Resolves conflict amongst members Harems led by dominant male Baboons ….

Being a baboon in plain English …: 

Being a baboon in plain English … Leaders need to encourage and train themselves and others to ENVISION: Accept & follow the principles of the marketplace ENABLE: Resolve conflict, so it does not detract from the group’s work or effectiveness EMPOWER: Develop strong personal, portable skill sets in everyone … so they will survive

Cat quotes …: 

Cat quotes … “Managing senior programmers is like herding cats.” Dave Platt (Hewlett Packard) “As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat.” Ellen Perry Berkeley “Dogs believe they are human. Cats believe they are God.” Anonymous “Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow.” Jeff Valdez “Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want.” Joseph Wood Krutch

Cats don’t like leaders …… they are all leaders!: 

Cats don’t like leaders … … they are all leaders! And they eat the bad ones!

Being a cat in plain English …: 

Being a cat in plain English … Leaders need to encourage and train themselves and others to ENVISION: Recognize that everyone’s needs are different yet often have common themes ENABLE: Recognize that everyone is an individual first and a group member second EMPOWER:Encourage people to understand and express themselves and their feelings

Being Mick Yates herding cats …: 

Independence: Cats are always loners .. except when they don’t want to be. Authority: Cats never accept authority like dogs .. only things done in their best interest. Attention: Cats have psychic attention … and like it. Meaning: Cats give a meaning to their own life .. and expect you to understand and then to act on it. Trust: Cats trust people .. but have nine lives, just in case. Self: Cats know what they want better than you do. Being Mick Yates herding cats …

The uniquely human part …: 

ENERGIZE: Motivate – what they want to hear, not you say Communicate - simplicity Say it over and over – and over – and over Empathize – and be humble Walk the talk – everyday, all day Challenge fairly – deal with the real issues Help everyone learn – and learn yourself The uniquely human part …

4 e’s model to lead change: 

Envision Enable Empower Energize Set in a 100% congruent value system Fast Innovation - all levels Connect the knowledge Connect the people - interdependence Learning organization 4 e’s model to lead change

Junior Leadership on the Battlefield: 

Junior Leadership on the Battlefield “Never underestimate the enemy. Respect him, but equally always remember, regardless of the odds, team to team, yours is better. If there is any doubt in your mind in regard to this previous sentence you had better start training harder, or hand over your command” Australian Army Leadership Manual, 1994