| I have noticed that people accept mediocrity in their | | | | Boy! |
| relationships with their horses. Rather than fixing a | | | | I also wonder why people accept mediocrity in the |
| problem, they will just accept it and live with it. | | | | people they are leading. If employees hate coming to |
| Unfortunately, some leaders also do the same with | | | | work, and go through the day listless and |
| their followers. | | | | non-responsive, should the manager accept such |
| I have heard people say, "Oh, my horse doesn't | | | | behavior? It's easy to say, "Those people in accounts |
| cross water." Or, "My horse is afraid of plastic bags." | | | | receivable just don't work that hard." But, it would be |
| Some people won't leave the property because their | | | | better to work with them and figure out how to |
| horses are "barn sour" and only want to run back | | | | motivate them to be more productive. |
| home. Some won't ride alone because their horses | | | | As an example of a leader recognizing mediocrity, but |
| get too antsy on the trail alone. I have been asked | | | | doing nothing to fix it, I remember a time when I |
| to not canter in an arena because it was making the | | | | was giving a presentation about some new |
| other horses too nervous. | | | | technology we were rolling out to the customer |
| I know one woman who will only ride in an arena | | | | service representatives at the company I worked |
| where there are no other horses. She holds her | | | | for. After I was done with my presentation, but still |
| horse back with a tight grip on the reins and the bit | | | | standing at the front of the room, a senior vice |
| pulled hard into his mouth so that he doesn't go to | | | | president stood up in front of the group and said, |
| fast. She's so wound up that her horse gets wound | | | | "I have been getting a lot of complaints from |
| up and excited, and she has to hold him down even | | | | customers recently that you people have been rude |
| tighter. Whenever she rides, it's a battle to see who | | | | to them. This has to stop. If I keep getting |
| can get control of their nerves better, and it's an | | | | complaints, we may just have to find people who |
| accomplishment when the ride ends with no blow up. | | | | can do this job better." |
| What's amazing is that she has ridden this way for | | | | Not only was I astounded that this woman would |
| thirty years and thinks it is fun. | | | | speak to her employees this way, but I was |
| There was one time my wife and I were about to | | | | embarrassed that I was still standing up there, which |
| go on a two hour trail ride with a group of people. I | | | | made it seem like I supported her. I looked around |
| was going to ride a horse that hadn't been ridden for | | | | the room. Most people had their eyes down. Those |
| a while, and he wasn't used to being away from | | | | whose eyes I could see looked liked puppies who |
| home. I decided to not go on the ride, and stay back | | | | had just been scolded for making a mess on the |
| and play with my horse to calm him down. I was | | | | floor. |
| disappointed, but it was the best thing for my horse. | | | | Just berating her employees and asking them to do |
| During the ride, a friend of ours rode up to my wife | | | | better is sort of like that woman who rides her horse |
| and asked why I didn't go along. She said that I didn't | | | | only in an arena. If the employees step out of line, |
| want to get into a fight with my horse. Our friend | | | | she just pulls back harder on the bit to force them |
| replied, | | | | to behave. This same vice president was always |
| "If I didn't have fights with my horse, I wouldn't get | | | | mystified that there was a lot of turnover in that |
| any riding done." | | | | department. Like the rider who always blames her |
| Sometimes, I just shake my head and wonder why | | | | horse, this boss always blamed her employees. |
| people accept such mediocrity in their horsemanship. | | | | That vice president could have said, "Oh, Boy! Here's |
| Most of the time, it's because they don't know any | | | | an opportunity to make my company better." Let's |
| better. For them, it's normal to have a jumpy horse, | | | | imagine another scenario in which she would have |
| or to fight with their horses. It's all they have known. | | | | said, |
| I am fortunate that my horsemanship instructors | | | | "I have been getting a lot of complaints from |
| have shown me that if there is a problem, fix it. If I | | | | customers recently. What can I do to help you |
| have a horse that doesn't like plastic bags or won't | | | | improve your interactions with our valuable clients? |
| cross water, it becomes an "Oh, Boy!" moment, as in, | | | | What makes you upset enough to make customers |
| "Oh, Boy! Here's a puzzle we get to solve." And the | | | | upset? What strategies can we use to help you be |
| horse and I figure out a way for him to love going | | | | calm when a customer is unhappy? How can we take |
| into water or being rubbed with a plastic bag. | | | | a difficult situation for the customer and make it |
| If I have a horse that is excitable and gets nervous | | | | better for them?" |
| in new situations, he and I will go to new places and | | | | Those employees probably would have been able to |
| see lots of things. I will usually do this while I am on | | | | share some frustrations and give some suggestions. |
| the ground first, because if my horse is nervous | | | | But, most importantly, they would be grateful for |
| while I am riding, I get nervous, and the cycle | | | | getting some help from management. If that vice |
| escalates. If I am on the ground, I can be completely | | | | president had offered to help her employees instead |
| confident and allow the horse to jump around at the | | | | of threatening them, they would have been a lot |
| end of the lead rope until he tunes into my calmness. | | | | more willing to work for the good of the company |
| When he sees that, as his leader, I am calm, he will | | | | instead of against it. |
| be, too. I will only ride him when we both are | | | | Just like I feel it is my responsibility to help my horse |
| confident. | | | | through his problems, that vice president should have |
| It's my job to get the best performance possible out | | | | helped her employees be the best possible customer |
| of my horses. I don't accept mediocrity in their | | | | service reps they could be. Instead of searching for |
| behavior, and I work on problems until they go away. | | | | excellence, she accepted mediocrity. Instead of living |
| Actually, these behaviors that I don't like are not | | | | with the problem, she should have fixed it. |
| really problems, but opportunities to improve. Oh, | | | | |