Don't lead "sheep", herd "cats"
One of Branson's ten top success tips is he encourages us to "don't lead "sheep", herd "cats."
A major point he's obviously making is that when you consider cats, they can't be herded. He's talking about blind followers who don't give any input or add any value to the company. In other words you really can't control them when you herd them, you can only get them together enough to do a few things before they're taking off into the next adventure.
Another key importance to the saying is that the corporate culture needs to be in place where you attract a lot of the cats. Now in my opinion not everyone in a company should be this way, but we do need a healthy dose of them.
It's the old tension between respect and disrespect, tradition versus change, old versus new, change versus disruption and fixed versus break it.
The "cats" are those that must be in a business if you want to go into the future, while sheep can help maintain what currently exists. When your really think of it, sheep really aren't herded, they just huddle together and follow whatever or whoever is put in front of them. The reason why you do need some of them.
To me both are important, but to keep momentum and going forward, cats are the key ingredient that will make that happen. Sheep can be found just about everywhere, cats must be stirred up and have a string pulled in front of them to get them to want to play. Just make sure you have a lot of string.
Other Branson Sources:
Richard Branson conquered the world. Now he wants to fly you to space.
OPEN LETTER TO GEOFF DIXON FROM RICHARD BRANSON
Richard Branson's: Losing My Virginity
Remember to Sign up for my feed, bizzbite and digg this!
Sponsored link: The outsourcing every manager requires - Tampa Locksmith
Comment Preview