People with a common goal will self-organize to achieve it
People with a common goal will self-organize to achieve it
In the rugged wilderness of Montana's Bitterroot Range, leadership lessons come to life.
In this second part of a three-part series, we take a cattle drive to demonstrate how a team with a common goal will self-organize to make success happen.
In Montana, there’s a particularly wild section of the Rockies called the Bitterroot Range. Here, visitors and residents spend their time enjoying the fresh mountain air. You can adventure in the snow or spend the day moving cattle from one grazing area to another.
Here’s the thing about the big mountains and expansive sky of Montana: you’ll find yourself reflecting about all kinds of things. Things like leadership — and the kinds of leadership demanded by different situations.
These thoughts have been captured into three musings:
- Experience and equipment don’t substitute for strategic leadership.
- People with a common goal will self-organize to achieve it.
- Leading when failure is not an option — every detail matters.
Over a series of three Insights articles, we’ll take a deeper look at each of these reflections. In Part 1, we learned that top talent and the best training and techniques can’t replace strategic leadership.
Now, let’s dig into Part 2.
People with a common goal will self-organize to achieve it
Cattle drives may seem antiquated, but they cost effectively move cows from one place to another in the west. Folks get on smart horses, calling out, guiding cattle across plains and hillsides, working together to get to a desired destination.
At the end of the day, wranglers have the satisfaction of having worked with a group of people to get hundreds of animals to a new grazing area. Moving cattle is physical, fun, full of surprises, and — importantly — offers lessons in the power of leading a self-organizing team.
Lesson one: The leader is the one who has the confidence of the group and a goal in mind
As with any team-based activity, it is critical to identify the leader. In the example of the cattle drive, our leader is John, who owns the ranch and the cattle. John’s leadership for the cattle drive is undisputed — and he has the bowlegs, well-worn jeans, and handlebar moustache to prove it.
The goal of a cattle drive is deceptively simple: move a group of unruly cows and their yearlings several miles to a new pasture. John will provide direction at the outset of the day about where the herd needs to end up and check in as the day goes on, but there are no job definitions or specific instructions about how we are to reach our goal.
It’s clear the crew will need to self-organize and take on roles as circumstances require. And while the path to achieving this goal is not linear, John trusts the team to adapt and successfully navigate any unexpected challenges along the way.
In just this way, experienced, high-performing teams can accomplish many complex tasks. Think skunk works, software development, developing a marketing campaign, consulting projects, or managing successful retail outlets. All these situations involve the need for team members to stay in touch, to respond quickly to changing circumstances, and to trust one another at all times.
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Lesson two: The team is made up of a mix of abilities, experience, and engagement
John puts his trust in a few experienced wranglers and perhaps some less experienced ranch hands. All are happy to be there and are prepared to do whatever needs to be done. The excitement and nervousness at the outset are palpable, with everyone thinking about how they will spend their day and what roles they will assume.
The first step is to gather the herd, which involves regrouping the visible animals and seeking out the ones who have decided to move into ditches or dense thickets. The cows are leery of the horses and herding dogs, and once they are dislodged from their hiding spot, they have the tendency to go anywhere but back to the rest of the herd. The cows can take off — maybe up a hill or down a gully — forcing you to chase them and send them in the direction of the herd.
Just like John trusts a mix of experienced wranglers and rookies to gather a herd, business leaders can rely on a blend of seasoned professionals and newcomers — like marketers or sales staff — on project or professional teams to tackle challenges, adapt to roles, and work together to achieve a common goal.
Then the true challenge begins.
Lesson three: A team focused on a goal doesn’t need an instruction manual, just directions
Your leader — in this case, John — will give the team a description of the journey and then leaves you to make things happen. As a member of the drive team, you know he will intervene if needed, but he’s entrusted the herd to you.
As the drive sets out, the team of riders organizes itself with eye contact, verbal cues, and our horses. Some riders may decide to act as observers at first, getting more involved as the day wears on. The team learns that the fine art of moving a large herd is not riding hard on them, but gently encouraging and prodding the cows forward from the rear and side of the herd. If you push the cows too hard, it can cause a rupture in the herd — and 30 or 40 cattle running in the opposite direction breaks the whole herd structure.
The team needs to work together to keep the herd together, gather and return the fleeing cattle, and get everyone back moving forward on the right pathway.
In just this way, capable and experienced team members need encouragement and the occasional gentle intervention, not detailed instructions. Yelling is never an option.
By dinnertime, cows are moved through a gate and John thanks the team. The drive is over — the goal has been achieved.
The takeaway: Lead with trust
There’s a lot a business leader can take away from John’s cattle drive. For instance, it’s the leader’s role to set a clear vision and direction — to act as an encouraging coach and build trust. But the success of the team depends on their ability to self-organize, adapt, and take initiative.
This style of leadership not only helps achieve the goal, but it also builds a confident and capable team that’s ready to tackle future challenges together.
Contact us
To learn more, please reach out to Mary Larson, National Lead, Strategy Consulting Practice.
Mary Larson MBA, ICD.D, GCD.D
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