Your Team; a Bunch of Animals...?

...treat them accordingly...

Inspiring and leading a team to deliver consistent results is the biggest challenge that Managers face, and one of the most challenging parts of their job...

One of the patterns of behavior that prevents achievement is that all people are treated the same when it comes to motivation, when in fact they are wired differently...

In any Team we have to find different strategies that are attractive and meaningful  to different people; in any Team we have three types of animal...

1. Horses

2. Cats 

3. Dogs

Here's how they behave and how they need handling...

1. The Horse.

These people are motivated by pressure and fear - they will move when frightened or startled. Once spooked they will run forever on just about any direction just as long as they are moving...

Without pressure they can tend to be lethargic and solitary, happy to wander round doing almost nothing, they are loyal and intelligent but also potentially lazy and stubborn.

Horses need a rider, they need pushing and motivating through the pressure of moving away from the heat - and they also need constant guidance, if the rider isn't continually giving instructions they will head in any direction they like.

Happy and comfortable to work alone or in groups with a common objective, with the right leadership they are literally the workhorses of the organisation. They value stability and harmony over pure reward - and are likely to be with you in the long term.

2. The Cat.

Independent and aloof - Cat's are self motivated and will only move when they feel it is in their best interests. Careful planners and schemers, they are the politicians of the animal world. Cats are hunters and will stalk a prey not to kill it but to taunt and humiliate it before being cast aside for the next chase.



If you push a cat, it will turn on you. Cats need space and a rich environment to do their best work . They don't recognise boundaries and prowl the business landscape looking for whatever they find attractive...

Cats need freedom to be creative, they need to be left alone with a project and simply be checked in on occasionally with praise and some reward. Under pressure cats fight back, with independence they can be highly creative and productive - bringing samples of work back for inspection on a regular basis.

Not great in Teams the Cats tend to work alone and avoid others that they feel are not in their class - they don't have Managers they have Staff to care and nurture them.

3. The Dog.

Dogs will chase the rabbit - motivated by future reward they will run anywhere providing the scent is strong and the reward is attractive. Working well in groups they need a strong leader and if one isn't identified they will choose their own.

Their default setting is Happy, they are the Sales People in the team and providing they are rewarded for their work and activity remain loyal - until someone else puts a more attractive Rabbit in their path and then they are off to pastures new.

Dogs need routine, they need to know how the system works, where the rewards will come from and how to get them - giving Dogs too much freedom leads to mayhem and trouble.

They are keen for attention and need feedback about how great they are doing, mot so happy with negative feedback, but they can be trained to do tasks and routines on command.


These are the main players in Teams - they are not gender or age specific, and once recognised, need managing in different ways...

They may not get on well together as a group - but in order to get results we need a mixture of styles to be effective, this is the challenge of Management. Get it right and the Team performs well, get it wrong and mayhem ensues..

So who do you have in your Team - you may have a few other creatures as yet undiscovered and lurking in the undergrowth...

Here are a few rare breeds to watch out for...

1. The Snake - self explanatory, similar to the Eel...

2. The Sloth - usually found in quiet corners, check the Boardroom...

3. Ostrich - noisy long legged bird strutting around achieving nothing...

So have fun with your Teams...

Why should you contact me...?

Simple - you will be better off with me as your Coach than you are without me. 

I will expect and encourage you to achieve more than you think possible, you will love me some days and hate me the next. I will take away your excuses and replace them with achievement; and on the way we'll have more fun than should be allowed in Business...

So, if you think you're ready - drop me an Email...

If you think you're not - then it makes no difference what you do...

davidholland@resultsrulesok.com

Places available at our  Get More Clients, Customers and Students Workshop  in October and November 2014;  bring your Team along and learn how to grow your Business- click on your preferred Location below...

Birmingham UK  

Luxembourg