The 3 Types of Horses – which ones do you lead ?
I met a strong leader recently and asked him the question. How do you motivate the 400 people who work under you ?
He gave me a wonderful analogy. He said that there are 3 types of horses in the world and they all have different motivations and different leadership styles apply
The first are the running horses. They love to run. They want freedom, space and independence. No motivation needed. They are self motivated. They want to see a big green field and then be let free to run. In the world of work, these are self motivated individuals who seek a broad direction ( field), then freedom to run ( autonomy). The job of the boss is to get out of their way, minimize interference in the form of reports, meetings and presentations. Ofcourse the downside is that sometimes these horses might run in the wrong direction and then need to be brought back. Generally they would ran far, get a lot done and be strong contributors to the business.
The second are the grass horses. They only run when they are fed fresh grass. They need constant incentives and encouragement. A pat on the back is not enough. They work for incentives and benefits and need to be shown the carrot. The problem is beyond a point, once the stomach is full, even fresh grass does not do the trick. These horses run until they are fed and when well fed rest. They have a role in the junior levels of the organisation to do specific tasks but cannot be entrusted to lead others.
The third are the standing horses. They move when they are kicked or pushed. Incentives don’t work, only penalties and punishment work. They need to be checked into, driven to do what needs to be done. The moment the leader turns their back, they go back to doing what they do best – standing still and resting. Minimising output and activity is their main mission in life. For any team standing horses serve no purpose.
Find running horses and set them free.
Manage the grass horses at lower levels and inspire their to become running horses as they grow in their career.
Find the standing horses and move them out of your stable.
Which horses are you leading ?