Wither you Lead, Who will Follow?

Watching my daughter Gabrielle at her riding lessons, something profound hit me.  Horses have character.  They can be energetic or reserved, brave or timid, rough-riding or smoothly gaited.  They come in various shapes and sizes.  Once they get into the riding ring the rider must harness those temperaments and direct the horse around the ring and over the fences.  Without a competent rider, the most skilled show-jumper will never complete the course as required.  Conversely a highly skilled rider could never compete with an inexperienced, unfit nag.

So it goes in your store.  There are leaders and there are workers.  It is up to the leader to direct the efforts of the staff.  It is up to the staff to produce results.  The two together can accomplish much.  The rider alone has no “horse power” to get over the fences and the horse alone has no direction.

To the male owners and managers on father’s day, this message should be even more poignant.  I know some of you are fathers and others are father-figures to your staff.  Happy father’s day to all of you.