Transitioning from Cowboy to head stockman

By: Dr. Nels Lindberg Production Animal Consultation

This fall I had the pleasure of discussing how one of our cowboys could transition to the head stockman position in a feedyard. The discussion, including both the cowboy and the feedyard manager, centered around not only what the cowboy thought it took to become a head stockman but also my thoughts regarding the leadership qualities required to be successful in this position.

Stockmen are easily underestimated. However, the truth is they have many important talents and unique skills that few really appreciate. Most consumers do not realize that stockmen are the core caretakers and overseers of our nation’s beef cattle. Without stockmen, there is no one to care for the health and well being of the hundreds of thousands of beef cattle we rely on to feed our country and the world.

As is true in rural America generally, there is a desperate need for skilled and knowledgeable workers. Some have even noted that they believe the “cowboy” is a dying breed. While that may or may not be true, there is an ever-present need for leadership. I want to take a look at the key points of leadership needed to transition from a cowboy to a head stockman, a transition that in some respects resembles crossing a bridge from an old way of thinking to an entirely new view.

Taking a Long View – In my conversations with cowboys, I routinely seek to understand exactly how far out they have extended their thinking regarding their dreams, plans, and vision. Are they planning for the rodeo next week? Are they thinking about marriage in a year? Are they planning for kids in 5 years? What are their salary and savings goals over the next 10 to 20 years? In my experience, the average individual is only forward planning somewhere from about 6 months to a year.

For success in any endeavor, and in life generally, there has to be a goal and a plan. This plan and goal setting needs to look as far forward as one can imagine. The further out you plan and set goals, the higher the likelihood that better decisions will be made and a better future achieved. Failure to proactively plan is almost a sure recipe for a poor outcome. No matter where you are in forward thinking and planning, it is never too late to get started. If you are thinking and planning for 6 months from now, start looking forward 1 to 2 years. If you are planning for 1 to 2 years from now, move that vision out to 5 years. If you are planning for 5 years from now, move that vision out to 10 years. Whatever your current timeline, push it further. In the end, success is all about discipline and not fulfilling immediate desires and impulses. It is called “delayed gratification”. It is about devising a plan and sticking to it. Leadership requires this type of thinking and is required of a head stockman or manager.

Lifelong Learner – Many in the cowboy profession have superior knowledge and experience related to cattle, horses, stockmanship, and horsemanship. However, like most people, many fall short in committing to making life a daily continuous learning process. This continuous learning process requires one to look outside of their daily world, to learn about new things, and to constantly inquire and ask questions. We need to make it a priority to expand our areas of expertise each and every day.

For the transition from cowboy to head stockman, that continuous learning project needs to include growing and developing in the area of leadership. There are many routes to learning but a humble attitude opens the door to learn from others. Consider those you encounter on a daily basis: manager, assistant manager, veterinarian, truck drivers, even the very cowboys under your care. All of these individuals know things that you do not and can help you grow and expand. The sure poison in learning from others is to possess the “I know it all” mentality. There may be no better roadmap for failure than to close one’s mind to a different or new way. A humble heart and a thirst for knowledge is a true winning combination.

Caring and Compassionate – As cowboys, outwardly caring or even loving is not something one would expect to find in the job description. Everyone knows that to be a cowboy (or just about anyone else in the cattle industry) requires a great deal of toughness, both mentally and physically. With this inherent “macho” mindset, our ability to be caring, compassionate, and even loving is often pushed aside or rejected outright.

True leadership means we have to truly care for and about our people in a real, authentic, genuine way. If we cannot accomplish this, our people will never truly follow. Many of us know about this first hand because we have worked under leaders who lacked compassion and consideration. Chances are good that when you have been under the thumb of a “hard core” leader, you most likely did not perform your absolute best. Not surprisingly, you probably moved on to another job with better prospects.

In making a successful transition from cowboy to head stockman, you must develop the skill of caring for and protecting your people. This trait may not come naturally, but it can be developed with effort. Your job is to get the best out of your coworkers and to support them. This is where leadership makes the difference.

Humility – One of the greatest attributes that anyone can possess is that of genuine humility. Humility is a special trait that has its highest calling when possessed by those in leadership positions. Humility is often confused with weakness, but nothing could be further from the truth. True strength underlies humility.

One definition of humility is that it does not require thinking less of yourself but thinking about yourself less often. Those leaders with humility (and compassion) put the needs of others ahead of themselves. This trait can become contagious and when it does, it will transform the performance and attitude of an individual or even an entire organization. Humility is not concerned with who gets the credit.

Self-awareness – How many times have you said or heard others say, “I don’t care what they think!” We have all said it or heard someone say it. To be a head stockman or a leader, one must care about what others observe and perceive. Having a high level of self-awareness allows us to step outside of ourselves and observe. Self-awareness is our ability to understand how our actions, interactions, tones, words, and facial expressions affect those around us. As a leader, we must understand that what we say and do is positive, negative, or neutral. You may be having a bad day, and if you are not self-aware of that fact, your actions and words will likely negatively impact your crew. Having a strong sense of self-awareness or “EQ” helps you adjust so that you can lead your crew in a way that they will do, act, or execute as needed. Being self-aware is critical to your success.

Submit – Cowboys are independent by nature. This independence is a way of life and includes other similar traits like confidence, pride, being a little cavalier, and the desire to be the best. However, regardless of the profession or way of life, to be successful at anything, we all have to submit to a higher being, a higher purpose, or the higher calling of the team or organization. It took me 32 years to learn the lesson of submission, to fully submit to my wife, to my businesses, to my coworkers, and to the process of fulfilling my extreme desire to be the very best I could be in life, in my profession, in my faith, and to my family. Until we submit and forget about being independent, we will never achieve extraordinary levels of success. Everything – the organization, the world, life – is much bigger than us. We cannot do anything worthwhile without the help, mentorship, generosity, and faith of others. We must submit to that. If we remain independent and keep thinking, “I’m my own man”, then we cannot be a leader.

Jack Welch is quoted as saying, “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” As leaders, it is our job to bring out the best in others. We must be humble, caring, compassionate, and keenly self-aware individuals looking down the road ten-plus years, learning all we can each day as we submit to a higher purpose and calling to help grow more leaders.

I encourage you to take your game, your art, your handy horsemanship and stockmanship skills, as well as your leadership skills, to the next level to help us grow and refine our industry. We don’t know how so few can accomplish so much. Thanks for your service and dedication.