Let’s Horse Around with

Management Issues

Ib Hagsten, Ph.D., CAC

July 26, 2001

Canadian Consulting Agrologist Association

You & one horse – Pretty Simple

A “solo-practitioner”

You make them pull together -- evenly

A small firm

You & your 2nd lieutenant each “ride a team”

More folks, heavier load

You masterfully “pull-all-strings” with one hand

You skillfully manage a well-trained team

Using both hands ...

Make sure the harness fits

Don’t ride too close

Don’t get the cart in front of the horse

Sometimes you geta bewildered look …

Sometimes you get a big old grin …

Sometimes they fight openly …

It is time to “ride ‘em hard”

Step #1: Check the vital signs

Option #1: Put ‘em on pasture

Option #2: Put them to work

Step #2: Get back to the basics

Step #3: Give ‘em some rope

Remember the power of a team !!

A good work horse can pull about 2 tons of dead weight …

Two trained horses, that pull as a team -- will together pull almost 11 tons …

Adjust, Fine tune, Manage … and you are off to the races

Remember, “team” is not a “four-letter” word

Thank you