“Life ain’t about how fast you run or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.” Cowboy Wisdom
During my teenage years, I had a good friend named Billy. He was a pleasant, easygoing person. Like me, he threw the shot put and ran track. He was faster than I was and could throw further, but without my style and grace. He couldn’t beat me in the bench press, but he came close. We also played football together. He was an offensive lineman, and I was a running back. I simply had to run through th…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on September 16, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“Always do the right thing. This pacifies your family and keeps your enemies at bay.” Cowboy Wisdom
The result of operating a ranch without a strong value system is apparent. You go out of business lickity-split. Your word is no longer your bond, and no one will purchase your livestock or extend needed credit. People will no longer hire on for work. Your neighbors distrust you. Your hopes and dreams dry up and blow away because you could not tell the difference between right and wrong. On the o…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on September 9, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“You’re only young once. After that, you need some other excuse for acting like an idiot.”
Cowboy Wisdom
Years ago, my dad would take me to a nearby small town that held its weekly cattle auction on Saturdays. The sale barn was a magical place. I loved the smell of the cattle, hot dogs, diesel fuel, and new leather. Dad would always buy something, and it was major fun to drive home anticipating Mom’s response.
One of the auction regulars was a man who raised crossbred cattle. You would usually…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on September 2, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“Never, ever tell a cowboy how to do something. Tell ’em what you need, then watch how resourceful he can be."
Cowboy Wisdom
A successful cow/calf operation is not just the result of planning and hard work. Creativity plays a central role in paying the banker. Unlike standardized industrial processes, each ranch is unique. Challenges and opportunities differ. My soil, water, and topography will be different from yours. My stock will have different genetics even though they may be the same breed…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on August 26, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“Never miss a good chance to shut up.” Cowboy Wisdom
Take a trip back into time, say AD 1550. You could communicate via a few rare books and, if you lived in Europe, a few newspapers. One of the biggest complaints in society was the lack of communication. Spring ahead to AD 1950. Many communication devices have arisen, for example, television, radio, telegraph, telephone, LP records, newspapers, postal services, and talking motion pictures. These were all wonderful communication streams and a q…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on August 19, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“Boots, chaps, and cowboy hats . . . nothing else matters.”
Cowboy Wisdom
My ranch is a family operation, that is, my son Jeremiah, son-in-law Josh, and the occasional hired hand (old term but still in use on farms and ranches) provide most of the manual labor. They also provide great ideas and ways to improve the processes. Nine times out of ten, if budget allows, we’ll go forward with their ideas and suggestions. However, that tenth time I will say no. Like it or not, I have the Big Picture r…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on August 12, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“There are two theories to arguin’ with a woman. Neither one works.” Cowboy Wisdom
The word ‘argue’ has negative connotations. We tend to think it means that emotions are flaring, voices are rising, and we are butting heads. The word doesn’t mean that at all. When we argue, we are simply trying to get something we want even, if it is as simple as getting our point across. The other person(s) is/are trying to keep us from it. A wise person will make sure that everyone gets what he wants or can l…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on August 5, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“Unlike bad weather, bad news doesn’t get better over the next few days.”
Cowboy Wisdom
Ranching is a natural draw for bad news. Mad cow disease, falling cattle prices, rising grain prices, drought, equipment breakdowns, rustlers (yes, they still exist), etc. In addition, if the news is not bad, the typical rancher will twist it until it looks bad. In addition, American industry is flooded with bad news. It is just a natural part of life. However, how we handle bad news is a direct reflection o…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on July 29, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“The chuck wagon’s menu had two selections. Eat it or go hungry.”
Cowboy Wisdom
As in the above cowboy quote, some decisions are easy. Sometimes the decisions come from above, and even though you strongly disagree, the only recourse is to accept them. We have a saying on the ranch: “Sometimes you got to back up and let the big dogs eat.” This sums it up. Still, in the managerial arena, you make decisions. Do I hire this person? Do I fire this person? Do I push this case to the legal system? Wha…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on July 22, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“They are always thinking about how much it costs. ‘Eat and drink,’ they say, but they don’t mean it.” Proverbs 23:7
Money should not be the driving factor in our lives. However, to survive in the big leagues, we must learn to think, act, and communicate in terms of money. Our corporate leadership understands money and often nothing else. The boss is built this way, and it is through this process that he or she has advanced and is now your boss. So if you want to do well in your career or even…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on July 15, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“When a cowboy is too old to set a bad example, he hands out good advice.”
Cowboy Wisdom
An old gunfighter way past his prime was having a drink in the saloon. A young whippersnapper looking to make his bones called the old fighter out onto the street. The old man grimaced as he downed the last gulp and slowly rose, favoring his bad leg. He limped into the dirt causeway. The young man, in an effort to intimidate and impress, drew his pistol at lightning speed and accurately threw two shots at a…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on July 8, 2009 at 7:30am —
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“Speak your mind but ride a fast horse.” Cowboy Wisdom
Forty years ago, a neighbor’s bull was getting on my ranch. While visiting, he (the bull – not the neighbor) sowed his wild oats. I am sure he was having a great time, but we were raising only registered stock so it was a major problem. Of course, the neighbor claimed that the fence belonged to us, and it was our problem. So we held a meeting (sitting on a tailgate) to decide the matter for the last time. We came away with an agreement that…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on July 1, 2009 at 7:00am —
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Why do we have an absentee problem? When I was a young man, it was unheard of for someone not to show up for work. There were fences to mend, cow to be milked, chickens to be watered and fed. If someone missed his assignment, it was because he was dead or dying! I’ve seen my father, who would sometimes “get down in his back,” work all day and most of the night and then limp out at midnight in a snowstorm to pull a calf (assisting with a difficult birth).
What happened to the work ethic? The furt…
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Added by Michael L. Gooch, SPHR on June 29, 2009 at 7:23am —
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