GROUP
ACTIVITIES AND TEAM BUILDING CATTLE DRIVES
Rusty Spurr Ranch
Team Building Focal Points
Problem Solving: Cowboys always
have multiple problems to contend with, including
(but certainly not limited to) how best to get
the cows where they want them.
Each
group will be given one or more opportunities
to work the cattle. At the start of each
assignment they will be given a brief period
of time to discuss their objective and outline
an attack. For the problem solving portion
of this activity they will be required to move
the cattle from Point A to Point B (timed and
judged) along a path outlined by the head wrangler. To
ensure fairness, the non-participating group
will not be allowed to observe during this time,
or if it is preferred that they do observe, then
the second trial will involve an increased level
of difficulty as the initial group did not have
the benefit of taking note.
Adaptation (Change Management): Moving
cows is a very dynamic job. Depending on the desired
direction of the cattle, and the topography of
the land, cowboys must change the amount of pressure
they apply to certain parts of the herd. In
addition to simply deciding the most direct route,
a cowpuncher must also account for the lay of the
land. Cows typically move more easily across
flat areas, and certainly move easiest down- hill
(which can be as hindering as helpful, depending
on the ultimate destination). As the direction
changes, so must the pressure. As important
as where to put pressure is the question of where
to remove pressure to enable forward progress thus
preventing the inhibition of all movement. If
a cowboy applies constant pressure to one point
of the herd, with no regard for how the cattle
are responding, he will most likely have a negative
impact on the overall outcome of the drive. E.g.
if the herd must make a right turn and the right
side is blocked by a rider, the turn will not likely
occur.
Because the herd is always moving, the landscape
is continuously changing and the route is rarely
a straight line from point A to point B, each rider
as well as each team will be required to react
and adapt to changes along the way. If
the group cannot respond to the changes in a fluid
manner the movement of the herd will become erratic
and, in some cases, stop altogether. The
group will always have to have a clear idea of
the final goal and be willing and able to make
whatever changes necessary to accomplish it.
Communication: Ten
to twelve good cowboys can move 2,000 head all
day without any yelling and just a few, concise
conversations. Knowing their job and their
teammate’s jobs as well as having a masterful
knowledge of their environment, facilitate this. In
this fashion, they are able to tell each other
just what they need to know in very little time
(before they lose the herd) without talking over
each other’s heads or confusing each other.
So often communication is considered to be synonymous
with talking, or in stressful situations, yelling. While
speaking effectively is important, the groups in
this exercise will be pushed to think of it as
much more than speech and to focus on other key
elements of communication as well. In order
to improve communication in any environment, the
first step is to be aware of the person or persons
with whom you seek improved relations. One
must be aware of many things, such as the other
party’s; station/position, goals, motivation,
problems/concerns etc. Watching and listening
are as critical as speaking when seeking effective
communication. The team that will be the
most effective in this activity will be the one
who has open lines of communication. They
will watch each other closely and be ready to help
or get out of the way as the situation warrants
while continuing to attend to their individual
duties. They will also, of course, speak
freely. The members of the most effective
team will readily ask for help when necessary and
also offer it. Learning the fine lines that
separate assertiveness and bossiness as well as
cooperation and indecision are something that each
group can hope to gain from this as well.
The group’s ability to communicate and coordinate
will be directly reflected by the cattle and the
manner in which they travel. If the cows
are bunching frequently, losing formation or rarely
going in one direction for any sustained period
of time, then the group is most likely not communicating
well (not watching each other, speaking to each
other, listening to each other or a combination
of the three).
Allocation of Resources: On any
cattle drive there are better horses and better
riders (one does not necessarily go with the other). In
the heyday of the cattle driving era, cowboys were
assigned positions based on who did each job best. While
some liked to think that certain positions were
more important or glorified than others, the truth
was that not one cow would’ve left Texas
without someone in each position. The Point
riders gave the herd direction by delicately maneuvering
the head of the herd, the Swing riders ensured
that the herd stayed connected and uniform by moving
up and down the herd, and the Drag riders made
sure the older, sick, or infirm stayed with the
herd as well as ensuring that the herd continued
to move by applying constant pressure, giving the
other positions the momentum necessary to perform
their jobs.
Along with communication and problem solving,
the group will have to take stock of its resources
and quickly determine who is best suited for what
jobs. Some riders/horses may be better suited
for staying in the back (drag) ensuring a steady
progress while others may be better suited to move
in and out quickly (as needed) to control the direction
or appearance of the herd. Glory seekers
and non-team players will be quickly identifiable
if they are unable to check their egos or rise
to the occasion for the benefit of the team.
