dead horses and wild mustangs

"It's better to have to tame a wild mustang than it is to resurrect a dead horse"

Really?

I feel better about my failures as a leader now.

The dead horse is an indication that I haven't set clear expectations or evaluated performance to determine value.

The wild mustang is an indication that I haven't set clear expectations or evaluated performance to determine value.

Sometimes I might try to employ the wild mustang to kick some life into the dead horse.

But that only makes the dead horse start stinking.

Maybe I even prefer dead horses because they might be easier to manage.

Until I can overcome my anxiety of having people not like me by holding honest conversations with them:

"I was surprised when you (or you didn't)..."

"I didn't understand what you were trying to do when you (or didn't)..."

"We agreed that we would (or wouldn't)...and then you did (or didn't)..."

horses will continue to die and wild mustangs will continue to rampage.

Of course the fact is I or someone before me killed the horse with my cynicism, my micromanagement, my lack of appreciation of or understanding for, and my "keeping them off balance" strategy.

And I'm trying to make up for it by having wild mustangs tear down fences, throw people off, and require time and energy for corralling.

So, I guess, really:

"It's better to set the truly wild mustangs free, and to spend time teaching the tamable ones about bridles, reins, and spurs; and to honor the dead horses with a proper burial, and to spend time healing the sick ones so they can live a better life than it is to squander the truth and beauty that lies within those under the care of my leadership."

It doesn't roll off the tongue as easily, but it will probably make for a much more faithful ranch.