By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea to help you launch your initiatives more effectively. Reading time: 3:10.

“Move ’em on, head ’em up. Keep them doggies rollin’. Rawhide.”

Those lyrics from the 1960’s TV show Rawhide still ring in my ears. And no wonder. I was fascinated with how the real life cowboys of yesteryear could herd 3,000 cattle over a 1,000 mile route -hoofing through 16 miles a day on average -over two months despite rain, terrain and pain. Amazing since I can’t herd three cats into a room in a warm, comfortable home.

What’s the secret? A quick start.

And that’s an instructive leadership tactic for any complicated project filled with many moving parts.

Turns out that over the first four days of the drive the cattle covered twice as many miles per day as they would average for the rest of the drive. Why so quick a start? Fewer strays from homesick cattle.

Indeed well begun is half done as the Roman historian Horace observed, echoing Aristotle’s notion that “beginning is said to be half the whole.” Continue reading →