I believe all people are resistant to change – but some more so than others! Nowhere is this more prevalent than in family-owned cow-calf operations. It often takes over two decades for family-owned cow-calf operations to make simple changes – even when they know the change will be for their own good. Why is that?
This happens primarily because most family-owned farms and ranches are multi-generational. They involve two or three generations – and the oldest generation almost never wants to change anything. The older we get, the less we like to take risks and the less likely we will change anything. Consequently and tragically, many family farms and ranches are only able to advance one funeral at a time.
I read a neat little Seth Godin book entitled Tribes. In this book, Seth spends a considerable amount of time discussing the status quo and its fear of change. Every business and occupation has a status quo herd. By definition, most of the people in all businesses and occupations belong to the status quo herd. Very little individual thinking takes place within the herd – and everyone is afraid of change!
We use the term Herd Quitter™ to refer to people who have enough courage to break away from the status quo, herd-mentality way of thinking. It is more about thinking for yourself than anything else. We may hate change – but change is one of the few constants in life. True success and happiness will only come to those who are willing to change with the times.