WW #586 - The Best Way to Herd Cats is to Move The Food Bowl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDbsRow2MCs

“Herding cats” is an idiomatic expression used to describe a futile attempt to control or organize something inherently uncontrollable.

Managing and motivating people often feels the same way. Cats don’t follow commands; they follow incentives. And the best way to herd cats isn’t to push them… It’s to move the food bowl.

Humans aren’t much different.

Control Is an Illusion. Influence Is the Goal.

Cats can’t be controlled. They do what they want. At best, you can influence their behavior. People are the same way. You can’t force motivation, compliance, or engagement. You can only influence it.

People move toward what serves their best interest. They go where they feel valued, understood, and rewarded. That’s why effective leadership isn’t about control, it’s about placement.

Know What Goes in the Food Bowl

If you want to motivate or manage people well, you must understand what belongs in their “food bowl.” That means knowing:

• What they truly want

• What interests them

• What they value most

  
  

Motivation comes when people feel significant, needed, and included. When they experience trust, respect, and belonging, they naturally move in the direction you’re hoping for.

Trust Is the Real Motivator

You can’t move the food bowl effectively without trust. Trust and mutual respect take time to build, but they are the foundation of sustainable motivation. When people believe you genuinely want what’s best for them, influence becomes natural.

The best leaders don’t push people forward; they create environments people want to move toward.

This Week’s Challenge

Think about the people you’re trying to motivate or lead. Ask yourself:

• What’s in their food bowl right now?

• Do I actually know what they want?

• Have I built enough trust for influence to work?

  
  

Stop trying to herd cats. Start moving the food bowl.

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