We are beginning to restore a home on the ranch that hasn’t been lived in for years. It’s an original homestead from the early 1900s. Even though we don’t own this home, the process of bringing something back to life excites me – especially something with so much history. The building used to be the community mill before becoming a house. I can practically see the people coming in, wagons filled with grain.
My husband, on the other hand, is much more practical. When he “sees” history, he sees how far we’ve come and how it could be improved. He’s goal-oriented and strategic. He’s amazing. So when we considered restoring the house, his comment was, “Strike a match.”
Is he wrong? No. Am I wrong? No.
Some of the projects we’ve taken on over the years have caused turmoil because we didn’t understand how the other was wired.
People are different. Our spouses, kids, co-workers, bosses, friends … they are all wired a certain way that may be different from us. We see this in family members living on the ranch. We see it on specific workdays, like in a branding pen.
There are a plethora of personality tests you can take, many of which are free online. I highly recommend them. Not only do they help us understand who we are, they help us understand how other people are wired.
As you may have guessed, I’m not a psychologist and I can’t offer any legal counseling advice. However, I’ve been around ranches long enough to think ranchers may benefit from having their own personality type descriptions. So here are four personality types for ranches that you might find relatable, loosely based on Mark Gungor’s “Four Countries of People.” (Titles are strictly for consideration and not to specifically reflect or resemble any person or persons.)
1. The Super Cowboy
This guy or gal can do anything: rope, ride, brand, give shots, wrestle, gather, etc., and they can do it all by themselves because they are so good. They value being appreciated above most compliments. They love controlling situations and outcomes to the best of their abilities – because they’re good at it. In fact, an alternate title for these people could be the controlling cowboy. That isn’t meant as a negative; it means they are cool-headed. If you accuse them of controlling situations, they don’t resent it. They are proud of it. They are high achievers. They get things done. They have a list of accomplishments and successes a mile long. They are likely to have the largest belt buckle in the group, which they earned.
2. The Rodeo Clown
These people love a good time. They want to be noticed – especially for being funny. They are jokesters. They’ll jump in front of a crazy cow and laugh about it. They’re loud. They like being heard and seen. They are very open with strangers. If it’s their first time at a branding, they will try and do anything. And if they fail, they’ll laugh. If a calf gets by them, they laugh it off but often don’t understand that others, like the Super Cowboy, aren’t laughing with them. They aren’t big on details, and they will tell every embarrassing story they know without ever feeling embarrassed. They make a joke out of everything. The thing they want the most is encouragement to keep being funny. They lighten the emotional load on the ranch and are the life of the party.
3. The Perfect Cowpuncher
If you want to get something right, these are your people. They are detail-oriented, and they will tell you what’s wrong with something so fast you might feel gobsmacked. They don’t feel superior; they just see problems and point them out. This is how they show they care. These people will halt things in a branding pen if something is off. They look like control freaks, but they aren’t. They like doing things by the book, usually because it “feels” right. They want their feelings, ideas and insight to be truly considered. They’re sensitive, and their sensitivities lead to improvements. They’re often musicians, writers and artists because of their attention to detail.
4. The Casual Cowboy
This guy/gal doesn’t really care as much about how things are done. They just care that everyone gets along. They don’t raise their voice in the corrals. They rarely break a trot on a horse because they are enjoying their surroundings. They are just so nice to everyone – to the point that they appear to not have boundaries. If a disagreement breaks out, you’ll find them hiding in a truck or trailer or sitting back at the cooler until it’s over. They shut down if anyone makes them feel like a failure, a dud or not smart, but are excellent bridge builders between people. They are peacekeepers. They have an uncanny ability to see the value and good qualities in everyone.
I’m sure there are additional titles and descriptions that could be considered, but this is a start. Do you recognize yourself? Anyone you know? Sometimes I reflect attributes from all categories, but one is more dominant. As I recognize myself and my hubby – and how we are wired – it’ll help me to understand him and others as we consider renovating a house.
