What to do when your Managers Do the Weasel War Dance

When ferrets are especially excited, they will perform the weasel war dance, a frenzied series of sideways hops. This is often accompanied by an arched back, dooking or hissing noises, or a frizzy tail. This is often the behaviour of senior level managers who encounter dramatic change - such as in a Management Buy Out of the business.


Although the weasel war dance may make a ferret appear frightened or angry, they are often just excited and are usually harmless to humans.  This is true of your Managers.  A natural human reaction to change is resistance and often even the most capable of people do not know how to express their feelings during this period.


In a Management Buy Out, more work and pressure is put on the buy out team.  There is an inevitable discussion of who in 'in' the buy out and who is 'out'.  At some point, those in the team will need to discuss how many of the management team's shares they will get personally and start thinking about what investment they are willing to make.   


So why the Weasel War Dance?


The leaders of teams should take care to spot the signs.  People will start to procrastinate and avoid making decisions - stepping from side to side just like the Weasel.   The need for accurate reading of body language is essential as people will often say the words without committing to them.   Members of the proposed team will seek each other out and try to measure up to each other - especially true when dividing the shares in the new business.   


As a leader of a potential buy out the main task will be to placate, install confidence and make wise choices.   The success of the venture will not be dependant on any one person, even the leader, so the team is all important.   There are bound to be people who consider themselves and the 'main man' or indispensable.  If that person does not work well with others in the team he may have to be dispensed with for the sake of the success of the buy out.


So, there's nothing wrong with a weasel and his funny little war dance.  Equally, expect some drama when organising a Management Buy Out.  Perhaps the only thing you wont see is a fizzy tail....