The horse race metaphor is widely employed in political journalism to describe the contest between frontrunners in an election. Although this approach can have its critics, it remains useful in understanding how horse races impact political campaigns and media coverage of them.
Horse races require training horses to run at extraordinary speeds, creating an excruciatingly stressful experience for the animals and humans alike. Humans push them along with whips that may inflict severe injuries such as broken necks and fractured bones – sometimes fatal ones if cardiovascular collapse occurs or pulmonary hemorrhage occurs at the track. Horses frequently die at these tracks from cardiovascular collapse or pulmonary hemorrhage, though.
One of the key aspects of horse racing is the walking ring, in which bettors inspect horses’ coats for signs that they are ready to run. A bright, rippling coat is considered an indicator that their horses are fit and ready for action; otherwise they could become afraid or angry and delay starting running, leading them to perform poorly on track. Bettors also look out for hooves which might indicate poor condition which might impact performance negatively on track.
Horse racing principles apply equally well in business settings. A contest for CEO can have adverse effects on an organization’s culture and structure; any company choosing this strategy for selecting its next leader should carefully consider how this approach will affect them, in order to minimize disruptions.
Proponents of the horse race approach claim that an overt competition for top positions can serve as a motivator for employees across an entire organization, offering employees clear paths towards leadership positions within the business. A high-performing executive who does not secure CEO may still find other avenues of advancement within their organization – for instance gaining promotions to other departments or senior roles within it.
However, a horse race can become disruptive to an organization if it lingers too long. Therefore, before using such an approach to selecting their next leader, boards should carefully consider their company’s culture and organizational structure before proceeding with such a selection process. Additionally, the board should make sure it has an in-depth knowledge of the capabilities of current leadership at their company and assess if an overt race for CEO will be suitable. Consider how a horse race could impede future recruitment efforts of talent into your company. A long succession battle could potentially scare away talented executives who may otherwise join your business in the future. This can create significant problems for both the company and its shareholders, so ultimately, the business should select a leader with proven ability in leading others and moving the company in an innovative direction. Ideally, someone with extensive leadership experience would best suited for this position.
