Taurus at Work – The Taurus Employee

I came across the bull in this picture last week in Bangalow. Bangalow is this beautifully picturesque town slightly inland from Byron Bay on the north coast of New South Wales here in Australia.

In the photo he looks content- and he is…we had a bit of a roadside chat, as you do. And why wouldn’t he be? Just check out that view across the rolling fields to the Pacific Ocean. He has a field of good grass around him, some pretty cute looking cows in the paddock beside him, some trees to give adequate shelter. Yep, life is pretty good.

So what would happen if the farmer turned up with plans for re-location? He will turn into the very picture of an over-fed stubborn creature with his feet planted firmly into the mud of his paddock and refusing to move his great bulk to the paddock next door. His owner has a rope and is attempting to drag him by the nose through the gate. The Farmer reasons with his reluctant charge that the grass is running out here and the cows are aging, but next door the feed is nice and green, and the cows very amenable and admiring.

Even though he is now uncomfortable (being pulled by the nose would do that, I guess), our Bull doesn’t listen. The grass in this paddock is tasty and he has no complaints about the cows here either. Why would he want to leave here to go next door? What’s in it for him? The cows in the next paddock groan and chew their cuds as Mr Bull is doing his stubborn, change resistant thing.

The Bull is so busy resisting he fails to look around him. He has his eyes on the mud below where his cloven feet are refusing to move and continues to put all of his energy into straining back in the opposite way- back to what he knows. All of a sudden something makes him raise his head and look around. He clocks the cows in the new paddock and pays particular attention to that lush green grass.

With eyes on the goal (and the snack) he tosses his head, knocks the hapless farmer out of the way and charges through the gate, trampling it under his feet as he goes. Nothing and no one is going to stop him. The cows watch in delight as overweight couch potato is transformed into a fine specimen of charging bull-ness before their eyes.

At this point we get the majestic beast of matador (and Wall St) legends. With eyes rolling and nostrils flaring he paws the earth with a mighty muscled leg as he lowers his huge black head and prepares to charge the highly decorated diva that is the Matador (or other traders). Prepared to fight to the death…whatever it takes…however long it takes.

There is no coincidence that the Wall St bull is supposedly symbolic of success and material wealth.
Taurus treats physical and material security very seriously. He likes to feel comfortable and have solid ground below him. In the workplace, the Bull needs to have clearly defined tasks and outcomes and dislikes uncertainty, lack of process and moving goal posts.

When it comes to change, Taurus will roadblock first and ask questions later…much later. Taurus will absorb the information, cut through the spin and rhetoric and ensure there is a concrete and practical outcome at the end of the process. Only then will Taurus solidify the change and make it real.

Taurus employees don’t do surprises well, so a heads up in advance of any announcement (a couple of weeks and some chocolate should do the trick) will work a treat. Manage the communication and get Taurus on side and any change will be implemented on time and budget- no matter what obstacles are put in their way.

Taurus is dependable, solid and built for endurance. They are not fickle and inconstant, nor will they burn out as soon as the initial excitement has passed. This is the steadfast energy of a marathon runner. This is the energy that will Get The Job Done. Right. The First Time. No Rework. Every office needs at least one Taurus.

Taurus will become disenchanted if hard work is not rewarded by adequate monetary compensation and ongoing job security. These are Deal Breakers. Taurus will not be swayed by titles, travel, training or empty promises of future compensation. These things can’t put a roof over their head or food on the table or be applied to the credit card.

Back in the paddock our Bull is happily munching the lushest, greenest grass that nature ever pushed out of the ground. The sun is beating down, but he has prime spot under a sprawling, shady tree. He has done a good job and his cows are also munching contentedly in a group a little way off. He raises his mighty head and gazes around at his grass, his girls, his tree. Goals have been achieved. Life is good. He is comfortable. From the corner of his eye he sees the farmer open the gate. His head goes down and feet take their wide legged planting in the ground stance. He doesn’t like change.

Last updated on December 27, 2015 at 11:04 pm. Word Count: 885