--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't direct ostriches, you herd them." description: "\"You don't direct ostriches, you herd them.\" — Shelley Duvall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/shelley-duvall-20608_animal_you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them_2336100.jpg" --- # You don't direct ostriches, you herd them. ![“You don't direct ostriches, you herd them.” quote by Shelley Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/shelley-duvall-20608_animal_you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them_2336100.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/shelley-duvall-20608_animal_you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them_2336100.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/shelley-duvall-20608_animal_you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them_2336100.jpg) > “You don't direct ostriches, you herd them.” [Shelley Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-duvall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Managing difficult tasks requires indirect guidance, using group dynamics rather than direct control. **In simple terms:** Lead groups, not individuals. Key Takeaway Guide through influence, not command. Themes leadership management group dynamics Mood thoughtful pragmatic inspirational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - team building - project management - education - animal training Key Concepts Indirect leadership herding metaphor behavioral influence Questions to Reflect On - When is indirect leadership more effective? - What are limits of the herding approach? A Different Perspective Metaphor may oversimplify complex leadership challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct/) [Direct Ostriches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct-ostriches-5637768/) [Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/herd/) [Ostriches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ostriches/) [Ostriches Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ostriches-herd-5637767/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [America cannot be an ostrich with its head in the sand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/america-cannot-be-an-ostrich-with-its-head-in-the-sand/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [“You know what it's like, finding eight middle-aged guys having tantric sex with ostriches?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-ellis/you-know-what-it-s-like-finding-eight-middle-aged-guys-having-tantric/) [Warren Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-ellis/) > [With the Republicans controlling both houses of Congress, this is the Eisenhower-era revisited. 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Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You don't direct ostriches, you herd them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shelley Duvall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-duvall/you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-duvall/you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/shelley-duvall-20608_animal_you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them_2336100.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/shelley-duvall-20608_animal_you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them_2336100.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/shelley-duvall-20608_animal_you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them_2336100.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You don't direct ostriches, you herd them.” — Shelley Duvall", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Shelley Duvall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-duvall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You don't direct ostriches, you herd...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-duvall/you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-duvall/you-don-t-direct-ostriches-you-herd-them/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```