Those who have heard me speak in class will know that i love animal analogies to explain workplace and career-related matters within a BaZi context.

Behold my latest analogy: the sheep-dog-sheepdog theory.

Sheep, for the purposes of this discussion, is associated with followers and minions. You are a sheep if in your organisation, you have no decision-making power. Your job is to execute what you are told to execute, do what you are told to do. Preferably do it well.

BAA.

Dog, for the purposes of the discussion, are the people who tell sheep what to do. Dogs herd the sheep. So Dogs are people who basically make decisions. They are usually fierce. And snap. Dogs naturally are people who have influence or power in a given workplace.

WOOF

There is a third category which is the SheepDog. Now, I am not referring to this:

Typically the phrase ‘sheepdog’ refers to a breed of dog that specialises in herding sheep (ie: Border Collies).

SHEEPdog in a BaZi context means a person who does a bit of sheep work (execution, minion-ing) and a bit of dog work (decisions, managing other sheep). SHEEPdog in the context of the Dilbertian world, is middle management.

Certain Day Masters are born to be sheep. Others are born to be Dogs. Others can be Dog, Sheep or SheepDogs, depending on the situation/circumstance.

Born to be Dogs: Usually Yin DM because these combine with Direct Officer. Can also be any DM that has strong Officer Stars, particularly 7K.

Born to be Sheep: Jia Wood DM is the most obvious example of a DM that is born to be sheep. Ji Earth DMs (particularly if they have weak Officer) will be good sheep. Xin Metal for example, can be a good sheep, provided they are sure that their boss is a Dog.

Born to be SheepDog: These are DMs who have tremendous capacity to be flexible and dynamic in their workplace roles. Gui Water is at the best example of SheepDog but Yi Wood would also be a good example of a SheepDog. These are individuals who are chameleonic in nature and not only are at home in middle management but excel at the art of interfacing between above (dog) and below (pure sheep). They can do some herding, but are also quite comfortable being herded.  Ji Earth can also be a good sheepdog if the Officer Star is not too strong.

Wait – what do you mean sure that their boss is a Dog? Isn’t a Dog a Dog? A sheep a sheep? 

The kinds of clients that give BaZi consultants the most hassle are clients who think they are one thing when they are actually something else. In other words, people who have an over-inflated sense of their value, their skills, their abilities or just who they are or what they are worth as an employee/manager.

There are many people in this world who are sheep masquerading as dogs. In effect, minion level brains who are sitting in the big chair. These are sheep pretending to be dogs. (Resource structure usually but can also be Rob Wealth).

A person can only be a good sheep if they respect the dog. And they will respect the dog if the dog behaves like a dog. But if the dog behaves like a sheep, then the sheep…starts getting ideas. They start to think…maybe they should be the dog.

So what does this all have to do with career trajectory and career management and BaZi?

Most people by and large start their career as sheep. Some of course, aspire to become dogs. Some are happy to remain sheep (sometimes to their detriment because when they cease to be productive sheep – they are slaughtered read: lose their jobs or lose career momentum).

It’s very important to know WHICH YOU ARE. And based on one’s BaZi (specifically the Luck Pillars), your inclination may actually change although your base skillsets will not. Or you may find you excel at sheepdog work but at some stage, you probably for either financial security or just sheer sanity reasons, need to pick one side. (the sheepdog role is not recommended for long periods of time excepting for certain DMs OR where the sheepdog role is self-defined – see my post on the Hustle Option).

Throughout your career, it’s important to be able to determine which you are. If you are a sheep, then it’s important to be a good and valuable sheep  but also to make sure that you are not in a flock that is too big. Because when the flock gets too big, then you know – you become expendable and next week’s pot roast.

If you are a sheep with Dog ambitions, then you should stop denying who you are and just embrace being a Dog. As you move through your career choices or options, you will need to reduce the responsibilities that are sheep-like, and embrace more Dog-like tasks (where you make decisions, do strategy, generate ideas, create outcomes). Better yet, aim to be a dog from Day One. Show leadership. Take responsibility. Demonstrate Initiative. Be the organiser. (this is what we call, Using your Elements).

By and large, Wealth Structures will prefer to be Dogs. Sometimes Yang DMs that combine with Wealth have an inclination towards being Dogs.

It’s okay to be a sheepdog – indeed, there is some argument that the sheepdog is probably the most valuable type of person to be. You can follow or lead, or follow and lead at the same time. You understand the sheep (having been one or are one) but you similarly can do the Dog’s job (because you have the right skills to be a dog but for some reason, don’t want to be one). Typically people who can be sheepdog have good output and officer stars at the same time, in a complimentary elemental condition OR have Officer and Resource in supportive/complimentary positions. But as indicated above, long-term sheepdog roles are draining even for the most adept.

Clarity of ability, role, capacity and personal style are very important when it comes to successfully managing one’s career. At times, a person may be forced into a role they do not like out of necessity but it is always important to think about how you are parlaying that, vs the actual nature of the role itself.  So for example, after a long stint at as dog, consider a brief stint as a sheep (especially if you are looking for a career pivot) because the perspective of the sheep, will probably make you a better dog.