--- optiview_delivery: edge_optimized content_type: semantic_markdown source_url: https://learnings.org/term/herding-cats-v15 brand_content: none publication_version: "3.0" published_at: 2026-10-05T14:06:11Z composition_version: composition-v2.1.0 presentation_version: presentation-v1.2.0 --- # Herding cats [Skip to content](https://learnings.org/term/herding-cats-v15#main-content) - [All](https://learnings.org/terms) - [2](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=2) - [3](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=3) - [8](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=8) - [A](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=A) - [B](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=B) - [C](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=C) - [D](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=D) - [E](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=E) - [F](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=F) - [G](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=G) - [H](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=H) - [I](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=I) - [J](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=J) - [K](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=K) - [L](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=L) - [M](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=M) - [N](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=N) - [O](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=O) - [P](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=P) - [Q](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=Q) - [R](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=R) - [S](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=S) - [T](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=T) - [U](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=U) - [V](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=V) - [W](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=W) - [Y](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=Y) - [Z](https://learnings.org/terms?letter=Z) A corporate euphemism for "trying to manage people who don't want to be managed" that makes organizational dysfunction sound like a cute metaphor, usually used by managers who can't actually lead. ### Examples Examples: - "Managing this team is like herding cats." (managing this team is impossible because I'm terrible at it) - "We're herding cats on this project." (we're failing because nobody knows what they're doing) - "Herding cats is our specialty." (failing at management is our specialty) ### Tags euphemismmanageddysfunctionimpossiblefailing 1908 views • Created 1/31/2021 📢 Share Learnings ### Other Definitions of "Herding cats" [ Trying to manage a difficult, uncontrollable group. "Managing this cross-functional team is like herding cats." ](https://learnings.org/term/herding-cats) ### Related Terms [ #### Champion A corporate euphemism for "person who gets blamed when things go wrong"... 1901 views• euphemism, blamed ](https://learnings.org/term/champion)[ #### Backburner A corporate euphemism for "never" that makes procrastination sound like strategic prioritization,... 1843 views• euphemism, never ](https://learnings.org/term/backburner-v2)[ #### Watercooler A corporate euphemism for "gossip" that makes workplace rumors sound like professional... 1811 views• euphemism, gossip ](https://learnings.org/term/watercooler)[ #### Sidebar A corporate euphemism for "wasting time" that makes pointless digressions sound like... 1545 views• euphemism, wasting ](https://learnings.org/term/sidebar)[ #### Action item A corporate euphemism for "thing we'll never actually do" that makes procrastination... 1543 views• euphemism, procrastination ](https://learnings.org/term/action-item-v133) Keep exploring the corporate jargon dictionary ## 🌍 In the Wild \+ Add Example No examples yet. Be the first to add one! ### 🤖 AI Tools 🎓 Translate with Professor📝 Open Writing Tools🎯 Play Buzzword Bingo 🎓 Ask the Professor ## Additional source context © 2008–2026 Learnings Dot Org — Speak fluent corporate. Ironically. ## Additional page links - [Trying to manage a difficult, uncontrollable group. · "Managing this cross-functional team is like herding cats."](https://learnings.org/term/herding-cats) — Other Definitions of "Herding cats" - [Champion · A corporate euphemism for "person who gets blamed when things go wrong"... · 1901 views• euphemism, blamed](https://learnings.org/term/champion) — Related Terms - [Backburner · A corporate euphemism for "never" that makes procrastination sound like strategic prioritization,... · 1843 views• euphemism, never](https://learnings.org/term/backburner-v2) — Related Terms - [Watercooler · A corporate euphemism for "gossip" that makes workplace rumors sound like professional... · 1811 views• euphemism, gossip](https://learnings.org/term/watercooler) — Related Terms - [Sidebar · A corporate euphemism for "wasting time" that makes pointless digressions sound like... · 1545 views• euphemism, wasting](https://learnings.org/term/sidebar) — Related Terms - [Action item · A corporate euphemism for "thing we'll never actually do" that makes procrastination... · 1543 views• euphemism, procrastination](https://learnings.org/term/action-item-v133) — Related Terms