Lazy dog daze of summer
In New England, there are only a few weeks of warm, sunny weather in the summer – if you’re lucky. So when the sun is out and the temperatures are perfect, it’s wise to take advantage of it. The last week or so has been that kind of weather. Temperatures have been ideal, the sun […]
Missed opportunities for leadership
In my last post,I talked about situations where we might step in too aggressively and lead through some event or task when it would have been better to follow. Some people are just natural leaders and they are comfortable taking control of any situation – especially when there is a void and no one else […]
Racing to be the lead dog doesn’t always make you a winner
Grace loves the woods. On many Sunday mornings we go for a walk with a small group of people in search of mushrooms.She’s always in motion out there and I absolutely love to watch her graceful moves as she navigates around, over, and through a variety of natural obstacles in her way. On rare occasions […]
Make time to devote to your professional development
I’ve been on the road for the last couple of weeks – away on a combination of business stops mingled with a few family visits. I haven’t seen Grace for nine days and I really miss her. Of course, I miss my husband, too, along with all the routines that I enjoy in my life. […]
Talents worthy of recognition
It’s been said that the most effective form of motivation is recognition. It is all too often in our corporate world that employees feel underappreciated. Sometimes I hear from a manager, “Well, that’s their job. Do I have to say thank you for things that are expected out of them?” Grace is the perfect reminder. […]
Learning anything complex takes time—don’t shortchange the process
One of the agility obstacles that Grace and I have not spent a lot of time with is the weave poles. When first learning this particular skill, the poles are “open” to create a channel that the dog walks through. Eventually, the goal is to have poles “closed” or set in a straight line so […]
“We listen” is simple tool that results in high employee engagement
Sometimes the work of a manager can be best accomplished by doing something very simple. Both dogs and progressive employers can serve as reminders and role models for this powerful (and free) technique. When Grace ignores a request I make of her, it’s easy to accuse of her of not listening to me. That’s the […]
Treats trump toys
Grace eats anything. And I mean anything. I get grossed out thinking about some of the things I’ve seen her devour and enjoy. Her early days on the streets of Puerto Rico produced a scavenger mentality and I’m not sure if she has any taste buds, just an insatiable desire to eat whatever is within […]
Nailed!
At a cookout this past weekend, a friend was telling me about an experience at her workplace. Her manager had brought her in to discuss some issues with the details of her work and she said it was hard to listen to it. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to know the information; she just […]
This is MY space!
One of the things I like the most about observing Grace is how literal her communication is. The same is true with our cats. Their body language tells it all. If we could observe human interactions with that level of objectivity and detachment, I think we’d often behave differently. There are two instances that illustrate […]
