Pets, for many of us, are extensions of our families. They comfort us when we are sick, protect us and are happy to see us. In many ways, they are a great representation of a servant leader.
Okay, it’s not exact, but not that far of a stretch, right? I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of these furry friends in my life. Both in my home and volunteering to help their lives be a little better. The one that taught me the most was a coonhound mix we called Cadoo. He was brilliant and surprisingly taught me a thing or two about how to be a better person and leader.
DON’T WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT TOMORROW
This is true for many dogs, but Cadoo had this ability to enjoy the moment he was in to the fullest. He wasn’t concerned about the next day or really the minute after the one he was in. Not to say that didn’t cause him trouble at times, but for the most part he was so interested in you that what ever happened next didn’t matter. The full on attention he gave whom ever was with is something I take with me to this day. I try with all my might to be “in the moment” and not worry about the next moment. As a leader it helps you learn about the people on your team and get clarity about how to serve them better.
Leaders focus on the moment they are in. When it is time to plan, they focus on planning. When it is time to act, they focus on acting. When it is time to listen, the listen. Trying to do all things at one time means none get done well.
IT’S OKAY TO HAVE A SHORT MEMORY ABOUT THE SMALL STUFF
No matter what you did to Cadoo, he was always happy and didn’t hold any grudges. As long as the net result of the relationship was good, he was of the “forgive and forget” mentality.
He also didn’t let things going wrong bother him for long. I always marveled at his resilience. It is a skill I am honing to this day.
Unless its something really bad, grudges are a lot of work to maintain. Don’t hold on to things. Remember people treat you like you expect them to.
What about the bad people that try to do you harm, you ask? How do you avoid getting hurt by them? Well, my trusty Cadoo followed what is not being uncovered in science – intuition
He knew fairly quickly who he could trust and who he couldn’t or shouldn’t. Of course the gut is not always right, but getting it wrong hones your “intuition” even more.
Leaders act on the sum of the relationship not just the last interaction.
BE EXCITED, BE REALLY EXCITED
Cadoo was excited about everything. The funny thing was that the more excited he was the more excited everyone was. Coming home, greeting guests, watching TV, and really just about everything else. His excitement made everything more fun. Of course, it is not appropriate to be enthusiastic about everything. But in most cases, enthusiasm makes everything better. It is contagious and enables teams/groups to accomplish more.
Leaders need to be enthusiastic about their role, their team and the impact they have. It makes a difference.
Watching the joy that Cadoo had in each moment, regardless of what he was going always made me envy him. He could relax a room and sense danger just by being 100% present. Yes, we all have much more to worry about than a simple dog. But, I know I am a better husband, leader, parent and consultant by learning from him.
What are some of your unexpected leadership lessons?
Anil Saxena is the President of Cube 2.14, an organizational development consulting firm that works with clients to increase both customer and employee engagement while decreasing turnover, improving customer retention, and increasing profitability within organizations.
Saxena is a certified High Impact coach and trainer and a Joint Application Design facilitator. He is also certified by both Rush Systems and IBM as a focus group facilitator. He is an inaugural member of Northwestern University’s Learning and Organizational Change program, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
