Inspiring Management Tips
Being on top of the world changes everything
We’ve all had that experience when we feel on top of the world. We’re not just happy; we are ecstatic with a sense of accomplishment, achievement, complete satisfaction, and enjoyment. It’s the feeling that a professional athlete must have after years of training to win a national title. Or a health care provider that saves…
Getting to know you
Memories of the first time you meet someone linger. Those initial moments create an emotion that sticks with us. Quite often, we then allow our mind to focus on that (good or bad) feeling, and it builds into an elaborate impression, reinforcing and rationalizing our first instinct. I remember talking to the woman, Denise, who…
The nuances of communicating do matter
Grace was out of control. In a happy way. She bounded into the agility room on Friday and all bets were off for getting her attention. She wanted to greet the other two dogs. Say hello to her favorite trainer, Rachel. She jumped over the hurdles. Ran through the chute. Leapt over the A Frame….
A gentle leader approach
It was truly much easier than I expected. I’m referring to my new walking regiment with Grace. As noted in my last post, I made a commitment to have Grace comply with my walking standards instead of hers. Rather than having her skip along in front of me, I asked her to walk beside me….
Even walking requires leadership
Grace is very vocal when she wants something. It’s obvious when it’s mealtime or when she wants to sun herself on the deck. She is very explicit in her requests, using her voice (persistent whining) and body (sits in front of me, scratches her paw on me, jumps around if the first two don’t work)…
“Change starts with myself”
Grace really thinks that everyone—any dog, any cat, any human—should make adjustments to her needs. I know that comes from a lack of confidence and we continue to work on that, and in many ways it is endearing. She only wants to know we love her – more than we love her feline brothers, for…
Courage comes in many shapes and sizes
Curling up for a peaceful nap with a friendly companion in a comfy bed doesn’t conjure up images of a courageous act. But those of you who have read previous posts about Grace’s aversion to children, you know differently. It takes a ton of courage–a major leap of faith that the small person snuggled up…
Saying the right thing at the right time in the right way
Ever tried to reprimand a headstrong cat? It’s actually quite comical. Depending on the cat’s interest to comply (usually low) and the actual distance you happen to be from the offender at the time of the infraction (if you’re close, better; if you’re far away, forget it), it’s an entertaining, but usually futile exercise. Grace…
How much focus do you need to get what you want?
Focus. No distractions. Having all your attention on something—it’s a good thing. Until you lose your focus. That’s what happened to me at agility last week. And I didn’t even realize it until a fellow classmate, Patricia, recognized it had happened to both of us. I loved our class last week. It turned out that…
When someone does something rude, what should you do? Try compassion.
When I first got Grace, we lived next door to a wonderful couple that loved dogs. Kitty and Kevin welcomed Grace unconditionally and went to extraordinary measures to show her that. To say Grace was timid would be grossly understated. Anytime anyone came around, she would cower, bark, and/or hide. So Kevin felt the best…
