Why a dog matters to your leadership style

I’m in the midst of redesigning my website. One of the primary goals is to integrate this blog so it has the same look and feel as the website. Which means I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how to articulate why this dog-inspired blog should beintegrated to my consulting practice. One might wonder…

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I still believe we can make a difference working together

Managers can create a workplace that has the spirit of giving all year long As Christmas approaches, visions of Santa Claus in his furry red suit are dancing in my head. My husband teases me that I should take Grace to get her photo taken with Santa (she would freak and he knows it, that’s…

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Why you should be micro-managing

I really don’t enjoy digging into the minute details of a situation, especially when the data is mundane, technical, or complex. So you might be surprised when I tell you that I’ve been absorbed in analyzing the long list of ingredients found on dozens of dog food bags. (It certainly surprised me.) I mean, half…

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Recognition makes you feel good, among other things

We all know how good it feels when we receive recognition. It not only puts a smile on our face but it has other significant benefits, too. It motivates us to do more of what gave us the positive reinforcement and therefore increases our confidence. These are important aspects for productivity and happiness. The recognition…

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When you want to be successful, don’t try it alone

No great accomplishment is ever done alone. Certainly dogs rely on humans for many basic needs, but Grace started out living on the streets by herself. She found her own food and shelter; having enough self-preservation and willpower to do what she needed to survive. But even in those amazingly challenging times, I have no…

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Two things to do when someone is ignoring you

There are times when I feel that Grace is ignoring me. (And I’m sure she does on occasion.) But mostly I think she just doesn’t always understand what I’m saying. What often looks to me as if she’s ignoring me is very likely a result of her not knowing what I’m saying. When she’s afraid…

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Warning! There may be untapped potential all around you!

What is the potential for any dog? I doubt this question gets asked much by dog owners. Many of us bring a canine pal into our homes for companionship (nothing wrong with that!). But we probably don’t put a dedicated focus on helping them reach their own potential. We’re often more interested in having them…

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You don’t have to wear blaze orange to be noticed, but it helps

This past weekend we went for our normal hike. Mostly normal, anyhow. Grace was dressed in her blaze orange vest, a safety precaution that she wouldn’t be mistaken for a deer during hunting season here in New Hampshire. While Grace isn’t even close to the size of a deer, she does leap through the woods…

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How my ego got in the way of the best decision

I kept trying. And trying. But it just wasn’t working. After untold number of attempts, Grace continued to have the same message for me: Do. Not. Cut. My. Nails. Some of you may recall an earlier post where I lamented about how I have failed to successfully trim Grace’s nails. It’s always been a goal…

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