Leadership Lessons from a Welsh Corgi

A dear friend and family member passed away not too long ago – our family dog, a Welsh Pembroke Corgi. Her pedigree name was Costus Afortune, because 14 years ago she did….cost us a fortune. We just called her Costus.

As a breed, Corgi’s are members of the herding class of dogs. And lest you think otherwise, Corgi’s are not small dogs, they’re short dogs. Trust me, there’s a difference. Costus never lived on a farm or ranch, and she was never formally trained to herd sheep, cattle, goats or geese. But that didn't keep her from following her instincts and acting accordingly.

In the days following her death, we would share some of our favorite stories that involved Costus and her characteristics, and I soon realized that what we were sharing as fun stories were also attributes of effective leadership.  Here are some lessons we realized from Costus:

Costus knew her role, and acted accordingly. Good leaders know their place and delegate accordingly. 

Costus was constantly curious, and constantly learning. Good leaders are always learning, growing, and remaining relevant. 

Costus knew when to lead and when to follow. Good leaders know when it’s time to follow others who may be better skilled at something.

Costus only performed tasks that led to the objective. Good leaders are constantly promoting the vision and perform duties that lead to obtaining that vision.

Costus understood and used body language. Body language is a powerful communicator. Good leaders are masters at using all forms of body language to communicate their purpose. 

Costus was consistent. For good leaders, consistency is key. Good leaders are calm, controlled, safe, and consistent. Good leaders give clear guidelines, set appropriate boundaries and respect individual personalities.

Costus was fiercely loyal. Good leaders are loyal to those they lead, because without them, they’re just taking a walk.

I’d like to think that Costus was just reflecting what she saw in all of us, but I know better. As good leaders do, she contributed to the relationship as much as she took from it.

Question: What leadership attributes does your pet display?

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I’d like to know what you think. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below.

The Power of Questions

It has been said that questions, especially those that that make us ponder, have the magnificent power to transform our destiny. The quality of your life is equal to the quality of the questions you ask. For example:

“What am I doing right now that is life affirming?”

“How can I add a little more fun to my life in this moment?”

“What can I do to make my life more exciting?”

Questions like these cause us to reflect, to daydream and to think of possibilities as potential answers. And then, as they so often do, they fade away as the next urgent matter crosses our path.

Instead of making resolutions at the beginning of the year that I do not plan to keep, I asked myself just two questions;

1.      What do I want?
2.      Once determined, what am I going to do about it?

There is an inherent power in these two questions, and seeking their answer is my quest for the year.  Asking them helps me narrow my focus to what I really want, and how I will go about achieving it. They leave little room for fluff or distractions. They help me prioritize what is important and challenge me to be true to myself. They keep me accountable, and inspire me to grow. Answering them reveals my potential and helps me achieve goals that matter.

When people ask me for assistance in helping them achieve a goal, my first question is what is it they want? Once answered, my job is to challenge their present thought process to consider ideas and options they hadn't thought of, and to help them discover new ways to reach their potential.

These questions apply to my corporate clients as well. At a time when quarterly financial reports are coming out, the usual rhetoric follows – the numbers are down and we need to make changes. New goals are set, the business priorities are aligned and the marching orders are given. But what if the business direction was set by asking these two questions? What would that business look like?

Determining what you want and what you are going to do about it are the first steps to realizing your potential. It applies to your personal life, your relationships, and your career.

So - What do you want and what are you going to do about it?

Question: What questions do you ask that can possibly transform your destiny?

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I’d like to know what you think. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below.

Sphere-logic verses Box-logic

With all the lists that come out at the year’s end, those that identify the most overused business cliché’s and buzz words are my favorites to read. On my own list of most hated phrases is to “think outside the box”. 

Thinking outside the box is a metaphor that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective. This phrase often refers to novel or creative thinking, and looking beyond the obvious.

An example of this is Taco Bell and their successful marketing campaign “Think Outside the Bun”. It simply applied the metaphor to think beyond the hamburger and try something different, implying their product as a solution.

I call this Box-logic, and while it is a useful tool and metaphor, it is an overused cliché that is uninspiring and incomplete in solving problems. In its day, facing a problem involved three separate steps; find a solution, take action, deliver the results. Thinking outside the box only addressed the first step – finding a solution, and it’s only half the equation. Today, unfortunately, the cliché presumes an action will be taken which then leads to the desired result. The metaphor is but one piece and does not consider the whole problem, nor was it ever intended to.

To be truly successful in today’s work environments, merely confronting problems is not enough. We must solve them and deliver the results in real time. Innovative thinking with immediate action is required to achieve the results and deliver a solution. Developing solutions to problems today needs to be a seamless event, and can be stated as the following equation: Problem: Innovative thinking + Action + Results = Solution.

In working with The Arnold Group, we looked for a way to view problems in a three-dimensional way. We needed multiple perspectives not just to the problem, but to the actions, the results, and the solution as well. Using a baseball as our metaphor, we see each element of it is attached by an endless seam. If we think of each element of the baseball as innovative thinking, action, and results all sown together as a sphere, then the baseball itself is the solution to the problem. We call this Sphere-logic.   

Sphere-logic works with the whole equation in mind. Like the baseball, one element ends where the next one begins. The principle of Sphere-logic is to move effortlessly from innovative thinking to results to deliver the solution with the least amount of resistance, like a ball bearing.

Ironically, Sphere-logic came about by out of the box thinking to find a better approach to how problems are faced and resolved today. As business evolves, so must the tools that help us be successful at what we do. While Box-logic will help us look beyond the obvious, Sphere-logic will help us deliver the solution. 

Question: Where can you use Sphere-logic in your work today?

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I'd like to know what you think. Please feel free to let me know in the comments section below.