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.