The Dogs In the Shed
Dogs are designed to act in specific ways. If you can’t choose the people on your team, ask how they can thrive.
- Huskies pull.
- Saint Bernards rescue.
- Pugs love attention.
- Golden Retrievers guide.
- Greyhounds race.
People are like dogs. Greyhounds won’t thrive guiding. Don’t expect pugs to rescue.
Saint Bernards won’t flourish pulling sleds. Training won’t help.
Application
Plans begin with people. Mission relies on the pack.
Where can the dogs take you?
Coaching Dogs
You don’t create talent. You develop and release it.
You don’t impose passion. You ignite and fan it.
Coaches tap the talent and passion of the people in the shed.
Leadership Practice
Don’t teach Greyhounds to sit. Your job isn’t to fix flaws. Put people on the right track.
Match roles with talent.
Set expectations that maximize strengths.
Forget about the team you wish you had. Win with the people you have.
Exercises
List everyone’s strengths. When are they most alive?
Who are you trying to retrain instead of release?
Who needs to be repositioned this week?
5 Ways to Stop Fixing and Start Developing
Read: Good to Great
I agree that we are often faced with having to make the best of what we have – we often don’t have the power or influence to change everything/everyone to the way we want it. And I agree that in those situations it’s a good thing to understand individual skill, capability & drivers and therefore change the culture, processes and environment to help optimise performance. Humans (like dogs ) are often highly social, thriving on companionship and forming strong bonds with their “pack.” We seek approval and affection, and communicate through words, body language, and subtle cues, expressing a range of emotions including joy, fear, and even guilt.
However there is a balance to be struck.
Unlike dogs we all possess the capability of abstract thought, complex language, and the ability to reason, plan for the future, and engage in self-reflection. We create intricate cultures, develop advanced technologies, and grapple with philosophical concepts like morality, justice, and the meaning of life. We are not driven solely by instinct; our actions are shaped by nuanced understanding, ethical considerations, and a deep capacity for empathy. So as leaders we also need to set an example and a standard of what is expected and what is unacceptable. We should be setting the ground rules and establishing the environment that needs to be in place to achieve the objective/task/result.
This reminds me of Jim Collins’ imagery of right people on the bus, in the RIGHT seats. Some people need to get off the bus, but others simply need to move to a different seat. Then the team will get somewhere desirable together.