Sophie, Rescue Desk Mascot
My pup, Sophie, is the first and only dog I’ve ever had, and she’s everything I’d ever want in a dog. I rescued her from the local shelter a few years ago and, surprisingly, she came fully loaded — she’s fully trained, fully mannered and fully loveable. She is easily the best dog ever.
She gives the same, tail-wagging reaction to both “Wanna go for a walk!?” and “Wanna go get your nails clipped?!” as long as we’re going somewhere. She sighs with pleasure when she gets a belly scratch. When nose-to-nose with the vet for a shot, she pulls through like a trouper without complaint. When she tags along to work with me, she’s a polite welcome wagon for visitors, calmly asking for a scratch on the head before obediently going back to her post in the corner.
I’ll probably never get her to “walk nicely” on her leash, never be able to get her attention when there’s a squirrel nearby, or never get her to stand up for herself when the cat bullies her. But, I also know she’ll stop at nothing to protect me from a suspicious stranger lurking around outside, will always give 110% trying to break the land-speed record to catch a tennis ball, and will be a loyal sidekick on any adventure.
I got to thinking about Sophie and her special dog personality, and it got me wondering. I’m pretty sure dogs provide a quiet influence on how successful their owners’ businesses are built. Hear me out on this …
Loyal
Dogs are loyal by nature. Loyalty is something we, as business owners, hold near and dear. How often do you pick up the same product brands or go to the same service stations out of loyalty? The product or service works for you and your life. As business owners and entrepreneurs, we understand this. I’m always conscious of maintaining loyalty to my clients, and I work even harder to earn and maintain their loyalty to my firm in return.
Protective
This is that innate sense that something feels off. That inexplicable thing that gets an otherwise mellow pooch to stand at attention, tail up, knowing he may need to fight for what’s right. For us, it’s that quiet whisper in back of our heads that says a particular vendor may not be as trustworthy as he claims, or the inexplicable feeling that a prospective employee will be more trouble for your team than she’s worth. We don’t hesitate to protect our business and our clients from injustice.
Enthusiastically friendly
With the exception of the “lurking stranger” I mentioned earlier, probably the best trait of any dog is ability to be friendly to anyone. Period. A dog doesn’t see stereotypes, net worth or job descriptions. How often have we been a bit impatient with a salespeople doing a cold calls to our offices, when they’re just trying to do the same things we are? On the flip side, how many of us have been on the receiving end of rudeness simply because people pre-judge us or what we’re trying to do. I think we could all probably step it up a notch once in awhile in the friendly category.
Instinctual
Imagine if you could bottle the ability to completely trust your instincts without hesitation. While dogs’ instincts can undoubtedly get them into trouble sometimes, the simple ability to know — deep down – what needs to be done is enviable. Think about those times when you didn’t trust your gut and ended up burned. We all have trouble when the “Next Big Idea” for your business looks good on paper, but simply doesn’t feel right; when instinct says “Wait!” but logic says “Go forward!” Nine times out of ten, our instincts know how to handle the situation, but we have trouble trusting it.
Genuine
This is right up there with the best-ever doggie traits. Dogs don’t lie. Come hell or high water, dogs remain true to themselves and their personalities; they don’t succumb to the pressure we sometimes feel to change for anyone or anything. Being genuine in business is the cornerstone to building something successful. Be genuine with your mission, your values, your team and your customers.
So, next time you’re face-to-face with a question, a challenge, or a fork in the road, it may not be too far from crazy to ask yourself, “What would the dog do?”
