[Dailydrool] We Can Learn Much From Dogs

[Kim Brown]

My brother sent me this article the day after Christmas.  I thought I would share it with everyone on the Daily Drool.  Some of you may have seen this article before.
 
Kim, slave to Daisy, Dixie, Gracie & Sammie ATB 12/15/08
 
 
 
 
An unknown author once wrote, "My goal in life is to be as good as my dog thinks I am." This person certainly sets a high standard. You see, cynics will claim we love dogs because they cannot speak ... or criticize. I believe, however, we love dogs because they represent the best in us: enthusiasm, creativity and unselfishness.
In fact, we can learn much from dogs in our professional lives. When we fall short or lose our way, maybe we should turn to our four-legged friends for inspiration. They can help us remember four qualities that can be so easily lost at work:
Love of life
Imagine waking up to a world filled with endless possibilities. Your senses tingle with every motion, scent and sound. You devote each day to indulging your natural curiosities, exploring and playing.
Unrealistic? Sure, but consider the alternative. Imagine a life driven by quotas and deadlines, late nights and commutes, BlackBerrys and meetings. If that's you, it might be time to reassess.
Think about your day. How often do you seek out new experiences and ideas? When you interact with others, are you introducing playfulness?  Have you grown consumed with heightened expectations and daily slights -- or do you embrace every morning as an opportunity?
To dogs, each day is an adventure, unburdened by the clock or personal baggage. Their world is a stage, where they are free to act out their daydreams -- or just make hams of themselves. They remain inquisitive, intuitively knowing what is lost when that sense of wonder passes. Maybe it's this outlook -- that a dog's instinct is to not take life so seriously -- that's really missing from your work life.
Forgiveness
It has been said that dogs have so many friends because they wag their tails, not their tongues.Certainly, dogs have mastered the most difficult discipline: forgiveness. Perhaps we could benefit from seeing the world from a dog's point of view.
At work, it is so easy to remember the wrongs and hold grudges. Our missteps teach us to use caution and build walls. But does this really help us connect to those around us? Dogs boil relationships down to their basic level. They don't judge, blame or dwell. Instead, they accept us for who we are ... and hope for the same.
That's why people gravitate to dogs. They hold short memories and express love without reservation or conditions. At work, do you convey such openness? Or do you keep that distance that's often so harmful?
Genuineness
With dogs, what you see is what you get. They aren't self-conscious and don't hide anything (except bones). Their exuberance, from their bouncy step to their eager bark, is instinctive. And they are stubbornly faithful, often protective, to the end.
Dogs are comfortable with who they are. And they never miss a chance to make a friend, either.
Compare that to the work world. Too often, we intersect with those who carry carefully crafted personas or hidden agendas. They play the game, saying all the right things and wooing all the right people. Eventually, these people are exposed. They lose credibility, trust and whatever they were seeking. Simply put: Your peers want a relationship with the real you. Our faults make us more accessible, sometimes more lovable. But it's our genuine self that inevitably determines our legacy.
Attentiveness
There's nothing better than coming home to your dog.No matter how bad your day went, your dog will still dash out, eyes twinkling, tongue and tail wagging. Win or lose, your dog is your biggest fan. He craves your company. He hangs on your every word. You are the highlight of his day and center of his world.
Dogs aim to please their owners. What have you done lately to serve your peers? How do you bring smiles and laughter to the mix? In theater, you always leave your audience wanting more. What are you doing to be memorable, to be the best part of your co-workers' day, and to be the one they want to see every day?
Even more, dogs can detect subtle shifts in our moods. They may even seem to sympathize with us on some level. It isn't surprising then that so many people talk to their dogs. They are there; they pay attention even though they cannot understand.
It is no different at work. In any relationship, you get out what you put in. How attuned are you to your peers? Can you interpret their body language or the real sentiments behind their words? When problems surface, you may not have answers. But just being there -- recognizing, listening, supporting -- is often enough.
Just ask your dog.
Jeff Schmitt works in publishing in Dubuque, Iowa. His monthly column, "The Personal Touch," is published by "Sales and Marketing Management" magazine at managesmarter.com. His e-mail is jschmittdbq at mchsi.com
Copyright 2008 Jeff Schmitt All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without prior written authority. 
Story Filed Sunday, November 23, 2008 - 9:01 PM 
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