Top 10 Leadership Lessons I Learned from My Wheaten Terrier, Bueller

Top 10 Leadership Lessons I Learned from My Wheaten Terrier, Bueller

Leadership is the ability to motivate and inspire others to take positive and sustainable action. We are all leaders – it is not whether we lead, it is how well we lead. While human beings may be the alpha in most families, that is not to say that we can’t learn much from our canine friends. So here are the top 10 leadership lessons I learned from my sweet and adorable, albeit highstrung 3 year old Wheaten Terrier, Bueller (yes, as in “Ferris”).

10. Run with the Alpha Dogs

Whenever I take Bueller out for a stroll or to the dog park, he’s immediately attracted to lively, energetic dogs, as if feeding off their energy and level of excitement. But are humans really that different? Energy and enthusiasm are contagious, so surround yourself with as many optimists, go-getters and energetic types as you can (just be sure to skip the “dog greeting” part)

9. Be willing to learn new skills

Last month, at the ripe old age of 3, Bueller learned to fetch for the first time. Turns out, you can teach an older dog (he’d be highly insulted if I referred to him as “old”) new tricks. Those times they are a changin’, so acquire the skill sets you need to change with them, or risk getting left behind when the pack moves on. 

8. Get enough sleep

A no-brainer. You can’t even function properly, let alone be your sharpest or at your absolute best, on less sleep than your body needs to renew/regenerate itself. Of course, perhaps the 17 hours a day Bueller puts in is overdoing it a tad…

7. Be a dog with a bone

Bueller’s tenacious. When he gets his hands, er, teeth, on something, he never lets go, no matter what I try to do to yank it free or distract him. Perseverance, determination and tenacity are the qualities of many an effective leader.

6. Be loyal

Sure, loyalty comes naturally to pets, but humans do seem to struggle mightily with the concept at times. Showing loyalty and acting with integrity not only reveals character and lets people know if you can be trusted, it inspires others to treat you in kind. In this case, you get what you give, so why not give your absolute best?

5. Be curious

Bueller accepts nothing at face value. He sniffs and sniffs until he finds out all that he wants to know. He is curious about who is at the door, where the smell of food is coming from and what you have in your pocket. Great leaders are equally curious, and while they might not eat your couch to get to the bottom of things, they definitely “listen between the lines” until they get the answer they seek.

4. Live in the Moment

Every moment is a new opportunity for my pup. What happened a minute ago, or what might happen in the future, is of far less interest to him than what is happening at this very second. The freedom that he finds in living this way releases him from worry. Great leaders, while they have a compelling vision, believe that to truly experience life is to be in the moment.

3. Know when to stop chasing your tail

Tail chasing can be really fun for a dog, and for some people, too. But even a dog knows when enough is enough, when it’s time to eat, or chase a new dog, or give you a hug or a lick. A true leader realizes when it is time to let an idea go and to create something new, and when enough energy and resources have been devoted to a project which , perhaps, is ahead of its time.

2. Use your instincts

Bueller is a holographic thinker – he brings in all of his senses as he lives his life. He smells it, tastes it, feels it, sees it, hears it.  Great Leaders use all of their senses, their instincts, their emotions, intuiton and analytical skills to arrive at the best possible solution.

1. Bark Loud, Be Proud

Dogs love to bark and to bark loud.  They say “here I am, and I listen to what I have to say.”  A true leader makes sure that his voice is heard, even when expressing an unpopular opinion. He risks what people think about him, and speaks his mind.

So how are you going to lead? Time to learn from our four-legged friends!