Raising Puppies and Building Teams

Disclaimers:

1.??????This post should be taken in the spirit in which it was intended – I love dogs, and I love my team.?I am NOT equating my team members with puppies, just the same as I am not proposing to add puppies to my team (although that would make for some cute team pictures!)

2.??????Obviously, putting puppy pictures on LinkedIn posts is likely to get more engagement – yes, I did that on purpose.?However, I felt the piece was interesting even without the pics – but sure, why not give people what they want!

I’d like you to meet the newest member of my ‘home’ team, Stanlee.?Yes, that is spelled correctly, and we are trying to teach him that with great power comes great responsibility – along with how to go outside if he needs to relieve himself.?I’ll settle for the latter well before we get him to understand the former.

Stanlee is just under 12 weeks old, and of course he’s the goodest boy.?Well, at least sometimes he is.?Mostly he’s a normal golden retriever puppy, very confident, and very curious.?He loves to explore, taste things (and I mean EVERYTHING), and tends to sleep quite a bit (although not always when we’d like him to).?For anything he has learned, and any good behavior he has demonstrated, I must credit my wife for her persistent, patient training.?Of course, she has had plenty of practice in ‘training’ me for these many years.

As I have been an active participant in his training over these last several weeks, and I apparently have too much free time on my hands, I can’t help but think of some ways that training a puppy can be a bit like building and supporting a high-performance team.?Here are a few of my thoughts:

1.??????Provide clear and consistent feedback – both puppies and team members benefit from having clear expectations set and providing immediate feedback for both good and bad behavior.?Now, if your team members are chewing on your furniture, I can’t help you, but if your puppy is chewing, some bitter apple spray can help provide that immediate feedback they need. ?On the other hand, if both puppy and team members are behaving well, feel free to give them a treat – (probably not the same treat, as dog treats are generally not as tasty as the dog might make you think).?

In my experience, immediate feedback is preferable – it’s much harder for a team member to fully understand where they have an opportunity for improvement if too much time has passed before you call it out.?For improvement opportunities, I prefer to have a private conversation if possible, but at a minimum flagging something for future discussion (“Jim, when you have a moment please see me, I’d like to discuss some things that came up in this meeting we are just adjourning.”) should place a ‘book mark’ on their memory.?More generalized feedback – both positive and negative – should be provided on a regular basis.?I have never been a fan of the ‘annual performance review,’ as it usually isn’t timely enough to make a difference.?

More recently, I have used the “2x2” approach with some team members, which calls for two examples of strengths and 2 examples of improvement opportunities – and can be done bi-directionally (where the team member provides the manager with the same 2x2 feedback).?While these can be done as needed, I think they are far more effective when scheduled regularly (monthly) and both manager and employee can see consistent improvement over time.

2.??????Guide them toward the proper behavior – for team members, as leaders we try to model the behavior we expect them to follow.?With puppies, that sometimes can be helpful, but for certain skills that can be problematic – don’t try to model housebreaking behavior for your puppy!?Your neighbors WILL complain! ?But positive reinforcement (through recognition or rewards) of good behavior works for both.?

While puppies appreciate a good pat on the head or a rub of their belly, your team members would probably respond better to a public ‘thank you’ or a Starbuck’s (or Home Depot) gift card.?I have found recognizing one team member this way tends to send the message to the other team members that a) this is behavior I should be following myself, and b) it does matter what I do, because my manager is actually paying attention!

3.??????Expect it to take some time for the ‘old dogs’ to get used to the ‘young pup’ – Gracie is 14 years old (that’s approximately 88 in human years), so she’s a bit set in her ways (and frankly, getting a bit grumpy as she gets up there, but then again, aren’t we all?)?All kidding aside, she’s a very sweet dog, but sometimes has a bit less patience for ‘the new guy.’?Gracie has some toys that have traditionally been hers, and Stanlee doesn’t necessarily see the difference and will help himself. ?Allowing them to work through some of their differences has helped, but sometimes they just need to find their ‘neutral corners’ and have a bit of a break.?

How does this relate to your team members??Do some of your ‘old hands’ have their specific areas of expertise that they may feel are being encroached by a new team member??Yep, you’ve dealt with this too.?Sometimes, you can let them work it out, but other times you may need to step in and let things cool off.?

When I see two team members who seem to be butting heads a bit, or at least not seeing eye-to-eye, I will often ask them to speak with me separately before I bring them both together for the three of us to discuss.?Those one-on-one discussions are intended to set the stage for the group discussion, allowing them to vent (if necessary), but in the end reminding them that we need to work together as trusted members of the same team and trying to help them understand where the other individual is coming from.?For those ‘old hands’ who may be a bit afraid of letting go of something they have owned for a long time, providing them the opportunity to learn a new area has worked to help bridge that gap and alleviate those job security concerns.

4.??????Encouraging curiosity but setting some boundaries – I’ve never really understood hiring in new talent, and then telling them to only do things the way they’ve always been done.?Isn’t one of the reasons you bring in team members with diverse experiences to benefit from their experience??This is going to require them to poke, prod and test some boundaries and sacred cows, but we need to encourage that, and help the existing team members understand it’s part of a process that can help the entire team.?Of course, there are some lines which can’t be crossed, so establishing those boundaries up front (and as needed) is required to avoid potentially catastrophic consequences.?

With a puppy, it’s much the same – give them a limited but interesting area to explore (with supervision), and gradually expand that area as they prove trustworthy.?Some areas will always be off limits (in our house, it’s furniture and beds which are no-fly zones – don’t agree??Take it up with my wife.) so consistency in setting that expectation is critical to avoid unwanted family drama. ?

But the look on the pup’s face when he smells what I’m cooking? (In this case it was Skillet-Baked Ziti with Andouille, Tomatoes, and Peppers – very tasty.) Priceless.

5.??????Provide them with a home base / safe space – we are fans of crate training (again, for the puppy, not for the team members), as when done well can be the long-term home base for the dog as he grows up.?If he’s getting tired of dealing with Gracie (or any of us, frankly), he can retreat into his crate and know he is the only one who uses that space.?(Gracie has the laundry room as her space, with the addition of a gate I built to keep her separate when needed, but still has visibility into the kitchen.)?It takes some time to get the pup to understand that the crate is a good thing, and we need to be careful not to use it as a ‘punishment box,’ but after only a few weeks he’s already shown a willingness to relocate himself there when needed. ??

For our team members, they need to know their ‘spaces’ as well – and I’m not necessarily referring to a physical space like a cubicle either.?I’ve found that clearly defined roles help not just the individual, but the entire team to better understand how they fit together.?Also, having a consistent schedule for check-ins and follow-ups provides that ‘home base’ they may need, as mentioned earlier with the 2x2 example.

Whether you are raising a puppy, or building your team, keep in mind that the core of the relationship is trust.?I was reminded recently of the Simon Sinek quote: “A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.”?If your actions are not aimed at building and maintaining trust, you are not doing a service for your furry companion, nor are you building a high-performance team.

I’m sure I can come up with more, but if you just finished reading my “Ten Leadership Lessons from ‘The Bear’” I don’t want to wear out my welcome in your feed!?Let me know what you think, and if there are any other comparisons you would add!