Why a Sled Dog Team is a Driving Analogy for Leadership and Teamwork

The alarm rings at 5 a.m.? It is still dark out. You dress carefully. If you can load the dogs and gear in the truck quickly, you can get in an hour’s run. Thirty minutes later you are on the trail, the sun is just starting to rise, the snow sparkles reflecting the light, and the only sounds are the soft padding of the dog's paws on the tail.? I stand behind the team on the sled runners, occasionally pumping with one foot to maintain a pace while watching ears, tails, and back fur for signs of what we may encounter on the trail. We are a team, working in unison.

It isn’t far-fetched to think of ‘teamwork’ and ‘leadership’ when describing a sled dog team.? The physical and mental health benefits of exercise are well-documented and one of the compelling reasons I am with my team on the trail.? For me and many of my companions on the trail what the sport stimulated in us is difficult to describe because it is a deep dive into our personal lives and work.

I chose the title MOVING ON BY! because "ON BY" is the dog sledding command to tell the team to leave the hard-packed trail, enter the deep snow pass the team ahead of you, and win. In many ways, this movement mimics the steps we go through as we build a successful and rewarding career. ?

It’s all about finding your trail markers, to be inspired, and inspiring. I often refer to the instincts of sled dogs: their senses are sharper, and their awareness is on a different level than ours. For this reason, I added “Harnessing the Instincts of My Sled Dog Team to Win” as the book’s subtitle. ?A dog’s instinct could also be compared to our having a ‘gut’ reaction. It is intriguing to read current studies explaining the discovery that signals from our gut reaching the brain can have an impact on affect, emotion, and cognition -- including beliefs and decision-making.

We know it is not the accessories, the equipment, and accumulated knowledge that gets us the win in the end.? Harnessing our drive takes the power to commit, the passion to invest, and the pride in achievement.

ANALOGIES AND METAPHORS TELL THE STORY OF WINNING

MOVING ON BY! features sled dog analogies and metaphors to present real events of people caught in a complex work or life situation that is difficult or may derail their careers and lives. This book is focused on winning and for the most part the characters you will read about find their unique way to succeed.

To win we need patience, and often support from mentors and coaches, as well as the willingness to invest in possibilities; to accept risk and overcome hurdles while discovering trail markers that lead to perhaps vaguely defined goals. To be honest, I never intended to address ‘joy’ writing MOVING ON BY! As a coach and management consultant, my career has been focused on business methodologies. My goal when I decided to write this third book, was to prepare a text that would help the people I coach support the development?of their high performers.

What's?amazing is how writing MOVING ON BY! took an unexpected turn to seek the joy that I found in my three-year-old grandson. Noah was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta type 1,?a disorder where the body does not produce enough collagen, leading to brittle bones.? During 2023, Noah suffered five breaks; including his femur which required a full body cast for six weeks, and months of physical therapy. When we leave a doctor’s office, Noah typically thanks the doctor, bringing tears to all our eyes. This condition is rare, meaning there's less public awareness or funding for research. While the disease cannot be cured, new treatments developed in the past two decades have dramatically improved the quality of life for those suffering?from?this disorder. To raise awareness?and contribute to ongoing research, I will be donating a percentage of book sales.? I hope you?will reach out to The?OI Foundation, at OIF.org, and see the sparkle in the eyes of these children as they experience the joys of life and the love of their families.?Noah truly embodies the foundation's motto: "Unbreakable Spirit."

SEEKING WORK-LIFE HARMONY

How do we capture that freedom to enthusiastically embrace life when we have so many demands in our time?? As employees, parents, adult children, and caregivers, we often have obstacles in our path. Whether created or imposed by circumstances, each event is important and requires time as well as energy. How do we renew our store of power, passion, and potential to choose our path? ?When are we prepared to make those difficult choices to obtain the security and comfort that we need is the true win?

As Leo Tolstoy said in War and Peace, “The strongest of all warriors are these two: time and patience.”? I know that while what occurs in my life is distracting, I need time to absorb how the lives of others impact the vision I have for my future. Rejecting the idea of seeking ‘balance’, I propose our goal to achieve work/life harmony. ?Just as running with dogs allowed me to embrace nature in a dramatic, natural environment, at work I became more aware of relationships, time investment, and the rewards of a challenging career. Others have found their distractions in other hobbies, perhaps less demanding while equally rewarding. ?More importantly, the underlying motivation, dedication, and commitment to win united with the essence of my career inspired me to share my experiences in this book and support those committed to achieving their goal.

MOVING ON BY! - WORKBOOK IN SELF-DISCOVERY

As a workbook for individual development as well as group training MOVING ON BY! will be a resource to enhance your capabilities and expertise in leadership and team management. Marshall Goldsmith provided a wonderful endorsement of the book by describing its practical application:

“Moving ON BY: Leadership and Teamwork Case Studies?is an extraordinary resource for self-development and leadership enhancement. Lucille's unique approach, blending illustrative stories with real-life case studies, provides an engaging and insightful journey into the world of leadership and teamwork. This book is not only an excellent guide for personal growth but also a valuable tool for coaches, consultants, and HR professionals looking to inspire positive change in individuals and teams. Lucille's expertise shines through, making this book a must-read for anyone seeking to harness their potential and achieve success in their career and life."---?Marshall Goldsmith?is the?Thinkers50?#1 Executive Coach and New York Times bestselling author of?The Earned Life,?Triggers, and?What Got You Here Won’t Get You Ther

Each chapter contains four sections:

?? ?TEAMWORK TALES FROM THE TRAIL

Teamwork Tales from the Trail explores instinctual traits our animals exhibit in a natural, uncontrolled environment.? I hope you will also recognize the profound respect we have for the dogs in Tales from the Trail as I describe the processes we experienced as we learned to care for our team. This is not a tale of teams conquering the wilds of Alaska. These are our dogs, life companions that, like us, require activity to maintain good physical and mental health—to live a long and happy life. The analogies and metaphors offered in MOVING ON BY! will take you to the trails to experience the thrill as well as the demands of an event that unites humans with animals.?

?? LEADERSHIP CASE STUDIES

The Leadership Case Studies comprise the second section in each chapter of Moving ON BY! This section will introduce you to a few of the remarkable people I have had the privilege of coaching, as we consider the choices they made. Here are examples from two case studies:

§? The most common type of coaching I provide is for leaders in transition. One Case Study describes how a department head who felt ignored and had not been promoted for five years learned how to be heard.? Revealing confidence and a leadership presence led to taking a place at the table, and ultimately being promoted to Vice President of a major division.

§? Another case study tracks a small steel manufacturing site of a major firm that experienced complex production and employee issues. ?The case study details how my tailored coaching program helped committed employees reorganize internal processes from the supply chain to manufacturing on all three shifts. The new teams increased production levels, met all corporate goals, and were lauded within the company.

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?? INSIGHTS FROM SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS

The third section in each chapter calls upon the broad knowledge of subject matter experts. You will be encouraged to consider the events outlined in each Case Study, to compare those circumstances to your own previous or reoccurring situations.? You will be able to immediately apply the information available for your career success. ?It is an opportunity to practice self-coaching, evaluate new ideas, inspire new approaches, and bring mindfulness into your life. ?

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?? TASKS TO LAUGH, ASSESS, AND DISCOVER TRAIL MARKERS

The fourth and final section in each chapter offers a task for you to complete or to contemplate after you have read the chapter.? The tasks provide a moment for you to imagine possibilities and options -- take the time to invest in yourself. To add a bit of humor, you can start on this personal tour by taking a short ‘test’ to learn where you would be placed on a sled dog team. Friends and colleagues who have taken this assessment say they guessed correctly and were glad to have confirmation as to whether they were a ‘lead’ dog, work best at ‘point,’ or at ‘wheel.’

SELF-COACHING TO INSPIRE AND STAY ON TRAIL

A consistent trait of many of the successful leaders I have coached is that they self-coach.? It is interesting to observe how often a confident leader will employ self-coaching skills naturally, unaware there is a name for the process. When introduced to self-coaching as a concept, those who self-coach often describe how they learned at an early age to reinforce their positions with a steady stream of self-inspiration.

In every chapter of MOVING ON BY! I stress the importance of self-coaching and provide a full- Addendum outlining how you can use self-coaching effectively. As a workbook, MOVING ON BY! will guide you to learn to self-coach, to move ON BY! any obstacles on your trail.

HONOR YOUR JOY!

Whether you seek executive presence, greater confidence, the ability to build effective working relationships or lead your team to success – you will succeed on your trail when you are self-aware, vulnerable, and empathetic. Our relationships are built on trust and respect for each other and the animals that share our world.

Moving ON BY! encourages you to discover the trail markers that satisfy your wants and needs: uncovering a gradually revealed trail that will lead to career success. I hope you find my tales and experiences help you tell your story, that they inspire you and encourage you to be inspiring.? Please share the gift of feedback with me: I appreciate ideas to effectively present our drive to win. All of us together make a powerful force to build a working environment that includes joy.??????? --Dr. Lucille Maddalena www.mtmcoach.com

Human subtlety…will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple, or more direct than does Nature, because in her inventions nothing is lacking, and nothing is superfluous.??? Leonardo da Vinci

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