Leadership lessons can sometimes come from the strangest places. There are countless books, videos and even week-long conferences all meant to give us the “golden egg” of training advice. Thousands of dollars are spent seeking that one tidbit that will set you apart as a leader.
Some of the most important lessons I have learned were free and from the comfort of my own home.
I like to think I am the alpha of my house – the leader of my team. My home team is comprised of two humans and two human-sized giant dogs. We are each responsible for our own areas and specialties; among other responsibilities, the dogs and I make up the security detail.
As a home-based security team, these oversized beings have taught me five essentials about leadership:
1. It is ok for a leader to take time off; your team has your back. A good team wants nothing more than to prove that they support and care about you. When I am home, my dogs nap a lot and take a generally relaxed approach to the day. They watch me for queues on when to protect the house and usually let the normal noises of the neighborhood go by without a bark. When I travel, it is a different story. While I rely on technical security tools such as motion detection and locks, my dogs rely on instinct. Their breed are livestock guard dogs, so their protection and teamwork skills come naturally. Any noise causes them to bark to warn their “mom” – whom they love to protect. They take turns sleeping, and at least one is awake 24/7, no matter what. They always keep “mom” in sight and their level of attention is second to none. When I am gone, I have nothing to worry about. It is amazing to see the work my team does when I am not there.
2. Every leader makes mistakes; your team will forgive you and you should forgive them. One of the greatest things about dogs is that they do not hold grudges. Mine do not expect me to be perfect – they forgive me for the mistakes I make, and they even pick up the slack when needed; and that is what being a team is all about. For example, much to my dismay, one of my dogs has learned to open doors. If I make the mistake of closing a door between us, he will fix that mistake no problem. They also trust that I will do the same for them. Those giant tails are great at sweeping things off the table, but I need to remember it is never on purpose.
3. A little praise can go a long way. When my dogs alert me that someone is coming to the door, I make sure to give them praise for a job well done. It doesn’t need to be over the top, just a quick “good boy.” I want them to know that I noticed the good work they put in, and I realize it makes my job easier. For me, there is nothing better than the happiness they exhibit when they know they’ve done a good job. And for them, it builds the desire to continue to perform at a high level.
4. Caring for your team builds loyalty; bonds between teams are built over time. We care for our dogs as part of our family, and they reward us with unwavering loyalty. We continue to develop that bond daily through our normal interactions. We don’t give them affection, food and care because we have to, we do it because we want to. The difference is clear to them, and their response is clear to us. Demonstrating that you care about your team beyond their duties as an employee develops a loyalty to you rather than the job.
5. Trust that your team might know more than you do. Although I like to think I have some security expertise, the truth is I don’t hold a candle to natural skills of my dogs. Their ability to sense a potential threat before I even know it is there is truly amazing. I have learned to trust their instincts, and it has helped me more than a time or two. After all, that is why they are on my security team in the first place. The simple fact is they don’t need the tools that I do – they are better at some things than me, and that is a huge benefit to all of us.
Anthony Berticelli is Director of Education for PSA Security Network. To request more information about PSA, please visit www.securityinfowatch.com/10214742.
