Notes from Paris: My “revolting dogs” and what they mean for your leadership
On Saturday I took a spur-of-the-moment day trip to the gorgeous medieval town of Rouen, in Normandy. The picture is me, sitting outside in just a jumper - no coat! - which felt like a small but definite and very welcome shift. The air is milder, people are lingering a bit longer at café tables, and the light is stretching into the evening.
It’s easy to miss these incremental changes, but they’re there.
Spring doesn’t arrive dramatically. It just edges in, degree by degree, until it’s sprung.
From now until I return from sabbatical on the 7th April, I wanted to continue sharing the ideas that clients most often return to - the ones that spark reflection, shift perspective, and help make work a little more human.
This week’s topic is: My ‘revolting dogs’ and what they mean for your leadership
Two weeks ago, we adopted two rescue dogs. They had been rescued from a situation where they were neglected and terribly physically abused. The six-year-old has missing front teeth, presumably from being hit, and is covered in scars. The 18-month-old is his scrappy little defender. They both frighten easily.
Since joining our home, such a short time ago, they have made amazing progress. They have learned their names, managed to be house-trained, have (mostly) learned which areas of the house are out-of-bounds, and are settling into a routine. They come and keep me company in my office, and love to have a snuggle and belly rub.
They also have some issues. Serious issues, as you might expect, given their background. When they are frightened, they can go from zero to 100 in a heartbeat, skipping the usual doggie warning signs and moving straight to aggressive snarling and barking. They must have learnt over their lives that they need to do this to avoid harm. We are working with a great vet and a dog trainer to help them settle this behaviour. So, when we are out with them, they are mostly calm, but we keep them on a short lead and make sure people don’t loom in for a pat; mindful of keeping people safe.
Until next week, au revoir
Madeleine
PS I’m back on deck from 7 April. If you’d like to book in coaching or a workshop ready for then, simply email Nicole here or phone her on (02) 8005 1604.
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