My intent is not to make a "oh, look how cute our dog is post" but to talk about real business lessons!

You see, our dog has much better sales, communication and relationship skills than many people I know.

First a quick background... I grew up in the big city of Bear Creek, Alabama (population 1,000 or so) and we had outside dogs.  Country Livin'!

A couple of years ago, my wife brought home a puppy from a rescue shelter. The puppy (Jimpsie Rose "Rosie") was part of a litter that was an accident at the shelter.  Anyway, having a small indoor dog was a big change for me.  But a good change!

Turns out it was a GREAT LESSON on relationship building and how that works for sales and communication.

Lessons from the dog, huh??   How about these....

• Rosie is not a big barker, so if she speaks it means something and we pay attention. 

MY LESSON: I need to spend less time talking and more time listening to clients, vendors, family and staff.  And by saying less, my important messages are less likely to get lost in the clutter.

• Rosie has only been around kindness and compassion, so she thinks any person or animal can be her friend.  Some neighborhood big dogs initially did not care for her.  What was her response?  She was persistent in being friendly, adapting her techniques each time.  Over time, every one of these big dogs "came around" and would play with her (even if they did not play with any other dogs).

MY LESSON: Relationships are not forced but develop by showing a consistent behavior over time that is appealing to others.  They may just need time before they trust you and trust that you will be around each time.  You can't just be a trusted advisor or friend or reference from a "sales call."

• Rosie's way of telling us she needs to go outside for "business" is to sit still and quietly by the front door.  But if she sits by the door, she ALWAYS really has to go... even if she just went.   The only times we've had "inside business" were when we've thought, "Oh, she just went out" and did not take her again.  In other words, we were not responsive to the message being given!

MY LESSON:  Listen to the client in their language and I usually find they know what they need (even if they cannot exactly verbalize it).  And if I don't listen correctly then it comes back to me later as a bigger issue (or lost deal).

• I know some dogs are raised to mind based on force.  We took the "coaching" approach with Rosie.  (I see some parents use either force or coaching on their small kids too... but that is for another day).   Oh, I still make a point to be the pack leader.  Just not an oppressor. Since the experience is enjoyable, she learns fast.  She knows her toys by name and will retrieve them by name.  She knows basics (Sit, Down, Stay, Come, etc.) although we have not worked on precision nor for shows.  She is a pet and family, not a hobby.

MY LESSON:  Progress is usually made when the parties involved all find it pleasant and mutually beneficial.  Unpleasantness lead to delays, stalls and avoidance.  And that is contrary to improvement and progress.

• Periodically, Rosie just smells like a stinking dog.  Bath time! (She tolerates the bath but LOVES the hair dryer.)

MY LESSON: All things in life, including business, need attention to be what we desire.  This can apply to training, contact with potential clients, follow-up calls, communication with employees, family activities or taking time to write on my blog.

This is just a sample of my observations about Rosie and how it helps me with business (and life). 

In the future, perhaps we'll talk about the kitten and her skills and techniques.  I think she could sell used cars.