Chloe’s Chronicles:Views from the Management Muse
Chloe’s management lesson this month comes from her social world, doggie daycare, a true microcosm of leadership, both formal and informal.
I must warn you: this lesson involves descriptions of bodily functions. If that kind of thing offends or disturbs you, please just skip down to the lessons for leaders below. If not, you have got to hear what she’s been up to now!
Chloe, as you probably surmised from her name, is a female, and like all female dogs, built to squat when she pees. However, she’s been going to doggie daycare a day or two a week for a couple years now and she hangs out there with dogs both male and female. She has apparently been an astute observer of the differences in behavior and decided that she will not be restricted to the role assigned her by nature.
Chloe has been practicing lifting her leg to pee. When we are out for her daily walks, she finds a shrub or rock and lifts her leg on it before she begins peeing. Since this is not a function for which she is naturally designed, she often loses her balance and wobbles precariously before putting her leg back on the ground and squatting as nature intended for her. And yet, with practice, she’s getting better balance and today was actually able to lift her leg on a rock and relieve herself without falling over or touching her foot back to the ground.
The power of the informal leaders in her daycare setting is obvious. I’m sure it would never have occurred to her to try to lift her leg had she not observed someone else in her ‘work place’ doing so. Once she saw a different way, she took on the challenge of emulating that behavior and in spite of the natural differences, has now mastered a process for which she was definitely not designed.
The lesson for business leaders? Never underestimate the influence of informal leadership in your company! If you are the designated leader, understand that in order for your message to be accepted, the informal leaders are a vital communication link.
How can you make the influence of informal leaders a positive force for your business?
How could you apply Chloe’s lesson about informal leadership? Click on comments and offer your thoughts, ideas and opinions. Don’t worry—if you disagree with Chloe, she can take that feedback as well. She’d love to hear from you!
Excuse me. The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they're going to have some pretty annoying virtues.
I am from Romania and too bad know English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "some others try readers to help the short-lived definition, planning breast of the sense."
Thank you so much for your future answers :o. Florida.
Posted by: Florida | September 08, 2009 at 05:03 AM