Job Success Tips From Man's Best Friend

Job Success Tips From Man's Best Friend
Rachel Sadler


You read the headline right; your beloved canine companion can give you advice about work. Dogs are loyal, intelligent, eager to please, and one of the best teachers people can have. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that certain doggie principles can be applied to work life, as well as life in general. Here is some simple, good-to-know advice from man’s best friend:


Lesson #1: Be Eager to Please
This does not mean brown-nosing your work days away. It simply lends itself to the notion that, as an employee and a coworker, you should be ready and willing to complete your job to the best of your ability every single time you are tasked with an assignment. Whether it is making copies or a completing a larger task, you should work efficiently to get the job done. Have you ever noticed that when you play “fetch” with a dog, no matter how tired they are, how young or old, they always give 100% effort in retrieving the ball or stick quickly and drop it at your feet with a smile? You should aspire to do the same.



Lesson #2: Learn New Tricks
The old saying that “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is simply not true. Dogs have an amazing capacity to learn new and different things despite their age; they just need the right trainer. Considering that human beings have a higher brain capacity than dogs, it is safe to say that you, too, can learn new and exciting things to put to good use at your job. Maybe you have yet to master the art of Excel spreadsheets, perhaps you have not learned how to use the new copy machine, maybe you need to learn how to speak basic Spanish to help non-English speaking customers. Whatever it may be, if you have the right employer to train you, being open to learning new things can lead to job success down the road.



Lesson #3: Be Neat and Clean
It is perfectly okay for your four-legged friend to go frolicking through the mud, only to leave paw prints on your carpet when they come inside. While they are intelligent creatures, the laws of cleanliness between man and beast are just, well, different. Keep this in mind when you consider going to work tomorrow without brushing your hair, washing your face, or heaven-forbid, not bathing. Your general appearance speaks volumes to your employer and your clients. If you are not neat and tidy, what do you think you say to your customers as a representation of your company? Take the time to be decently groomed before you go to work.



Lesson #4: Get Over It
Though there are some exceptions to the rule, it generally takes a lot of unsubstantiated abuse for a dog to hold a grudge. You step on their paw, they yelp and move on. You refuse to take them for a walk when it is raining, they will settle for a game of tug-o-war in the living room. You yell at them for chewing through the strap of your favorite purse and they are ready to shower you with kisses to make up for it. The point is, as humans, we are privy to making mistakes. If you make one, be ready to openly apologize for your shortcomings and fix it ASAP. If a co-worker or manager makes a mistake that affects you, help fix the problem and do not hold a grudge. Learning how to get over it and help the situation as opposed to dwelling on it or shifting blame is a great lesson to learn and one that will prove that you are a team player.



Lesson #5: Be on Time
Any person that has owned a stubborn puppy knows all to well the woes of training the “come” command. But a happy owner it does make when you finally bid Fido to come to you and right away he does! However basic the command may seem, it is an important one to establish because it sets up a hierarchy of control and can potentially keep your pooch out of harms way in the future (ie. darting out into traffic, etc). The same can be applied to work. Get to work on time, every time. This shows your boss that you respect the rules established by the company and that you are a dependable employee. Though it may seem like no big deal to walk in the door five or ten minutes late regularly, getting to work on time can surely save you from job disaster later on.



So there you have it, a few lessons in job success from your four-legged friend. Who knew your dog could teach you so much? There are lessons around every corner, you just have to be open to learning.



--The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent the views of EmploymentGuide.com, The Trader Publishing Company, or its approval of the opinions expressed therein.