“Yes, oh yes, oh yes!!! Let me at it!” 

If dogs could talk, I’m certain they’d be so excited to share what their favorite things are. 

As leaders, we can learn a lot from the dogs on a sled team. 

When I was in Tromso, Norway, I got to visit a huge farm of sled dogs. They LOVE it there. 

And, though cacophonous at times, their clamoring was about wanting to be put to work. 

I learned that here, there are eight dogs assigned to the teams. They were configured as two “lead” dogs, four “team” dogs, and two “wheel” dogs. For larger teams, there are “swing” dogs between the lead and the team.

Now these don’t look like the typical sled dogs you’ll see in movies. Those are likely the Siberian Husky or the Alaskan Malamute. The dogs I met are the Alaskan Huskies – a mixed breed – known for being light, fast, athletic, and endowed with exceptional endurance.

These amazing animals live to do their jobs. They’re excited to be put into their roles, to provide the initial pull and get things rolling (the wheel dogs), to provide the pulling power for the long haul (the team dogs), or to set the pace and be alert for new commands or directives (the lead dogs). 

As younger dogs, they show a propensity for the role they’d excel at. Their caregivers put them in that role to assess fit. And for most, they get to stay and grow into the role. For some, they just aren’t a match for any role and are sent from the training grounds to a enjoy different path for their lives.

Those that stay are eager to engage. They’re happy about the role that they can live into, and they’re unhappy when they don’t get to do what they love.

As humans, we have something inside of us that drives us. Our personal purpose gets us up and keeps us moving every day. Fortunately, we don’t need to fit into one of just four roles. 

We each have a unique path to follow.

It’s our life’s work to grow and develop along that path.

And if you’re in a leadership role, it’s your job to find and assign great fit, while growing each of your team members so they can follow their own unique path, living into the roles that are the best fit.

The dogs I met inspired me. They were loving and couldn’t wait to show off what they could do. They weren’t always pretty. It didn’t always smell great. And you know what, none of that mattered, because the joy that came out of them overrode anything else.

When we give ourselves the grace to let our talents shine, we serve others in a way that only we, as unique individuals, can. 

Each dog I met seemed to smile and tell me, “Let me do what I do best.” And the caregivers there did. 

We need to encourage that in our team members, in our kids, in each other, and most important, in ourselves.

Be your stinky, loud, happy self! 

Keep making your magic.

See you here next week.

= Wayne = 

Want to learn more about living into your best life with a small group of amazing humans doing the same thing? It’s as easy as a click, right here.