Leadership comes from developing a set of habits, skills, and behaviors. And they are practiced in everyday moments in our lives. I was reminded of this recently while raising a new 8-week-old puppy. The last time my husband or I trained a puppy this young was at least 18 years ago. As our family started this new chapter, I have found it to be excellent practice for leadership.
Like many new puppy owners, I entered the experience with optimism, confidence, and perhaps a little too much belief that “this won’t be that hard; we’ve done this before.”
Then reality set in. Don’t get me wrong, he is a great addition to our family, and brings joy, laughter, and the promise of excellent companionship in the years to come. But we were quickly reminded that we can’t expect him to mold into our lives of living on the water and bird hunting without some expectation management. Even though he has instincts in these areas, without our diligent, collective focus on teaching him appropriate behaviors, both the puppy and his humans will disappoint and frustrate each other.
It struck me that many of the same principles we use to develop exceptional people in our firms were showing up in our living room, backyard, and on neighborhood walks. I realized I am not just training a puppy; I am practicing leadership. Here are some of the principles I’ve been focusing on:
Practicing patience with him and myself
Learning takes time. There are good days when it feels like everything is clicking, followed by days that make you wonder if you’ve made any progress at all.
Whether you’re developing a new supervisor, coaching an experienced manager, or helping a puppy learn to sit, growth is rarely linear. We sometimes expect others to master new skills after a single conversation or one learning session. Development is a process, not an event, and progress comes through repetition, encouragement, and grace.
Adapting to each situation
We intentionally chose a hunting breed, which means our pup is high-energy, curious, and has a strong instinct to stay busy. If I ignore those characteristics and expect him to behave like a laid-back lap dog, we’re both going to be frustrated. But when I understand what motivates him (like pointing at every bird he sees on our walks), we can adjust our training techniques to give him an outlet for his energy and ways to tap into his instincts so he thrives (and we notice how many birds there really are).
Our team members bring varied experiences, skill sets, learning and work-style preferences, motivations, and personalities. Some enjoy solving complex problems independently, while others prefer collaboration. Some learn by observing, others by doing. Some are energized by client interaction, while others find fulfillment in technical expertise or operational excellence. All these preferences should inform the best training and development tools and the right assignments, thoughtfully considered for each team member.
Leaders who create the strongest future talent tailor experiences to individuals while remaining clear about expectations and outcomes.
Ensuring consistency is also important
A puppy quickly becomes confused when one person allows jumping, another discourages it, and someone else unintentionally rewards it. The result isn’t a stubborn dog; it creates a confused pet that doesn’t know how to please his family.
Our team members experience the same thing. When expectations shift depending on the manager or partner, feedback varies from one leader to another, or priorities change without explanation, people spend more energy interpreting what success looks like than actually achieving it.
But be mindful: consistency doesn’t mean rigidity. It means creating reliable expectations that help people build confidence. When our words, actions, and processes align, we make it easier for others to succeed.
Communicating clearly
Puppies don’t respond well to lengthy explanations. They respond to short, clear commands repeated consistently.
People have more extensive vocabularies, but the principle still applies. We can overcomplicate our communication, explain too much, introduce multiple priorities at once, or assume everyone interprets our message the same way we do. Straightforward communication with a clear call to action will reduce uncertainty and clarify expectations.
Acknowledging progress, not just perfection
When my puppy gets something right, even for just a few seconds, he receives immediate encouragement. That positive reinforcement builds confidence and increases the likelihood he’ll repeat the behavior.
Our team members aren’t that different. Recognition doesn’t have to be elaborate to be meaningful. Acknowledging effort, improvement, thoughtful decisions, or someone stretching beyond their comfort zone reinforces the behaviors we want to see. Waiting until everything is perfect often means we miss dozens of opportunities to encourage growth along the way, and only providing corrections can leave them feeling like they aren’t making any progress.
Modeling energy and attitude
Our puppy mirrors our energy. If I come down the stairs excited, he quickly matches that behavior. If I’m calm, he settles more quickly.
Colleagues respond similarly. Leaders often underestimate how contagious their energy and attitude becomes. Calm can foster confidence. Anxiety generates uncertainty and worry. These attitudes influence the culture we create.
We too often think leadership development is additive to our list of responsibilities, but some of our greatest opportunities arrive disguised in these everyday moments.
The next time you’re teaching your child to ride a bike, coaching a youth sports team, volunteering, helping an aging parent navigate technology, or yes, training a puppy, pay attention. Those moments aren’t interruptions from leadership development—they are leadership development. The leaders who grow fast are those who intentionally practice leadership wherever life provides the opportunity.
Enjoy the journey,
Samantha
