Poodle wisdom for leaders: Get ready for a different type of lesson
As more people turn to their furry friends for solace and sustenance while the pandemic stubbornly sticks around, why not learn from them as well?
Poodles are full of leadership advice. My poodle Jazmine and her Aunt Sabrina before her would have written leadership bestsellers if they had the ability to write.
Families with poodles are known for claiming their dogs aren’t really dogs. These devoted canine keepers say poodles behave and even think like humans.
I can say with assurance that much like her Aunt Sabrina, our standard poodle Jazmine has a personality and behavior traits that are the envy of all who know her.
Poodles express emotions we recognize in ourselves. They surpass us in their intuition. They have a heightened ability to mind-read us or what we’re about to do even before we’re aware of it, and they possess profound emotional intelligence.
Famous people gravitate to poodles. Winston Churchill owned one he called Rufus. “He was my closest confidant,” Churchill said. “Rufus heard everything.” Pablo Picasso owned a variety of dog breeds, including a poodle. Jacqueline Kennedy loved the French people. As a symbol of this affinity she owned a French poodle whom she named Gaullie, after French President Charles DeGaulle, because “he was straight and proud and had a prominent nose.”1 Rihanna has a companion poodle.
Poodles form deep bonds with their owners. They understand the spoken and unspoken word so well, it seems they can read body language and facial expressions to the point they know what you’re thinking.
So business leaders, startup founders and entrepreneurs of all stripes, take a page from the poodle book of wisdom.
1. Attitude and presence are essential. Poodles know this well. They carry themselves with poise, posture and gait, whether virtually on video or in-person, carry yourself like a royal. Act with humility while projecting confidence when presenting a new product or service designed to challenge the status quo. Humility and confidence go a long way with prospects, customers, investors and other stakeholders.
2. Presentation is key. A poodle shows her presence through her gorgeous cuts and grooming. Be sure the way you look and speak align with how you want people to see you — check that your intention matches others’ perceptions. If you present yourself virtually, make sure you’re well lit and your background comports with the situation. Put your best foot forward with a well thought out and to-the-point slide deck. Intentionally draw positive attention to how you show up.
3. Importance of Intuition. A poodle has a keen sense of intuition. It’s akin to listening to your gut. Listen to it when it says something isn’t right. During some work we did on our house, Sabrina kept barking at the contractor’s new hire whenever he came to our house. This went on for months. Shortly after the job was completed, the contractor told me he should have listened to Sabrina’s incessant barking — she had sensed the new hire wasn’t a good fit. The contractor ended up firing him.
4. Empathy goes a long way, as a poodle knows well. It’s a two-way street, whether with team members, prospects, customers or investors. Poodles have an uncanny, almost clairvoyant ability to read non-verbal cues. It’s critical to pay attention to people’s body language as well as verbal cues. Notice the messages you may be sending by your tone of voice and mannerisms — both very much alive in our mostly-virtual world.
When you show true empathy, you let people know you’re sensitive to their emotions and different points of view. Because people trust you more they’ll have more confidence in you. Being empathetic in all your relationships and actions will always serve you well.
5. Importance of exercise, health and eating high quality food. Standard poodles can live up to 18 years. Most poodle-sized dogs live 10–12 years. Poodles know the importance of fueling their bodies and only eating high quality food. They stay healthy and get plenty of exercise. We can all follow their example.
6. Enjoy the journey. Poodles are extremely athletic and will gladly show off their antics. They love life and having fun. Don’t forget to make having fun a way of life as you grow your business. When you and your team enjoy the ride you’ll have better retention, engagement and shared sense of purpose, these being coveted ingredients that are essential to your success.
Author Marjorie Radlo-Zandi is a board member, advisor and mentor to founders on building and scaling their firms, provides angel funds to promising startups, invests for impact, consults on business growth and encourages a more diverse and inclusive startup ecosystem.
1 “These Few Precious Days: The Final Year of Jack with Jackie,” by Christopher Andersen. 2013.
© Marjorie Radlo-Zandi
