Twelve
years ago, I adopted my dog Mika from a shelter. She’s a big brown and
black Rottweiler-cross; a mutt with a stubborn streak—who’s
also my best friend. My life has changed significantly over the last
few years, but Mika has been the one constant pillar through it all. No
matter how exhausted I come home from yet another business trip, Mika
greets me at the door with enthusiasm. She comes to work with me every
day and sits (or sleeps) by my desk through every meeting I have. When I
walk around the office, my employees will often see Mika before they
see me, because she is always by my side. Through her, I’ve learned the
merits of unconditional love. I’ve also picked up a few important
lessons in work and life. Here are five that apply to working better:
1. Be loyal (but not to a fault). Mika
isn’t the only loyal dog out there. Dogs are legendary for their
loyalty. We all know the story of Lassie, a devoted collie who overcame a
long and dangerous journey to be reunited with a young boy she loved.
There are also many real-world canine loyalty stories out there, like
the one from earlier this year about Ciccio, a German Shepherd in Italy,
who reportedly
goes to church every day and waits patiently for his recently deceased
owner to meet him there. Or the heartwarming story of Hawkeye, a
Labrador Retriever who famously laid down next to the coffin of his owner Jon Tumilson, a US soldier who died in combat.
In
business, loyalty can be a huge asset. I’ve learned that surrounding
yourself with a loyal team is one of the key factors to success. I owe a
lot to the people who helped me build my company and product to what it
is now, I’m proud that some are still by my side today. With their
unique knowledge and passion, these team members continue to be integral
to our company, HootSuite.
BUT,
this should all be taken with a grain of salt. Blind loyalty helps
nobody. Ciccio might go to church to wait for his beloved owner every
day, but he’s still getting his food from someone else. If I know that a
team member is—after a certain fair amount of time—not
doing the job they were hired to do, or if a business ally is starting
to look out for only his best interests, I will make the tough call to
part ways. After all, like Mika, at the end of the day I have to get my
kibble—not just for me but for the best
interests of the rest of the organization and all of the people whose
livelihood depends on its success.
2. Trust your instincts. Mika
has an amazing internal clock. For example, every day when the clock
hits 4:59 p.m. she knows it’s time to eat...and she will get her food no
matter what. It’s pretty incredible, because you can’t trick her to
think otherwise. She just knows. She also stays away from people who she
deems threatening, as many dogs do.
In business, it
can be very important to trust your instincts. Faulty data,
miscommunications, even people with interests that aren’t aligned with
your own can get in the way of making the best decisions. It can also
waste a lot of time to be constantly second-guessing things. In 2008,
many investors rejected investing in HootSuite for a number of reasons, but (thankfully), something told me that I should plow forward. Today, I am CEO of a social media company
with a tool that’s being used by 79 of the Fortune 100 companies and
over 6 million people around the world. Back then, despite the odds, I
just knew instinctively that there was something remarkable about the
need we were solving for our users, the product and the talented team
who were building it with me.
When it comes to business
decisions, take time to listen to others, but in the end don’t forget
to trust the most important influencer—yourself.
As the late Steve Jobs once advised, “Don't let the noise of others'
opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the
courage to follow your heart and intuition.”
3. Know what you want and be super persistent about getting it. Persistence
pays, and nobody knows that better than a dog. When was the last time
your dog sat frozen next to you through an entire meal, gazing up with
his Bambi eyes, drool dripping from the sides of his mouth? How many
times have you caved and tossed him a bite by the end, impressed by his
determination and patience...all for a tiny, momentary pleasure?
Mika
is an accomplished beggar and ultra persistent when it comes to her
food. She’s the dog who will sit quietly in the background at a party,
until the very end, then rush around and snap up all of the dropped
morsels of food on the floor.
I’ve often been told that
I am also very persistent when it comes to work. Indeed, I had to be
when it came to finding the funding that launched my company. But many
of my successful colleagues share the same trait. It’s very, very
important in business to not give up. If you have a goal, you have to
learn to tackle obstacles from every possible angle, and do everything
it takes to get to a desired outcome. Oftentimes, it’s through dogged
persistence that true innovation and breakthroughs happen. Legend has it
that Walt Disney was turned down by 302 banks before he got the funding he needed to open Disneyland.
At worst, by being persistent, you learn something along the way—what to do better next time, and what techniques or approaches work, what doesn’t.
4. If you’re going to do it, do it 110%. When Mika does something—anything—she
doesn’t hold back. She eats every meal like it’s her first (or last),
she walks every walk with the same enthusiasm she’s had since puppyhood.
She’s actually even torn a ligament in her leg twice from overexerting
herself at play. I’m not suggesting we should be quite as unabashedly
enthusiastic in business, but there is something inspiring in this
approach.
Once you’ve decided to do something (after
assessing the potential risks and benefits), why not reach for the stars
with it? I’ve found that in business, if you strive to hit a place one or two steps beyond
the foreseeable goal, the realm of possibilities expands. It’s how I
plan things and I like to encourage my employees do the same: push past
boundaries and pursue opportunities that they might have initially
thought impossible or too big. It’s important to know your worth and set
the stage for the future. When I built HootSuite I had no idea that it would one day be used by millions of people around the world, in major political revolutions and by huge corporations like Pepsi and Virgin. My current goal, which I've made public,
is to make HootSuite a billion-dollar company. When people tell me it’s
not possible, I wonder if I should make it two billion instead!
5. Unplug. Go outside and play.
I consider my laptop absolutely essential, but to Mika it’s a totally
boring block of metal. If you’re a workaholic with a dog, consider
yourself lucky—because she will constantly
remind you how fresh air, good food and a healthy and fit body are
actually the real essentials of life. Thanks to Mika, I always have to
tear myself away from my work, unplug, and head to the forest or beach
for a walk.
I answer hundreds of emails a day, but I’m
also just as active in things like yoga, cycling and rock climbing. I
love the outdoors. I make an effort to ensure that I’m not stuck in an
office staring at a screen for hours (or days) on end.
With
technology penetrating our lives and jobs more than ever, it’s easy to
be online and working 24-7. But it’s very important to regularly
de-stress and refresh your mind and body. In fact, there’s a lot of
research that suggests exercise can even improve productivity.
So
no matter how busy (you think) you are, turn off your digital devices
for a bit, get outside and run your heart out. Take it from Mika—you’ll have a better night’s sleep if you do.
My canine sidekick Ocean and I have many tips to share that we've developed through the years volunteering together.
What lessons have you learned from your dog in life and business?
