Running with The Big Dogs
As a lover of words, I enjoy learning about their origins and meaning. While researching for this blog, I discovered it is Words Matter Week. The National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) founded this annual event sixteen years ago. NAIWE serves publishing professionals on every continent around the globe. It’s a professional development organization devoted to reminding people how important words are for all of us. You may want to participate. Perhaps you will choose to craft a written message of interest for those in your community by using a blog or a newsletter. If you want other ideas, check out the NAIWE Words Matter Week events page at: https://naiwe.com/wordsmatterweek.
Idioms also fascinate me. I enjoy researching to learn about how an idiom has been updated over the years or if they require change. For example, if you choose the idiom to run with the big dogs, this can simply mean that you are challenging yourself. You may be seeking a growth opportunity. Understanding how to accomplish this requires you to remain open and curious for stretching your perspective as well as your skills. Life is better when we decide to continuously learn. Watching can be a great way to learn. Our canine companions are very good at this. Yes, dogs learn by watching and they can inspire us to do this even more. They instinctively watch us as leaders of the pack. This modeling behavior can benefit all of us.
Watching top performers is beneficial. We learn even more when we connect, communicate, and relate. Some people intentionally create learning experiences together. They partner and share their strengths. These experiences can be highly rewarding and impactful. Many believe they have too little time to learn or coach. This is why professional coaching services are beneficial. It’s often necessary to give people permission to create time to learn, teach, coach, and relate beyond the immediate tasks. Employers, leaders, and managers need to speak to this and make it possible. Yes, words matter and so do actions.
I continue to invest in my own coaching to gain wisdom and clarity. As an observer, I discerned early on that I wanted to be a coach and consultant that received ongoing growth coaching. This brings many benefits that result in personal growth and professional development as well as improved communication, productivity, fulfillment, and engagement. A recent study from The International Coach Federation (IFC) reports that 86% of the companies that make a coaching investment in their people receive a return on their investment. These companies also report that both their business and people receive additional returns, which are primarily due to a boost in productivity.
Coaching helps people understand their ambitions, values, roles, and align these with their vision. It helps people see how all of these fit with their current skills, and the skills they need to contribute to their organizations. In essence this strengthens their abilities to run with the big dogs. Like the origin of this phrase and its original meaning, coaching helps you summon up the courage to meet a good challenge.
Professional development planning is a vital part of employee engagement. Gallup, a highly respected organization, does extensive research on this topic. Gallup recently reported that coaching is a game changer for employee engagement. In fact, employees report that when they have meaningful conversations with their managers about their goals and strengths throughout the year, they are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged. IFC’s research also supports this. They found that 70% of the people who participate in coaching services are experiencing more valuable work performance, communication skills, and goal achievement.
An example of this can be taken literally. Consider if you are working to improve your health and physical fitness. Engaging with a plan and a partner strengthens your success in achieving your goals. You may be lucky to have a canine companion that loves to exercise with you. Perhaps you want to join them as they run. Before you begin running with your dog be sure to do your research and ask other experienced dog runners to provide their guidance and coaching. It is often recommended to check with your vet and your doctor first.
Many dogs can be great exercise partners. They have the energy to burn, and some need more exercise. Dog experts often encourage starting with a short distance of about ten minutes. Be sure to teach commands, like let’s run, let’s go, steady, easy, left, and right. These cues can help you and your dog navigate. There is one golden guideline when running with your dog. This is to run your dog’s run. You can increase your distance gradually over a number of weeks. Running with a lead of three to six feet is best when you are getting started. In time, you and your dog discover your running patterns.
Sustain a gradual, thoughtful approach when changing your fitness routines. This also requires patience for trial and error. There are other considerations to be mindful of as you are running, like not getting too winded. You want to remain able to voice your commands as you navigate with your dog. Be aware of your dogs’ breathing patterns. It is not good for dogs to be overly winded. Of course, they will be panting however, you want to be sure you know the difference. You will both need to remain hydrated. The weather will factor into this. Your choices for distance and times of day to run are essential. Weather may require more frequent pauses to rest and rehydrate. You and your canine companions can receive numerous health benefits as well as ongoing growth opportunities and satisfaction.
The love of dogs can be mighty inspiring and supportive. Your canine companions will remind you of the importance of being empathetic and kind with yourself when learning, changing, and growing. Running with the big dogs requires learning. Your investment to learn about your various needs requires thoughtfulness and planning. Like any change or growth opportunity you will need support to sustain your grit, discipline, and follow through. These are essential to invest in what is meaningful.
Promoting Brilliance recently published a daily reader and planner to support what’s meaningful for your life. These books are titled, The Dog God Has Spoken and The Dog God Has Spoken Tracker. Both books are available online at Barnes & Noble. The links to these books are provided below. One caveat with this first addition, the shipping process is not quite as speedy as some online services. However, the quality of the book is far superior to most print editions.
The Dog God Has Spoken | Barnes & Noble weblink:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dog-god-has-spoken-beth-wellesley/1144504143?ean=9798989223909
The Dog God Has Spoken Tracker | Barnes & Noble weblink:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dog-god-has-spoken-tracker-beth-wellesley/1144504078?ean=9798989223947