Interviewing people for jobs in your company is more difficult today with restrictions on questions and areas that cannot be discussed. However, there are some simple reads you can make on the individual sitting across the desk from you.
 Jack Hansen
Here are more ways to apply the dog- training approach to finding the right employee.
1. Choosing the right dog for the task is paramount to its success and yours. You’ve decided you need a dog. You’re a hunter, so you research several breeds to determine the skills you need for the job and decide to go with a Labrador retriever. Then you look for a breeder (college professor). Then you check out his litters (graduates).
2. Bloodlines are important to the possibility of successful performance. In the human world, that means achievements: college degrees, majors and minors and organizational memberships. In the dog world we deal in pedigrees.Documents that deal with generational performance are available. Titles reflect abilities in certain areas and are indicators of potential
3. Because the sire and dam were champions does not necessarily mean that they will be.
4. Because the sire and dam were not champions does not necessarily mean that they will not be. With hard work and understanding, you can get them there.
5. The gender, breed or color of the dog has nothing to do with its ability to perform. Basically, what you are looking for is a gene pool that has strength in the areas in which you are interested. You may want to talk to those who already own one of the breeds that interests you (references). The dog’s performance in the activity in which you want it to excel is directly related to how you train it and how you interact with it.
6. Some dogs learn faster than others. Recognizing this is important.
7. It is important to learn what motivates the dog. This will be different even if they are from the same litter.
8. Most dogs can be taught to get along with other dogs, cats and a variety of other animals within the family. It is important how you introduce them to each other (as in introducing the business manager to the salesperson).
9. Dogs are happiest when their jobs are clearly defined. If you do a good job of teaching the dog to sit and stay, the dog will be extremely happy.
10. Consistency in rewarding good behavior is extremely important. One dog-training basic principle is repetition, repetition, repetition!
11. Old dogs can be taught new tricks. In my 40 years in management, I have found it to be true.
12. Here’s an important mutual principle. Do not expect the dog to overachieve in areas it wasn’t bred for! This is a training tip!
13. Obedience must be taught to dogs. They want you to be their leader. You must become the alpha dog. Or, in the office the boss. Treating either dog or human as your “buddy” will make it harder for you to teach them obedience and accomplishment. Also, this can be accomplished without “harsh” treatment.
14. The earliest stages of training all should be positive. Pressure can come later. Think about when you first learned to swim. No one yelled at you and said “Hey stupid! Put one arm in the water in front of you and pull back. Then put the other arm out there. Dummy!” Nor did they pick you up out of the water the first time you sank…and smack you around. No, they hugged you and asked if everything was OK. Later when you got to the end of the pool on your own, they praised the heck out of you for your accomplishment. All positive early on. Then more instruction to improve your techniques … then … more techniques. No negatives. Every accomplishment gets positive reinforcement (morale). It’s so much fun the dog wants to work every day. (Work ethic!)
15. You get further with a cookie than a kick in the butt! The dog relates the reward to its most recent performance and then continues to perform at the level you desire. If you kick the dog in the butt for some small failure, it will come back to haunt you in your training regimen. In the office that means poor attitude, late for work and yes, “barking” at other employees.
16. If you are going to issue a reprimand to your dog, you do it immediately after the error has been committed. Same for employees.
17. While speed is important, it is not as important as overall performance!
18. There are methods to extend your dogs’ individual performance on various tasks. Sound familiar?
19. The dog’s health is important to its performance. Mental and physical.
20. Not all dogs/employees thrive on the same food! What makes them tick? What excites them? What do they like to do to have fun? Here’s the point. If you have more than one dog/employee you may have more than one style in each performance. Hey, you are different than your brothers and sisters … different from your best friend … different from your parents. Hey, do you put both socks on and then put your shoes on or do you do one foot at a time? Either works well. When you learn this you will become one heck of a dog trainer/boss!
Jack Hansen has 40 years of management experience and has trained dogs for more than 30 years
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