You know the old statement “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” It isn’t as true as conventional wisdom seems to suggest. Sure, there are many old dogs that are resistant to change. They like to have things just the way they’ve always been or always are. They want their daily routine that includes only the comfortable and familiar activities which don’t threaten their doghood, or cause them to be the least bit inconvenienced or insecure. Get up, shake, go outside, drink, bark at a squirrel, check to make sure food is available, bark at a bird, drink, lay down, take a nap…all within the predictable parameters of their routine dog’s life that doesn’t ask them to change or learn anything they don’t already know, particularly a new trick. That’s the life of most old dogs. Unfortunately, there are people who match this description as well, and their leaders have a choice to make: allow the old dogs of the organization to live out the rest of their days in comfort and complacency, or choose to lay down the challenge to wake up and smell the roses of the future, which include innovation, a renewed commitment to serving others and, most of all (get ready for the dirty word), CHANGE.
Old dogs don’t like change. It’s a fact. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t handle it with the right leader at the helm. Old dogs can learn new tricks, but it takes some effort on their part and on the part of the leader. It takes incentive to become a new dog. In an organizational context there are lots of incentives which can be used to compel the old dogs to learn new routines and practices. I’m sure that many come to mind, including the typical material incentive. However, true incentive isn’t material, it’s internal, and it has to do with one’s motivation to make the world a better place, serve others, and pursue a shared mission. Old dogs will come around to new methods if their leader can tap into their greater sense of purpose. Old dogs can change if they get a grip on the greater purposes of why change is necessary and on the good that will come to others when change happens. It’s up to the leader to cast the vision of what could and should be, a mission which everyone shares and is committed to. Material incentives work only for a short time. In the long term, the incentive to stay on the leading edge requires each dog to see the benefits of learning new tricks and keeping their eyes on others and not their own comfort.
I have an old dog at home. He’s wobbly, takes pills, and can’t hear a thing. To get his attention, you must be in eye sight or nudge him. He’s had a long and happy life. When I need him to do something, I give him an incentive to do it. Often it is taking his daily pill, which I wrap in lunchmeat. He would never take the pill by itself, but he eagerly swallows it whole when wrapped in the yumminess of turkey or ham. When I need him to go outside, again, turkey works best. Some might say, “Isn’t that a material incentive?” Yes, but you must remember that he’s a dog, not a human member of my team! While I feed my team members, too, I try to appeal to their higher sense of calling and service. I will resort to donuts and pizza, but what really keeps people engaged is that I constantly remind them of why we do what we do (mission), how great they are at serving others (encouragement), and how much I appreciate them (gratitude). They also know that I won’t ask them to do anything I’m not willing to do myself, or at least, help with (modeling).
You know something that is great about dogs? (The four-legged kind). They are always willing to serve. Sure, they like a treat, but they are also okay with just a pat or a hug. They want to bring happiness to those around them. As leaders and followers, we should be just like dogs. Another thing I’ve noticed about dogs is that when someone says, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” it usually has a lot more to do with the human than the dog. With enough incentive, be it a pat or a treat, the dog will typically be eager to learn something new, but it’s the dog’s leader that is too tired or busy or stuck in their ways to teach them. In the end, the human should learn how to learn something new.
That’s our challenge. Be like a dog and learn new tricks. Everyone will be glad we did.
Lead well.