How to Walk Your Human

For Fun Today … what can a cat teach us about leadership? 

See the video below.  Of course it is cute and fun, but what can we learn about leadership by watching this video?  Oh yea, it is a stretch, but that has not stopped me before.

For me this video is about role reversal.  Who is the leader in the video?   In a fun way the filmmaker is presenting the cat as the leader.  Alas, the human is the leader all along.  Good leaders allow their people at times to take the lead and yes, walk ahead and lead them along.   This is how people develop their own leadership ability.

Metaphorically speaking I want each of my direct staff (each a people manager) to have a leash hanging in his or her office and, at times, bring it with them when they walk into my office and ask, “do you want to go for a walk?”  

When we focus on others developing as leaders (and we go for a walk) we develop our leadership as well.

Here are the steps to how to walk your human.  Watch the video for both fun and maybe a little lesson on leadership development.

Step 1: Establish dominance over the leash.

Step 2: Take the lead, remember, walk your human, don’t let your human walk you.

Step 3: Walk in front of them so they know you’re in charge.

Step 4: Once they are comfortable, bring them for a jog.  Humans need exercise to thrive.

Step 5: Test their obedience to make sure they don’t walk in front of you.

Step 6: If they stop, give them a little tug for encouragement.

Step 7: If there are other cats in the house … show them you have control over the human.