| “If mistakes happen, effective leaders don’t place blame on others. They take ownership of the mistakes, determine what went wrong, develop solutions to correct those mistakes and prevent them from happening again as they move forward.” -Jocko Willink |
This week we welcomed an 8-week-old black boxer, “Knight” (Beat Navy), to the Kraemer & MCFA family.
Yes, just as our youngest gets out of diapers, we decided to get back in the weeds of nipping, potty training, and 1 AM wake-up calls. I’ve read up on and reminded myself about training techniques and positive/negative reinforcement for dog training. We’ve got a plan of attack for crate training and a battle rhythm for potty breaks, walks and feedings. Just as I’m feeling confident that “we got this,” BAM! I turn my head for a second and he is doing his business on the carpet.
Frustrating.
Didn’t we just walk him? Didn’t he just go? When did he eat last?
Training isn’t instant. Training takes patience.
Whether potty training a dog, teaching a kid to ride a bike or training our teams – patience and persistence are key!
Patience…are you nuts? We have to win TODAY! We have to accomplish the mission NOW!
How as leaders do we know when to create a sense of urgency vs having patience and persisting? When do we inspire greatness vs hold someone accountable for falling short of the standard? How do we balance mentorship with management?
Jocko Willink says, “As a leader, you have to balance the dichotomy, to be resolute where it matters but never inflexible and uncompromising on matters of little importance to the overall good of the team and the strategic mission.”
Leadership is part Art and part Science. Patience goes a long way. And if you don’t have patience? Get a puppy.
BJ Kraemer, President