Big Girl Panties Diaries- Entry #42: What My Dog Knows About Leadership
Let’s be honest: we were not dog people. If you read Entry #4: Sit, Stay, Panic, you know our first weeks with Ash were chaos-meets-healing. (Catch up here.)
We’ve had Ash for a little over a year now — and three trainers later, she’s still a work in progress. So are we. Like many humans, Ash carries a great deal of anxiety. But even with her fears, she’s fierce. She takes her job as our protector seriously — head on a swivel, tail up, ready to bark at anything that threatens her people.
That’s the thing about Ash: she reminds us daily that you can be anxious and brave, cautious and loyal, messy and mighty. You don’t have to wait to be fearless to lead — you just have to show up anyway.
She’s the best leadership coach we’ve ever had — four legs, big brown eyes, and zero tolerance for our excuses.
🐶 Here’s what Ash — yes, she’s a girl — has taught us since then:
✅ Trust is earned, not demanded. Ash didn’t come wagging her tail like a Hallmark movie. She watched us. She tested us. She gave us little slivers of trust, then pulled them back. It took time. People work the same way — especially the ones who’ve been hurt before. Trust us — we’re still working on this.
✅ Consistency is psychological safety. Ash knows we’ll feed her, walk her, scratch that magic spot behind her ear — every single day. She trusts us because we show up, even when we’re tired. Our people need that too. Consistency builds calm.
✅ Nonverbal cues matter. Ash knows when our energy is off before we do. She’ll lay her head on a knee, look up, and remind us: “Hey, you’re not fooling me. Slow down.” Humans pick up our signals too — even the ones we think we’re hiding behind a professional mask.
✅ Play is serious business. Ash is afraid to go to the park — but she lives for activities at home. Right now, Anna’s taking dog training classes to teach Ash how to do hurdles (even though Ash can’t actually go — she’s too anxious around other dogs). So we lease another dog named Stratus for practice. Ash can smell Anna from a mile away when she comes home and knows she’s been cheating on her. Ten minutes of backyard zoomies and forgiveness is back on the table. It’s the same for us: our teams need safe spaces to play and reset. Productivity isn’t all deadlines and data — sometimes it’s a squeaky toy, a makeshift hurdle, or a belly laugh.
✅ Boundaries are healthy — and non-negotiable. Ash doesn’t people-please. If she’s done playing, she’ll walk away. If we’re in her space too long, she’ll politely (or not-so-politely) remind us she needs a break. It’s funny how we respect her growl, yet bulldoze our own boundaries at work or home. She’s a daily reminder: love fiercely — but protect your peace.
✅ Forgive fast, love fully. Ash doesn’t hold grudges — even when Anna comes home smelling like Stratus, the “stand-in” dog. She knows her person “cheated,” but a few tail wags and backyard zoomies later, all is forgiven. She resets and loves us anyway. If only we could all lead with that kind of grace.
🎂 So, here’s to you, Ash — Happy 2nd Birthday!
Thank you for teaching us that leadership isn’t just about strategy decks and meetings. It’s about trust, consistency, healthy boundaries, play, presence — and the courage to stand guard for the people we love, even on our anxious days. And trust us — we’re still working on all of this. And treats. Always treats.
Big Girl Panties Rule:
You can’t lead well if you don’t guard your own yard. Growl when you need to.
What about you?Who’s been your best (and maybe most unexpected) teacher in leadership, grace, or resilience? Drop your stories — and your pet pics — below. Let’s celebrate the ones who heal us in ways we didn’t know we needed. 🐾