Let's walk the dog
"With true collaboration, the group work no longer feels like work." John Spencer
Let me introduce a phrase and concept which was often used in my military career. 'Walk the dog' meant going all the way to completion or understanding of a problem or concept. When one walks the dog, one does so to completion, meaning the dog is exercised and has relieved itself so that it may be returned home. When a leader used that phrase I knew we were going to spend quality time thinking through something and solving it if we could. 'Walk the dog' was catchy, like many other phrases but it needed to be backed by intent. Walk the dog for what?
In one of my businesses, I wanted to assemble a few of my teammates for some group think on gaining more commercial work. "Let's walk the dog," I stated. My teammates looked puzzled. I pressed enthusiastically, "Are you ready to walk the dog?" They asked what I meant and I told them I would show them.
We assembled before a large dry erase board (dog on a leash) and I explained that I was interested in pursuing more commercial work for our business and that I'd like to identify ways to accomplish that. I started by listing things I had discovered about commercial work from conversations and meetings I had with builders and commercial designers (city block 1). I then sketched out a typical timeline of commercial construction including people and contractors involved (city block 2). I then explained to the group who I thought we might need to contact and when (dog park). My work was rough and definitely incomplete, hence the assembled group to help me walk this dog. People shared their thoughts and I wrote them on the board to complete my thinking. (city block 3). Lastly, I created a list of steps we could take to achieve our goal of gaining more commercial work (city block 4). Dog walked. Almost.
Following the session with my people, I created an email which listed the people and agencies I wanted to contact and assigned each of them to a person to find their contact information (dog returned home). In this email I tasked myself to show that I would do my part. Dog walked.
Indeed we had not found the commercial work solely from that dog walking but we did the work required to think it through and develop a more informed plan. What dog do you need to walk today? I am sure there is at least one. Don't forget the poop bags!
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell