In the beginning …

In being a co-author of Learning from Dogs, I have reflected long and hard on how this first piece of writing should appear.

When Paul and I first sat in this office with his dog, Pharaoh, we shared a vision of businesses that could work with their employees and clients with integrity and trust. Paul brought his software and sales background, and I, my engineering and people development background.  We’d both noticed what an effect having Pharaoh in the room had on our thinking. It appeared that the dog took things on face value, had basic needs and as long as these were fulfilled, trusted that all was OK.

We also based our observations on some of our current business clients and on the work of Dr David R Hawkins and his book, “Power Verses Force – The Hidden Determinants of Human Behaviour”. Dr Hawkins gave us a language and way to measure levels of integrity, which made it possible to gauge who we were dealing with and what development interventions would work best.

I had noticed that businesses that were operating largely with integrity, tended to be happier places, got better results and it was possible to develop levels of awareness within teams that enabled them to work together far more effectively. Levels of self-awareness are important because they allow people to develop closer business relationships with everyone internal and external and this leads to increased levels of trust.

So these things and my own personal development which has been ongoing, long and very tiring at times, has fed into my personal and professional life and has allowed me to approach people in a way that I hope offers the opportunity for positive change through awareness.

I remember reading Henry David Thoreau’s book, Walden, many years ago whilst living beside a lake in deepest Finland and being struck by the phrase, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”, and deciding that I didn’t really want any of that. It is that quiet desperation that I see regularly and notice bits of in myself that I want to work with.

So I will endeavour to write from my personal experience and include things that I’ve noticed along the way that have been helpful for me and that will hopefully, be of benefit to others.

Jon.

All opinions expressed here are those of the authors alone, and not necessarily those of the organizations with which they are affiliated or any other organization or person.