There is something about a dog that brings out the best in people. Even the most imposing of figures seems more human when they have a lead in their hand and an adoring pooch staring up at them. But it’s more than just image that a dog can help with. Dogs help to keep business professionals, company and world leaders grounded, providing needed perspective that helps them to do their jobs more effectively and to remain “in touch” with the people they attempt to serve. Should all CEOs, presidents, and managers have a dog, and if so, why?
If you are the leader of a company, a business professional, or the president of the United States, you could benefit from adding a dog to your family. Laypeople all around the globe have been enjoying the companionship and reaping the rewards of a furry friend for centuries. Research reports that dog owners are happier, more confident, and experience better health than their non-dog loving counterparts. But there is so much more than just the obvious to be gained from adding a beloved pooch to the home of a business professional.
Here are just a few reasons why every CEO, president, and manager should share their home with a dog:
Dogs help with stress relief
Let’s face it; if you own a company or play on the world’s stage, you are well acquainted with stress. A dog can help with that! From providing affection to comic relief and more, close time spent with a pooch that adores you will bring a smile to your face. People will fail you, deals will fall through, but your favorite furry companion will never disappoint. By your side as often as possible and waiting with anticipation for your arrival home when you are out, you are sure to feel like the center of someone’s world with a dog in your home.
A 2001 study showed that the simple act of petting a beloved family dog significantly reduces stress levels by inhibiting the release of the fight or flight stress hormone known as cortisol. This seemingly innocuous practice promotes feelings of relaxation and overall contentedness, two stress busting properties, for sure!
Dogs encourage more social behavior
If you own a dog, you will most definitely be getting out of the house more often. All dogs need a good amount of regular exercise, and that means more opportunities for you to get out in the public eye, something that can be a powerful boon to your work efforts!
While out and about on a walk with Fido, you are bound to run into people who purchase your goods and services or whom you oversee in a managerial capacity. But more than that, owning a dog opens up a whole world of social activities which can increase the potential for networking. From classes in dog performance sports to rescue events, dog parks, and more, you can increase your social circle dramatically simply by letting Fido open up the door to brand new adventures for you. This is good for your company—or your country!—and it is also very good for you personally.
Dogs provide instant “likeability” factor
If you suffer from an image that could use a positive reboot, a dog can only help! Owning a pooch gives you instant likeability as people who own dogs are considered much more down to earth and easy to approach.
Why is that?
Quite simply put, being a dog owner makes you seem more human. It gives the world a glimpse into very private and heartwarming moments. People like other people that they can relate to, and the persona of a CEO, president, or manager is often very imposing. Anything that makes you seem more relatable to the common man is going to increase positive feelings towards you. People may not be able to conceive of your role in a company, but they understand what it means to be a dog owner, and just knowing that you look forward to the joys only a pooch can bring increases your popularity by spades.
Supporting leading dog causes is also sure to improve declining popularity ratings. Everyone loves a good sob story, and knowing that you are spearheading a campaign to end the dog meat trade in China or to stop homelessness in elderly dogs is sure to improve even the worst of public images! Bring Fido along on your crusades, and your fan base will increase even more rapidly. But it must be a true heartfelt cause, invest your time—and your dog’s—in meaningful pet-related issues that you feel passionate about and where you can truly make a difference. You will find people warming to you personally, but they will also warm to your cause, finding support and resources in areas most needed.
Dogs give common ground with other people
Owning a dog gives you something to talk about with other people. With 56 percent of all people in the United States owning a pet, leading to 85 million pet owning homes in the country, pet ownership is an important issue for Americans today. To be in touch with what these people experience on a daily basis, it is important to understand it yourself, and the only way to do that is to own a pooch of your very own. To do this, you are better able to comprehend what is important to the pet-loving public, what they are looking for in products and services, and what legislation they will fight for and against.
Many world leaders own dogs, including President Trump’s old pal, Mr. Putin. A man whose scowl is as familiar as the sickle-adorned Russian flag itself, Mr. Putin lights up like a Christmas tree when a dog enters the room, and his people love it!
But in a social situation where idle chitchat is required in a large people group with little in common, owning a dog is all you need. It provides you with endless topics of conversation and automatically engenders you positively to the person you are communicating with. After all, as dog owners, you both face similar challenges, joys, and disappointments which provide an instant connection for you.
Managers, CEOs, and yes, even presidents that own dogs understand that pet owners have very specific needs, and these can differ from those of their non-pet owning counterparts. This common ground makes them sympathetic to shared experiences that befall every dog-loving family from time to time such as unexpected veterinary visits necessitating time off work, illnesses which equate to employee sick days to take care of a beloved dog, and even space to process the death of a canine family member.
To grasp how important these things are to pet owners, you need to experience it for yourself. Pet-owning leaders understand that dogs are not just animals; they are family. To truly get inside the head of the dog owner, you need to be one. Offering time off to deal with pet-related emergencies is a simple way to communicate genuine interest in your employees and their lives. It is a small investment of time and concern that reaps a maximum positive impact for your employee and their feelings about you and your company.
Dogs strengthen physical health
Everyone can benefit from a good walk, and having a dog in house ensures you’re going to be taking them regularly. Walking will help keep your body limber, will improve cardiovascular health, and will help get—or keep—you in shape. All positive things, indeed!
Dogs increase feelings of happiness
Dogs are a natural mood booster. Delighting in their antics is a form of a natural high, and who couldn’t benefit from that?
Even when your pup is up to mischief, the most stoic person alive can’t help but chuckle. Dogs will keep you on your toes, but they also warm the cockles of your heart. Even the Grinch had a trusty canine sidekick, proving that the hardest of hearts can be softened by the right dog.
Dogs provide a built in sounding board
Who doesn’t need someone to act as a sounding board? Bouncing ideas off people is a great way to work out sticky problems, and CEOs, presidents, and managers are not immune to this need.
One of the great things about a dog is that they are great listeners. They listen without complaint, and they never judge even your stupidest of ideas. Best of all, they keep all of your secrets, and even offer up a paw or lick at the end of the conversation as a show of support.
If you were of the ambitious sort, you could even work out a training system for ruling out bad ideas. One lick for good, a leg lifted on your shoes for bad?
Dogs change perspective
CEOs, managers, and government leaders who own dogs see the world just a little differently and shape their enterprises accordingly. Pet-owning leaders understand what an important role dogs play in the lives of their employees because they too experience that incredible bond. This knowledge often then changes the way they think and often spurs on an impetus to provide a working environment that is not only great for each employee but that also benefits each person’s relationship with their pets. Many companies offer a benefits package which often covers dental and medical care not only for the employee himself but also for the employee’s entire family. Forward-thinking leaders with pets could take things a step further and consider offering pet insurance to their valued company team. This seemingly small inclusion in a benefits package does a great deal to encourage company loyalty and engender goodwill between employees and employers. After all the best way to a pet lover’s heart is through their dog! Do something nice for an employee’s pooch, and often, you will gain a friend for life.
Yes, every CEO, president, and manager should own a dog
In fact, many of them do! Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is the proud owner of a pooch named Beast. Beast not only bears pride of place in Mr. Zuckerberg’s home, he also has his own following on his very own Facebook page.
But Mr. Zuckerberg is not the only leading CEO who finds that life is better with a dog in it. Instagram founder Mr. Kevin Systrom owns a lovely pup named Dolly (who also has her own Instagram profile and 21,000 followers!). Tesla magnate, Elon Musk, shares his home with his best canine pal Marvin. Even Microsoft giant Bill Gates displays a soft spot for pooches by cuddling up with his dogs Oreo and Nilla. Some of today’s top-rated CEOs realize that there are great benefits to opening your home and your heart to a dog.
There is no doubt that every CEO, president, and manager should own a dog! If you find yourself in a dogless home, consider adding a pooch to your family today. The people you serve will thank you for it!
