Latest Update on Rocco–Our Guide Dog Puppy in Training

“The only real training for leadership is leadership.”

Anthony Jay

In my executive coaching assignments I see “leaders” today who seem to have never learned the basic skills of supervision, management and leadership practices. Some have been moved from highly successful “specialist” roles where they relied on technical skills and competencies to roles where building teams, developing talent and managing day-today performance aren’t done very well.

Great leaders also spend a great deal of their life practicing their managerial craft. In fact, one career anchor labeled by the career and organizational management guru Ed Schein is actually called a “managerial anchor” which characterizes a cluster of interests, values, motives and skills that help enhance leadership performance, success and optimize satisfaction in that specific role.

As many of you know, our guide dog puppy in training named Rocco has now completed his fourth month of technical training at Guide Dogs of America to learn the leadership skills to become a working service dog for those who are sight impaired.  The cost for guide dogs is completely free but runs an average of about $45,000 (all from donations from people like you and I).

Rocco just wrote us and I was excited to share an update about his leadership development journey!

It sounds like he has mastered working with his harness and now is on to the more difficult tasks of elevators, stairs and escalators (yes–they are taught to ride on escalators although we never could as puppy raisers).

I will keep you posted the next time he contacts us.

GO Rocco!!  Become the leader we know you can…..Be well…..

Ken Nowack

Kenneth Nowack, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist (PSY13758) and President & Chief Research Officer/Co-Founder of Envisia Learning, is a member of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations. Ken also serves as the Associate Editor of Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research. His recent book Clueless: Coaching People Who Just Don’t Get It is available for free for a limited time by signing up for free blog updates (Learn more at our website)