There are several aspects of a dog’s pack mentality that are applicable to creating a successful, highly productive, and purposeful workplace culture. How dogs view their organizational hierarchy in a pack, how they work together as a team, how they create shared meaning, and how they rely on each individual member’s unique strengths, are learned very early as puppies. Ultimately, they build strong, supportive, and respectful relationships.
The pack as a community of canines can be equated to the organization’s culture of people. The daily behavior and actions of these people ultimately form the rituals and routines that are perpetuated as new employees are hired. The rules of the culture become implicitly translated much the same way that the rules of a canine pack are communicated.
Dogs develop a hierarchical organization within their packs which clearly identifies the alpha dog. The alpha dog establishes the rules that the pack will follow. The alpha dog is looked upon for guidance. Leaders also must embrace an alpha-like approach to model what is expected of their employees and set ground rules for what is identified as success.
Developing a positive culture starts by identifying the core values of the organization and hiring individuals who embrace those values and bring the skills and talent needed to perform specific functions identified as contributing to specific tasks. This is where solid team work becomes critical for organizational success with each member being able to contribute their unique set of skills and talents.
Dogs learn to cooperate in order to survive and protect the well-being of the pack. The same needs to occur in the workplace culture. People need to nurture each other’s strengths and practice collaboration. Such a pack mentality can be successfully implemented in a corporate setting by looking at the intricate features of each component in more detail.
Be sure to also read What My Dog Taught Me About the Importance of Emotional Support
