From the dawn of time, there has been a deep and powerful link between man and dog. Mutually symbiotic and sympathetic, Homo sapiens and Canis lupus familiaris emerged, hand-in-paw, in solidarity and partnership from history’s dark caves into the bright glare of today’s tech-driven world.

That joint evolution brought shared learning and behaviour between man and dog. Today’s dog serves us in many of the same ways that individual humans serve their communities.

For the next few weeks, we will examine the parallels between various breeds of dogs and different types of community leaders. As we go, try to work out in your mind where you and other members of your organization fit in the dog breed / community leader continuum.

Before we go, lets make sure we have all the trail supplies we need. Snack kibble? Trail baggies? Our sense of humor? Let’s hit the trail!

We will start with “The Heavy Haulers”. In community organizations, the “Heavy Haulers” are those invaluable people doing the hard-slugging grunt work necessary for organizational progress. They don’t seek the limelight, and their key focus is on “getting the job done”.

I’ve had the good fortune to work with many “Heavy Haulers” over the years, especially in minor sports and local community activity. They set up and take down the equipment required for community fun. “Heavy Haulers” are quick to volunteer their time and gas to drive across the city or the M.D. to get the building supplies required to renovate the community hall washroom. They only ask that you don’t make them do that “leadership stuff.

They are very powerful perceived leaders and they set a bar of commitment and integrity of purpose that few can match. Their perceived leadership comes from their service plus their non-interest in the normal trappings of leadership.

Their hard work comes with a cost. All of us have very finite amounts of physical, emotional, and intellectual energy. Our “real-world lives”- personal and workplace- consume huge amounts of energy, and community service is equally demanding. The “heavy-haulers” in our community organizations will eventually burn out and/or break down. We need to develop strategies and practices to give them the rest and rejuvenation they need.

Their canine equivalent may well be the Bernese Mountain Dog.

Of Swiss ancestry, Bernese are large, heavy dogs with a distinctive tricolored dogs, black with white chest and rust colored markings above eyes, sides of mouth, front of legs, and a small amount around the white chest. Bernese Mountain Dogs should not be “aggressive, anxious or distinctly shy,” but rather should be “good natured,” “self-assured,” “placid towards strangers,” and “docile

The Bernese calm temperament makes them a natural for pulling small carts or wagons, a task they originally performed in Switzerland. With proper training they enjoy giving children rides in a cart or participating in a parade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgb_cGN2VDE is a cool link showing the “Berner” in action.

Though well-behaved in the house, Bernese are outdoors dogs at heart; and they need activity and exercise. They can move with amazing bursts of speed for their size when motivated. Sound Bernese (no problems with their hips, elbows, or other joints) enjoy hiking and generally stick close to their people.

Unfortunately, their size and willingness to work hard results in health problems for the breed. This breed is very short-lived compared to breeds of similar size and purebred dogs in general.

The Bernese temperament is a strong point of the breed. They are affectionate, loyal, faithful, stable, intelligent, but sometimes shy. Most are friendly to people, and other dogs. They often get along well with other pets such as cats, horses, etc. They do not respond well to harsh treatment, although Bernese are willing and eager to please their master. Bernese love to be encouraged with praise and treats. The breed is sweet and good with children and overall, they are stable in temperament, patient, and loving.”

Do you see the parallels between the Bernese dogs and the leaders who do the “heavy lifting” in our communities? Striking, isn’t it? It’s also interesting to consider what we might learn about managing human Heavy Haulers from what we already know about managing Bernese Mountain Dogs.

If you know a Heavy Hauler, either human or canine, let me know. Please share your story and we’ll post it under “Comments” for the world to read.

Next Friday, get ready for another cool combo of community leadership and working dogs- “The Herders”!

She and I are no stranger to dogs, as we both owned dogs in our previous lives. We’ve decided that it would be wonderful to have one again, and have been contemplating various breeds, trying to find the breed best matching our lifestyle and personalities.

I suppose it was inevitable that I began to think about the linkages between the attributes required for community leadership and the attributes and characteristics of different dog breeds. However, I wasn’t prepared for what happened when the two dominant thought patterns- community leadership and dog breeds- met head-on in my head.

It started on yesterday’s early morning walk, as I shared the Gulf Islands morning with the hundreds of trilling songbirds that chill out around our house. I was walking along, mentally flipping through the upcoming day’s activities- doing “leadership stuff” and “dog stuff” when the ideas collided. There was a mental “Wham” and sparks inside my skull started to fly like the slag from a welder’s torch. I was suddenly seeing crystal-clear connections between leadership and different types of dogs. Amazing- simply amazing!

But wait- there’s more. Not only did I see those direct connections, but I also thought of specific examples of each kind of leadership “dog” and where they fit in the leadership continuum.

But I wasn’t done yet! More inspiration came racing around the bend. I saw a montage of individual dog breeds and pictures of leaders we all know and admire (well, admiration may be a bit strong). In a blinding flash of enlightenment, I saw a series that would describe community leadership gone to the dogs- a dog’s-eye view of community governance. Next week, we’ll be off and running, and we’ll start with the herding dogs. Put the collar on your inner Border Collie and join me next Friday!

That’s a core truth we all know and accept. Yet there is another deeper and more powerful truth to the “clarity of signal” concept.

Life is ongoing all around us. Like our radio sends us the music and programming we enjoy, life is constantly sending us signals. What are these signals? They can be the quiet and not so-quiet affirmations of nature. This morning at daybreak on my morning walk; I was serenaded by the majesty of the Salt Spring Island Bird Orchestra. It was a bravura performance.

These signals can also be silent- the quick blinking and averting of eyes that can happen when our words or actions have hurt another. They can be the tensing of muscles or lump in the belly or throat happening when something triggers feelings of anger or fear.

The signals can come from a multitude of sources and trigger all kinds of reactions. Some of these signals are vitally important to our interests. Yet we often fail to hear them because of the “static” in our lives. What is that “static”? “Static” is the mechanisms we use to insulate ourselves from reality.

What are examples of “static” in our lives? Modern tech toys are a wonderful diversion from life. Facebook, Twitter, and texting are a few examples of how we wall ourselves off from reality. Addictions like alcohol, drugs or work also serve to tune out life’s signal. Since mankind is a creative species, we find many ways to escape those signals.

From what are we seeking escape? Are we afraid to listen to the messages of life? I’m a wee bit prone to use web-surfing as an escape. Why are we trying to tune out life’s signals? Are we in such inner turmoil that we cannot focus? Are we in difficulty, and are we just “shooting the messenger”?

If we are, we are only fooling ourselves. The bad news is that life is ongoing around us. The good news is that life is ongoing around us. When we tune it out, all we do is remove our power to make the choices we need to take control of our world.

Life is all about choices. We can choose to listen to the static, or we can listen to the symphony. We can choose to be victims of life by tuning out its signals, or we can choose to “tune in” life and reclaim our power. What’s your choice?

The Universe is certainly sending Canadians a message about personal accountability and democratic process. There can be little argument that Canadians take our national democracy for granted. Our voter turnouts federally, provincially and locally, are a disgrace, particularly when women and men in our armed forces risk death daily bringing democracy to other countries.

I recognize that Canadian voter apathy is not headline news. For years, “experts” have made all sorts of suggestions for increasing voter turnout. Potential solutions have ranged from “Use it or lose it”, to allowing on-line voting in elections.

That’s where the Universe has sent Canadians a message with the “Robocall”. For weeks, national media has been energetically tearing at the “Robocall” issue, while Canada’s National Government has done little to uncover the political thugs responsible. Last week, the federal N.D.P. had their recent leadership vote disrupted by more web-based shenanigans. It gives the old phrase “Political hacks” a whole new meaning.

It also means that on-line voting is a really, really bad idea for two reasons. First, there is the absolute certainty that the process may be subverted- hacked- elections stolen, and the democratic will of Canadians truly thwarted.

That is reason enough to move the concept of on-line voting into the “delete” file. Yet there is another valid reason. Personal accountability is the bedrock of empowered, effective leadership. On-line culture, however, is built on a culture of non-accountability- a form of societal “caveat emptor”- otherwise known as “Buyer beware”.

I hope Canadians get the message. These recent attempts to subvert democratic process using on-line tactics are the best possible argument for in-person voting by concerned and informed citizens. Voting is our duty, and the recent hack attacks prove that democracy needs us to stand up now.

Today, however, a good person- a very good person- was rewarded for his character and skill with a significant appointment. My good friend Gordon Sharek, Q.C., of Edmonton, Alberta, was appointed to the Provincial Court of Alberta, Civil Division.

I met Gordon many years ago when I was Chairman of the Board of an insurance reciprocal company that provided liability insurance to Alberta’s rural municipalities, urban municipalities, and school boards. One large, pre-eminent firm provided most of the insurance coverage. The insurance reciprocal’s major downtown law firm also represented two of the three partners and the insurance company. That is a legal arrangement fraught with “Chinese Walls” and conflicting interests. Gordon Sharek was the lawyer assigned to the file.

That’s when I first saw his character, integrity and skill as he succeeded in a semi-impossible situation. We became friends. Since then I have watched him weather storms that would have overwhelmed a lesser person. He survived one of the most devastating events that can befall a lawyer, and he rebuilt his practice from the bottom up. With the love and support of his wife Chris, and a crackerjack group of young lawyers, he rebuilt Sharek & Co. into a top law firm.

That’s the lawyer side of Gordon Sharek, Q.C. The personal side is a warm, bright man with a wonderful sense of humor, a calm and reflective approach to life, and a profound personal integrity. Among many things I miss about life in Edmonton are my regular coffee get-togethers with a good friend and a great man, Gordon Sharek. I raise a glass of Jenner Rattlesnake Juice to you, Judge Sharek. Bravo. The Alberta bench is well served with your presence.

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“A Salt Spring based restaurateur, chef, food consultant and writer, Richard was most recently the general manager and executive chef at Moby’s Oyster Bar and Marine Grill after having owned and operated the extremely popular Raven Street Cafe for more than ten years. Richard’s love of fresh, local and sustainable foods is evident in everything he does, and his affection for the open flame is well known – if occasionally a little unnerving.” ~ Sip And Savour 2011

Richard and I have been pals and business partners for years. Soup to nuts, he is there for you if you need anything done in restaurants or hospitality.

www.richardverhagen.com

www.ravenstaralliance.com