Getting Ahead of the Pack

In “L.A.’s Canine Commuters,” Meghan Daum reports on the “moment of joy . . . when the instinct kicks in” for pet dogs herding for the first time (The Status Report, Aug. 19). In my role as a corporate leadership consultant and coach, I have also seen that joy on the faces of previously nonperforming employees who were backing themselves out of the corporate kennel door when someone intervened and moved them into roles more suited to their passions and skills. The organization saved a bundle in recruitment and severance fees, and it gained happy employees, as loyal as Lassie.

If you are nipping at your associates’ ankles, barking orders at the slightest provocation or dragging yourself around with your tail between your legs, you could be in the wrong job. Unlike your doggy, you cannot lie down and nap when it gets too boring. But you can make an informed choice about how you spend your day.

Jaki Scarcello

Hermosa Beach